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Photos of the new Thacher Park Center by Paul Gallo

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Some of Paul Gallo's photos are at No3rdW.

Checking out the new Thacher Park Center

Thacher Park Center exterior

The new visitor center at Thacher State Park -- the aptly-named Thacher Park Center -- officially opened Thursday.

The $4.3 million, 8,240-square-foot project is located near the trailhead of the Indian Ladder Trail. Amenities blurbage:

+ A breathtaking entrance hall, interactive exhibits, small theater and model bat cave, all highlighting the park's history and fossil-rich geology;
+ The 1,340-square-foot "Helderberg Room" that can be reserved for community events and family gatherings;
+ An outdoor observation deck and patio overlooking the escarpment where visitors can take in the park's dramatic views;
+ A well-appointed warming area featuring a fireplace faced with fossil-bearing stone from the escarpment;
+ Two new stone and timber picnic pavilions;
+ Park offices, public restrooms and a welcome information desk to help visitors explore the park's expansive trail network and other features. The center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The new center is part of a larger plan for upgrades at the Thacher that the state has been working on for years.

Paul Gallo was there Thursday and took a bunch of photos for us (Thanks, Paul!), so let's have a look at the new place...

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Photos are at the top in large format -- click or scroll all the way up.

I Love My Park Day

The annual I Love My Park is this Saturday, May 6. It's day of volunteering for parks cleanup, and there are events at parks around the region, including Thacher.

Comments

It looks beautiful but I wish that money had been available when the pool was closing.

It wasn't that long ago that this park and every park in New York State was closed.

Steve--it's my understanding that the pool was closed because it was built into rock and it was constantly leaking (which explains why that pool was always freezing cold). When town's and private homeowners built pools, the users of the TPP began to drop off. This, combined with the water loss, probably caused the closure of the pool. It no longer made financial sense to invest in the infrastructure.

Kudos to State Parks--I look forward to seeing the new building!

The loss of the pool should be lamented if for no other reason than the fact that its demolition lead to the loss of a much-loved and almost extinct species - the public pool high diving board (sniff).

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