Assemblymember Phil Steck (D-Colonie) announced funding he secured for Colonie parks on Saturday, Sept. 10. The funding is used to maintain and expand Colonie’s local parks, including the Michael J. Anson Memorial Park, Sand Creek Road Park, Colonie Mohawk River Park and the West Albany Pocket Park. The funding was announced during the Colonie Raiders Open Opener.

“Our town's parks are where all of our communities’ families and youth can come together safely and enjoy quality time outside,” said Assemblymember Steck. “Supporting our parks is a direct investment back into our communities and helps foster happy and safe neighborhoods. Through this funding, I’m confident that we will be able to expand and enhance park facilities, pools and open spaces, and allow our families and youth to continue enjoying them for years to come.”

Steck secured funding for Michael J. Anson Memorial Park which is dedicated to Trooper Michael Anson, a Colonie native and 31-year veteran of the state police force who passed away from a 9/11-related illness. The park will receive $125,000 to go toward repaving tennis and basketball courts and additional improvements.

Steck also secured $250,000 to help fund Phase 1 of the development of Sand Road Park which will assist in the design, permit process and construction of the 127-acre park. The park will include acres of informal paths and trails and serve as a nature focused open space for residents to enjoy.

The Colonie Mohawk River Park, which spans over 160 acres and includes an Olympic-size pool, will receive $125,000 for the construction of a sanitary pump station and $500,000 for the reconstruction of the pool house and other improvements to the park's pool.

Steck also presented $250,000 in grant funding for the West Albany Pocket Park. Originally, $125,000 in funding was allocated to the park as part of a 2018 State and Municipal (SAM) Facilities Grant. It was doubled to $250,000 in 2022 to further renovate and improve the park and the park’s field. This funding will benefit all those who use the field including the Colonie Junior Raiders football team, by adding more audience seating, replacing the worn scoreboard and adding new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant restroom facilities.

Steck has long been an avid supporter of local parks as these open spaces help unify our community and offer invaluable benefits, and I’ll continue to support them in any way I can, Steck noted.