By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
COEYMANS — Town officials cut the ribbon Tuesday on the renovated Riverfront Park at Coeymans Landing.
The project came with a price tag of about $1.4 million.
The town received $212,000 from a consent order from the Lafarge Cement Plant and parlayed that initial investment into a $1,000,000 grant from the Environmental Facilities Corp., Town Supervisor George McHugh said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
An additional $200,000 came from the town’s fund balance reserves, he added.
The town’s engineering firm, M.J. Engineering, designed the project, and the contractor completing the construction work was Carver Companies.
“Work started last June and we finished in November of last year,” said owner Carver Laraway, adding that landscaping was done in the fall and began growing in this spring.
Project Manager Jacob Parsons said the project will help alleviate flooding problems that once plagued the park.
“One of the biggest aspects was the drainage,” Parsons said. “There was a lot of water coming down the hills, so we put in bioswales and we replaced a lot of the drainage, added a new catch basin to catch the water — we basically improved the water mitigation. There was a lot of flooding.”
Bioswales are landscape features that collect stormwater from impervious surfaces like streets and parking lots.
Other improvements included new sidewalks, new curbs, lighting and landscaping, and a paved parking lot to replace the former gravel lot.
More improvements are on the way — construction on a new permanent bathroom facility is expected to begin in August and be completed by November, McHugh said.
“This park has never looked better and with the new permanent bathrooms being constructed later this year, I am confident that the Coeymans Landing Riverfront Park will provide residents and visitors with a safe and relaxing place to bring their children and families for future generations to come, adding to the quality of life we already enjoy here in Coeymans.”
Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy helped cut the ribbon at the ceremony and said the renovated park will be a big benefit for the people of Coeymans.
“This is about getting something done that benefits a community and it’s another step in the right direction,” McCoy said. “As you change the vibe of the town and village, it draws more people here, more businesses want to open up, but growing in a way that you see fit going forward.”
McHugh recalled how the area looked years ago and how much it has changed.
“When I was a child, this area near the river was not a park. It was mostly a swamp full of cattails, usually very wet if not flooded, and a resting place for abandoned and broken-down equipment, vehicles and tires,” he said.
Albany County Comptroller Susan Rizzo said the renovation project was kept under budget and is “transformational.”
“This capital improvement project is another example of how Albany County municipalities are using every opportunity at their disposal to leverage resources to improve our communities,” Rizzo said. “This is another example of the wonderful work going on throughout the county and notably along the Hudson River to improve access and recreational opportunities for our residents.”
Albany County Legislator Zachary Collins, R-Coeymans, was a member of the town board a couple of years ago when the project first got off the ground.
“To see this project come to fruition, I’m really proud of that,” Collins said. “It really hit me when I came down for the 350th anniversary celebration and I saw all the vendors not on rocks and weeds, but on a blacktop driveway, with new curbs and new sidewalks and the kids enjoying the playground — that made me very proud, and especially to know that the bathrooms are coming in. We are not done investing in Coeymans.”
Deputy Town Supervisor Brandon LeFevre said after the ceremony that the newly renovated park will be a boon for residents.
“The Coeymans Landing Riverfront Park renovations have not only beautified the overall appearance of the park, but the improvements have also made the park more accessible to our residents,” LeFevre said, adding that numerous events have been hosted at the park, including Riverfest, the town’s 350th anniversary celebration, and the weekly Evening on the Green concerts on Wednesdays.
“We hope that the residents will enjoy these green space improvements and the town board is looking forward to future events at the Coeymans Landing,” LeFevre said.
