State park officials are looking to create a comprehensive plan for the future of Newtown Battlefield State Park near Elmira, and they are seeking public input to help shape that document.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation will hold two public meetings June 25 to provide an overview of the planning process, the park features, the Civilian Conservation Corps presence and the significance of the Battle of Newtown.
The meetings are scheduled for 2 to 3:30 p.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Chemung County Historical Society, 415 E. Water St. in Elmira. Residents can also attend virtually via Webex. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide input.
The park was created to honor the August 1779 Battle of Newtown, part of the Clinton-Sullivan campaign designed to break the back of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy that sided with the British Army, and is considered a turning point in the American Revolution.
The park sits on a hilltop overlooking the site of the actual battle, and a stone granite monument erected at the park in 1912 is visible from the valley below.
The park is open for recreational opportunities year-round, and amenities include camping, hiking and limited bow hunting opportunities for deer.
A group known as the Chemung Valley Living History Center presents reenactments of the Battle of Newtown at the park in August on alternating years.
Free registration is required to attend the online meeting. Anyone who wants to participate can sign up online at the registration link or send an e-mail with their name and which meeting they plan to attend to: Newtown.plan@Parks.ny.gov no later than noon Wednesday, June 24.
The in-person public meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. A recording of the sessions will also be available at parks.ny.gov/inside-our-agency/master-plans.aspx.
Written comments or questions about the Newtown Battlefield State Park comprehensive plan can be submitted by July 16 to Newtown.plan@parks.ny.gov, or mailed to: Destiny Reviello, Park Planner, Division of Environmental Stewardship and Planning, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Albany, NY 12238.
This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: NY wants public input on future of Newtown Battlefield State Park
Reporting by Jeff Murray, Elmira Star-Gazette / Elmira Star-Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jeff Murray, Elmira Star-Gazette | USA TODAY Network
