Town, village to run Greenwood Lake beach again this summer

GREENWOOD LAKE-The Town of Warwick and Village of Greenwood Lake will jointly run the public beach this summer, a property that opened for the first time last summer. "The Village of Greenwood Lake and the Town of Warwick would like to renew our commitment to jointly create a vision for the ultimate development of the Greenwood Lake Public Beach," said village Mayor Bill Morris and town Supervisor Michael Sweeton in a joint statement last week. The town used Purchase of Development Rights funds in 2003 to buy the three-acre property for $875,000, which was used as a private marina before that. It sits closer to the center of the village than the beach on Gamache Lane, which is leased from the Palisades Interstate Park Commission for $1 per year. That beach is used for swimming, and has been for several years. Future plans may include boating for that property, with the approval of the commission. The new beach opened in July last year with a swimming area, a new parking surface, bathroom facilities and a new fence. Eventually, plans include a barbecue area for family outings, Sweeton has said. A beach committee is making plans for other events at the beach. "We will continue to work with citizens to gather ideas as we formulate the future direction and development of our newest recreation area," said Sweeton and Morris. "Once this vision is transformed into a working plan, we will, together, conclude a long term agreement for the management of this property."