Quarry Waters Park Community Page
Sharing information and opportunities to connect people to nature and history on a future 520-acre riverfront park.
We want to hear from you!
Survey coming soon.
Recognizing the current challenges to outreach due to COVID 19, Scenic Hudson is planning safe alternative ways to engage the public in sharing their visions for the new park, beginning with online formats and broadcasts. Future invitational site visits (following social distancing guidelines) may be held, when appropriate. Scenic Hudson also will reach out to community members to discuss and seek their input about the site’s future as a state park.
RESOURCES:
Email QWParkquestions@scenichudson.org and share your vision of a new Hudson Valley Park.
Follow the community conversation and watch Land and Resilience: Re-Imagining Quarry Waters 520 Acre Park here. An interview with a mix of local residents to discuss the possibilities for this unique landscape on a special edition of The Kingston Land Trust’s Facebook series.
Explore The Land Photo Gallery
The Land
Access to diverse recreational activities.
Scenic Hudson acquired this magnificent 520-acre landscape because of its outstanding potential to benefit residents of and visitors to the City of Kingston and Town of Ulster:
- Its remarkable diversity of natural features makes this an ideal place for people of all ages and cultures to connect with wildlife and the inspiring power of the Hudson River.
- The ways indigenous cultures previously relied on this land for sustenance offer lessons in environmental stewardship.
- It will host a key segment of the Kingston Greenline Trail, connecting Kingston Point Beach with East Kingston, and one of the few places where the 750-mile Empire State Trail will connect directly with the Hudson River.
- It offers opportunities for a range of outdoor experiences—from intimate hikes and family gatherings to larger community events.
- Its complex industrial history and extraordinary geologic bedrock provides an ideal opportunity to explore the important role the Hudson Valley played in New York State’s development.
- Thinking forward, the park can become an even greater economic asset to local communities and support residents’ livelihoods by attracting visitors to complementary revenue-generating activities appropriate to the land’s significant conservation values.
Exciting features include over 1-mile of Hudson River shoreline; river overlooks affording breathtaking vistas; over 17 unique habitats (including woods, wetlands, and a dramatic cliff and ridgeline); historic remnants of the brickmaking and ice harvesting industries; and quarried canyons.
What We’ve Heard So Far
Poll results from the first Online Public Engagement Session,
held on July 29, 2020.
HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE FUTURE PARK SITE BEFORE?
HOW ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO GET TO THE FUTURE PARK SITE?
WOULD YOU PREFER TO SEE A PARK THAT IS:
WHAT TOPICS ARE YOU MOST INTERESTED IN?
WHICH ACTIVITIES WOULD YOU BE MOST EXCITED TO DO IN THE FUTURE PARK?
Public Safety and Future Access
Currently, the site is closed so Scenic Hudson can secure it for public safety.
In follow-up to New York State’s announcement that it will not proceed with an environmental bond act in 2020, Scenic Hudson issued the following statement regarding its 520-acre property on the City of Kingston and Town of Ulster waterfront:
“Scenic Hudson looks forward to continuing our dialogue with residents and stakeholders in the City of Kingston and Town of Ulster to envision a future for the park that maximizes its benefits to local communities and the region. This engagement process began very successfully last Wednesday when more than 200 people joined us for a virtual tour and discussion. We are very encouraged by the turnout and participants’ excitement about the project.
“We protected this land because of its enormous potential to connect people to the inspiring power of nature and the Hudson River. We and our partners remain committed to achieving our shared vision for this special place. It will be an outstanding asset for surrounding communities and the entire Hudson Valley.”
Motivated by the Hudson Valley’s beautiful landscapes and extraordinary people, Scenic Hudson uses its expertise in land conservation, park development, public advocacy and strategic planning to make the region a better place to live, work and play for everyone. From the start, our work has been all about the power of partners—we engage residents and communities to work with us in protecting and connecting people to the irreplaceable natural and scenic treasures that make the valley unique.
We’ve been successful in transforming industrial sites all along the Hudson River into magnificent public parks, and we are excited by this opportunity to envision a new state park along the Ulster County riverfront. We look forward to collaborating with the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC), City of Kingston, Town of Ulster and community members to ensure this project is responsive to the goals and meets the needs of the community, region and state.
