Celebrations planned for New York State Parks' 100th anniversary
JONES BEACH, N.Y. -- Our world famous New York Parks are having a big birthday this year, celebrating their centennial.
The timing has Gov. Kathy Hochul proposing a $300 million investment in the park system. One-third of that is earmarked for Jones Beach improvements.
As the sun came up on another day at Jones Beach, it's one day closer -- 110 days if you're counting -- until beach season.
But newly released attendance figures show Jones Beach visits are booming year-round.
"Three times a week, four times a week," one visitor said.
From the first steps to those counting steps, Jones Beach welcomed 8.6 million visitors last year.
"Peaceful, that's what I love about it," one visitor said.
"It's my therapy, honestly. I'm 64, this is a place I've been going all my life," another visitor said.
Record attendance of 84 million visits across New York State Parks, which are celebrating their 100th anniversary.
In 1924, New York voters approved a $15 million bond to create our park system. It was Robert Moses' vision in the 1920s to dredge sand to elevate and join marshy barrier islands to create "a great people's park," what's now 6.5 miles of Jones Beach State Park.
"This was swamp land. You couldn't even walk where we are right now, you'd be in water," New York State Parks Regional Director George Gorman said.
To celebrate the centennial, Hochul has earmarked $100 million to rebuild the East Bath House, which has been shuttered for 15 years. If approved by the state legislature, it will bring restaurants, catering and a splash park.
"For young kids, old kids, and anybody that wants to enjoy it. But we will also have a kiddie pool where we'll have learn-to-swim lessons, which the governor is very big on," Gorman said.
The Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater is also undergoing a renovation to be completed by June.
There will be anniversary celebrations across New York's 240 state park locations, including a centennial challenge with prizes, to get even more New Yorkers to know their parks.
At the Central Mall, 10,000 people will be treated to a giant cake the Friday before Memorial Day weekend to celebrate nearly a century of a destination that gets better with age.