Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh (R,C,I,Ref-Ballston today announced the passage of a bill (A.7510-B) that would transfer full ownership of Kinns Road Park from Saratoga County to Clifton Park. The bill represents the latest step forward in Clifton Park’s efforts to officially acquire the 64-acre park, which the town has maintained and supervised since its designation as a recreational land open to the public in 1976. The companion legislation carried by Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C,I,REF-Glenville) was passed in the Senate last week and now the bill is heading to the governor’s desk for his signature.

“The passage of this bill represents the culmination of several years of hard work by town and county officials to officially transfer ownership of Kinns Road Park to Clifton Park, and I am thrilled to finally see those efforts bear fruit,” said Assemblywoman Walsh. “Kinns Road Park is a very important place to residents of this town, and this legislation ensures that the future of this beautiful parcel of land will be in their hands for many years to come.”

In recent years, officials from Clifton Park and Saratoga County have been collaborating in an effort to transfer the park to the town.

A similar bill passed the state Senate last year, but lost steam in the state Assembly when officials requested an updated survey of the land. The survey was unable to be completed prior to the conclusion of last year’s legislative session, but was conducted successfully by Clifton Park-based firm Environmental Design Partnership in March 2017.

In 2015, Clifton Park residents intervened when Saratoga County unveiled logging plans for the park, expressing concerns regarding trees that were to be removed. Shortly after, the town entered a partnership with Capital Region BOCES, which offers students vocational training opportunities maintaining the park.

“Kinns Road Park is a serene and very special place that should be enjoyed by the residents of Clifton Park and the 49th Senate District for generations to come,” said Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C,I,REF-Glenville), a member of the New York State Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee. “I’m confident that with passage of this measure now in both houses of the legislature, the Town of Clifton Park under the leadership of Supervisor Phil Barrett and the Town Board, will continue to do an outstanding job of safeguarding this beautiful park. As we move forward, I will be working with Assemblywoman Walsh to strongly advocate for the Governor to sign this important bill into law to keep Kinns Road Park forever pristine forest land."

“Kinns Road Park has been managed by the Town for many years and continues to be an integral part of our growing recreational network in Clifton Park,” said Clifton Park Town Supervisor Phil Barrett. “Town ownership and our commitment that the park will be preserved, is the best outcome for Clifton Park and the many people that frequent Kinns Road Park. We thank Assemblywoman Walsh and Senator Tedisco for their support of this initiative.”