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The property, located in Peekskill on Crompond Road (Route 202), was bought by the city from a private owner with the help of the Westchester Land Trust, which sourced donations for the purchase, according to an announcement from the organization from Friday, Nov. 4.
"The preservation of this property ensures that a beautiful view of the City of Peekskill and scenic Hudson River will be preserved forever," Westchester Land Trust President Kara Whelan said.
The property was once the privately-owned Teachers Park in the 1940s and 1950s, and since it went on sale in 2015, city officials and the land trust worked together to purchase the land to permanently preserve it, Westchester Land Trust officials said.
Officials said the land trust was determined to protect the property because of its proximity to a heavily populated area, which based on demographics, is identified as "a Potential Environmental Justice Area" by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Conservation of the Peekskill property thereby fit the land trust's goal of "engaging urban communities and prioritizing land protection in more heavily populated parts of its service area," officials said.
Now, Peekskill officials will determine a plan for future public access.
"We’re thrilled that this important property will now be protected as open space forever. We look forward to exploring the best ways to restore this land so it can be enjoyed by the people of Peekskill and benefit local plants and wildlife," Peekskill City Manager Matthew Alexander said.
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