Westchester County To Sell Bonds For Repairs At Rye Playland
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Westchester County lawmakers Monday approved two bond acts aimed at funding critical repairs at Rye Playland amusement park, which was damaged severely by Superstorm Sandy.
The county Board of Legislators unanimously approved the sale of bonds for the two separate repair projects.
The first, totaling $7.575 million, will go toward repairing the boardwalk, which was buckled, heaved and even partially washed away by the storm.
The boardwalk is normally open to Westchester County residents during the offseason for the amusement park, but has been closed for safety reasons since the storm hit on Oct. 29.
Following Sandy, the boardwalk was left floating eerily offshore, complete with lamp posts and benches as if waiting for someone to take a seat. The storm also damaged the flume ride nearby.
The second bond act totals $4.925 million, and will fund the cost and design of a new roof, new boilers, and structural work for the Playland Ice Casino. The facility suffered severe damage during Sandy, and the roof was already cracked and damaged long before that – as far back as February 2002, county officials said.
High winds also blew two doors off the side of the casino facing the Long Island Sound, and a 15-foot storm surge flooded the basement and damaged the boilers.
As far as the rides go, the water came through, but didn't do serious damage to the seven historic rides at the park.
County legislators said reviving Playland has been a major priority since the storm.
"Playland is a major attraction in Westchester, and it is also provides substantial revenue for the county and jobs for our youth," said county Legislator Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining). "Getting things back to normal the park needs to be a priority, and I'm looking forward to regular progress reports on the repairs being done there."
The plan is to get Playland back open when the new season begins in the spring.
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