State Senator Joseph Griffo speaks with the mayor, town supervisor and other local officials inside the gazebo.
State Senator Joseph Griffo speaks with the mayor, town supervisor and other local officials inside the gazebo.

State Senator Joseph Griffo this week announced $65,000 in state funding he was able to secure that would help enhance two parks in the Village of Potsdam.

Griffo was joined by Potsdam Village Mayor Reinhold J. Tischler on Monday to announce the grants in Ives Park, where the senator explained how the funding will be used to improve the following waterfront parks along the banks of the Raquette River:

IVES PARK: A portion of the funding will be used to complete the Veterans’ Memorial Plaza in the park to honor Potsdam-area residents who have served in all wars, as well as to renovate Potsdam’s iconic gazebo centrally located in the park.

GARNER PARK: The other portion of the funding will be used to replace all of the old street lighting in Garner Park with more energy-efficient LED lighting that would now be owned by the municipality. After the village realized the benefits it experienced by previously replacing the lighting in Ives Park with LED lighting, the village has decided to expand these benefits to Garner Park with the goal of reducing costs, being more environmentally conscious and eliminating dark spots at night.

“In nearly every community, local parks often serve as a centrally located destination for the public to gather and experience the outdoors, whether attending a concert, going for a jog or honoring a memorial,” Griffo said. “Parks are a place where people can find calming peace and solace, so we must always do whatever we can to ensure that our parks are as clean, safe and beautiful as the public deserves. I know how much Ives Park and Garner Park mean to this community, so I am glad to have secured this funding that will not only honor our veterans and repair the gazebo, but will also help the village continue to pursue its goal of energy efficiency.”

“Our village parks are essential to the quality of life in our communities, so it is important that we always maintain them as safe, clean and attractive places for our residents and visitors to enjoy,” said Potsdam Village Mayor Reinhold J. Tischler. “As a former mayor himself, Senator Griffo appreciates the many benefits that local parks can bring to a community, and we are grateful for the Senator’s efforts to secure funding that will help us enhance both Ives and Garner parks so that the public can continue to enjoy all they have to offer.”

By martha

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