Visitor Center Ushers in the Holiday’s

(Newburgh) - The stone Shelter House on the eastern shore of the Polly Pond in Downing Park was the location for the Downing Park Planning Committee’s Christmas Party.The community was invited to partake in a buffet of holiday favorites and enjoy the company of old and new friends who had gathered. The Shelter House, as well as the pergola, were decorated with traditional holiday lights, garland and holly to make the occasion festive.The Downing Park Planning Committee is a grass roots community group that formed in the late 1980s to revitalize the 35-acre park located in the heart of the City of Newburgh. Since forming, the group has created a Master Plan to guide the rehabilitation of the park.The Committee has raised money to have the Polly Pond dredged, and has installed new park benches. Their first major project also included path improvements and lighting. Vice President Animal Hughes, spoke of how the Shelter House was formerly used to change into skates when the pond was open for skating. The Shelter House is now the Visitors Center for the City of Newburgh.Committee members realize that bringing people back into the park is key to the success of the revitalization process. Therefore each year members host a variety of community events for local residents and actively recruit other community groups to bring their events into the park.Those activities include hosting a Farmers Market and a community concert series in the summer. They also showcase local artists (this month, City Manager Jean-Ann McGrane is showcasing her artwork) in the Visitors Center and hold a series of children’s events including the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Halloween Parade.The Visitor’s Center is open year round. If you would like to plan your next event in the park, or have your work showcased, call the Center at 845-565-5559.
Pictured Above: Downing Park Planning Committee members, Vice President Animal Hughes, William Richardson, Treasurer Kathleen Parisi, Patty Sofokles, Executive Director Chris Tripolli, President Keith Nieto and Secretary Karen McCarthy.