Greenwood Lake receives $5,000 from Orange County to help promote tourism

GREENWOOD LAKE — Greenwood Lake boasts Orange County's largest fresh water lake.

The village has several waterfront boat launches and marinas, and is home to scenic Thomas P. Morahan Beach, a town park, which serves as a public access spot to the picturesque lake.

In 2006, the park was named after the late New York State Senator Morahan, in recognition of his public service and steadfast support of Warwick.

On Monday, June 29, Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus presented Greenwood Lake Mayor Jesse Dwyer with a $5,000 check to help promote tourism in the village. The funds were obtained from the County Bed and Breakfast taxes.

Neuhaus and Dwyer were joined by Town of Warwick Supervisor Michael Sweeton and Village of Greenwood Lake Attorney John Buckheit at the lakeside ceremony.

Dwyer said that Greenwood Lake would use the $5,000 for a variety of events, including the village's free fireworks show, which is set for dusk on Sunday, July 5 at the Thomas P. Morahan Waterfront Park.

"We want to share some of the bed taxes collected with different localities in Orange County," said Neuhaus. "The Village of Greenwood Lake and the Town of Warwick have many wonderful events that generate much revenue for the county. We are going to do more initiatives like this in other Orange County municipalities to assist them with funding and highlight the great things they have to offer."

The Thomas P. Morahan Beach has accessible rest rooms, a children's play area and a picnic area. Greenwood Lake also features nearby trails, fall scenery and a growing number of cozy inns, motels, Bed and Breakfast inns, shops and restaurants.

"I want to thank the County Executive and the County Legislature for their support," said Dwyer. "I really appreciate that they are taking such an interest in Greenwood Lake. We sponsor many different events during the year and invest a lot of resources promoting Orange County tourism. I look forward to this partnership with the Town of Warwick, Orange County and the state on a variety of initiatives."

Sweeton added: "I also want to thank the county executive because it's important to take some of that bed tax money and invest it in the county. When you attract more tourists and get them to stay over and see the beauty of Orange County, it pays dividends."

- Roger Gavan