LI state park attendance took dip in 2010
A file photo of runners participating in a 5K race Run Heckscher State Park. (Jan. 7, 2007) Credit: Newsday File / Audrey C.Tiernan
Attendance at Long Island's state parks dropped slightly last year at the same time it increased by 1 million visits statewide.
The state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation reported that nearly 57 million people visited state parks last year.
Officials and parks advocates attribute the statewide rise to the continued weak economy and people's desire for affordable recreation close to home. And they cite the publicity over former Gov. David A. Paterson's threat to close some parks to reduce the state's budget deficit for raising their profile and spurring more people to visit them.
But Long Island park attendance dipped a quarter of a percent from 19,320,666 to 19,272,465 visitors. There were also drops in the Allegany and Thousand Islands regions.
Long Island lagged for several reasons. There was no July Fourth fireworks show at Jones Beach for the first time in 15 years due to budget cuts. So attendance that day plummeted from 252,055 in 2009 to 83,693.
Ronald Foley, the state parks' Long Island regional director, said there were too many summer weekends that were too hot for some beachgoers. "Usually we say hot, dry weather attracts people to the beaches and parks. I think what happened this year, though, was the hot, dry weather got insufferable and went on too long and attendance dropped off," he said.
In addition, there was no U.S. Open golf tournament at Bethpage State Park as in 2009, when 277,253 fans turned out.
Andy Beers, acting state parks commissioner, said the increase was a result of "so many people turning to affordable and convenient destinations for recreation and culture in these difficult economic times."
He added that favorable summer weather and well-publicized debate over the possible closings of dozens of the 178 parks and 35 historic sites also were factors.
