Village of Catskill awarded $400K to replace Elliot Park playground

CATSKILL―Big money is sliding into Catskill. Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced $67.5 million in playground grants across the state, including $400,000 for the Village of Catskill to revamp the one in Elliot Park.

The funding will help replace the existing equipment and the new playground will be completely Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible, said Village President Natasha Law.

“Also, we will be creating paths to connect all the ballfields so people with mobility issues can access them,” Law added. “They will meet all ADA requirements.”

The playground was originally installed back in the 1970s with funds raised by the Fortnightly Club of Catskill. It was last undated by the club in 2012 when it was named in memory of Jennifer Lee O’Brien, who tragically passed away two years earlier at the age of 17.

O’Brien, whose mother was an active Fortnightly Club member, was equally civic- and community-minded, volunteering her time with children, seniors and for various causes.

Over the years, the Fortnightly Club has paid to build, upgrade or expand all three playgrounds in Catskill―Dutchman’s Landing, Elliot Park and Ricky Cramer in Jefferson Heights―through fundraisers like the annual Rip Van Winkle Wine, Brew, and Beverage Festival in May and the Festival of Trees in November.

The club also funded the Catskill SprayGround at Elliot Park, opened in 2024, and has been eyeing replacement of the outdated playground equipment.

The $400,000 grant, Law noted, requires a 20% match that she hopes will be covered through donations from the Fortnightly Club, Central Hudson and Heart of Catskill Association, as well as cannabis tax revenue.

“We will be working on this in the coming months,” Law said.

Statewide, the New York Places for Learning, Activity, and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS) awards will support 36 new playgrounds, 23 major expansions and 30 renovations. Projects range from new adaptive and inclusive playgrounds to major improvements that will modernize existing neighborhood play spaces.

Law said she is very excited that Catskill was chosen as one of the recipients.

“We threw it together in just a couple of weeks and were not expecting an award but I am so grateful,” she said. “I am a firm believer that we must invest in our kids now to prevent issues in the future.”