As summer approaches, popular attractions, landmarks around NY discuss reopening (2024)

Heather Clark,Victoria E. Freile,Matt Steecker|Rockland/Westchester Journal News

With summer looming, many are wondering about the status of New York's iconic landmarks and attractions.

Will the Statue of Liberty once again welcome travelers from around the world; will tourists be able to get a look at April the Giraffe, and her baby Tajiri, at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville in the Southern Tier?

What about Watkins Glen State Park and historic sites, such Kykuit and Val-Kill, the home of Eleanor Roosevelt?

Right now, most organizations are assessing, with few concrete details available on when, or if, they will re-open this summer.

"Historic Hudson Valley is carefully monitoring the unfolding situation with the novel coronavirus, which is evolving practically on an hourly basis," said Rob Schweitzer, spokesmanforHistoric Hudson Valley, which oversees sites in Westchester, including Kykuit, the former estate of John D. Rockefeller, which usually opens for tours in May."Recognizing that we are in a period of extreme uncertainly, we nonetheless hope to open our sites for the season in early July,"

State parks are currently open only for outdoor recreation and exercise;however, the New York Office of State Parks urges visitors to recreate locally and keep visits brief.

"State Parks continues to review reopening plans for facilities such as camping and swimming, but no decisions have been finalized at this time," said Dan Keefe, spokesman for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

New York sites within the National Park Service, such as the FDR Historic Site in Hyde Park, also remain closed; decisions on re-opening national park sites will occur on a case-by-case basis.

Thesites are a major tourist draw, and thus an economic engine, for municipalities throughout the state, including New York City, where restrictions set by state officials have closed popular landmarks and attractions since mid-March.

"At this time we are in a wait-and-see mode, following the Governor's PAUSE Act which as of now, is in effect through May 15 at least," said Alyssa Schmid, of NYCgo.com, the city's tourism office.

Much of the state will be in a similar wait-and-see mode, but here is a look at where somepopular sitesand attractions from around the state currently stand and what the plans are to reopen. We'll start with the Southern Tier and then look around the rest of the state:

More: Coronavirus: Here's which types of New York businesses could reopen as soon as May 15

Broome County

Animal Adventure Park:Employees are undergoing virtual training through the use of videos, and other staff are working on site maintenance, completing new exhibits and standard seasonal re-openings of points of sale.

The Animal Adventure Park organizationanticipates needing four to sevendays to replenish concessions areas, achieve onsite training for new employees and add infrastructure to provide a safe and secure experience for all guests.

Animal Adventure Park staff say theyhaveinstituted safe practices that staff will follow to prevent the spread of disease, including establishing strict guidelines for the disinfection of contact areas. The business also has acquired thousands of masks for employees, and placed glass guards for guest and employee exchanges.

"With a slight change to our gift shop, guests could come and go from the park, remain outdoors the entire time, and never touch a single knob or surface," said Kerry Gallagher, spokeswoman for Animal Adventure Park, home of April the Giraffe."For us, adapting to our new normal will not be a challenge or a burden."

Chenango Valley State Park: The opening for the golf course is weather-dependent, and will open when conditions allow with social distancing measures in effect, such as longer intervals between tee times, no bunker rakesand no carts.

Discovery Center of the Southern Tier: Once the state gives guidelines on reopening businesses, the Discovery Center in Binghamton will call back laid-off employees. Before opening, the Discovery Center will undergo a CDC-guided deep cleaning and will be refurbished.

The Discovery Centeranticipates opening its child care services before reopening the museum itself.The organization also has contingency plans in place to start a multi-age group program similar to its summer sessions.

In anticipation ofchildren's museum visits, tickets may be timedto limit the numberof people in the museum.Staff will continue additional disinfecting andcleaning throughout the day, and will conduct deep disinfecting through the evening.

The story garden and outdoor exhibit spacewill open after playground activities are allowed to resume.

Ross Park Zoo:Binghamton's zoo is installing hand-sanitizing stations by every door entrance and throughout the zoo's property, including locations such as concession stands, picnic areas and playgrounds.

Staff are creating visuals to remind guests of distancing, and there will be outlines marking paths to show six feet of distance.

Employees are also putting signs on bathrooms that show short song verses families can sing when children are washing their hands to ensure they are doing so for an adequate lengthof time.

Additional precautions include:

  • Considering creating a linear path to improve traffic flow so guests enter from one area and exit from another.
  • Moreemployees assisting with custodial efforts, and protocols dictating that staff sanitize surfaces each hour.
  • Zoo leadership is awaiting information on the amount of acceptable volume. The information will determine ticketing and updates on social media when guests can enter the park.
  • Four-foot barriers for the animals will be pushed back to sixfeet.

More: Animal Adventure Park, home to April the Giraffe, sending Azizi to Texas zoo

Chemung County

Clemens Center:The theater will quickly open to small local events when it is allowed to do so, and the turnaround will be quick for a full traveling Broadway production after it secures stagehand labor, orders products for the bars, and organizes its volunteers.

More time will be needed to get the actual productions up to speed, and to market performances and sell tickets. A cast and crew from a national tour will have to regroup and rehearse again.

The Clemens Center's leadership anticipates public health authoritiesmandating the scanning of temperatures, wearing of masks, and practice of distancing, as well as expanded sanitation measures throughout the facility. There is the possibility people may not be able to sit next to each other or congregate in the lobby.

However, having a cast and crew backstage practice distancingwould be almost impossible, according to the Clemens Center's director.

National Soaring Museum: Once given the OK to reopen, the museumwill reopen the exhibits but will keep the gift shop closed. The museum will wipe door handles and surfaces on a daily basis.

Cortland County

Greek Peak and Hope Lake Lodge:Staff will continue to clean and sanitize property, and the resort will continue to focus on distancing and safety.

Signs will remain at the front of Hope Lake Lodge telling people to adhere to distancing and hand sanitizer will remain by the front door. No more than six people have been allowed at any given time at Hope Lake Lodge, which now has space that hasbeen converted into a community grocery store.

Schuyler County

Watkins Glen State Park:The North andSouth Rim Trails are open. The Gorge Trail is closed.

Tompkins County

Buttermilk Falls State Park:The gorge trail is closed.

Robert H. Treman State Park:The gorge trail is closed.

Taughannock Falls State Park:The trails and boat launch are open, but the camping, cabin areas and playground are closed through May 15.

State Parks also encourages visitors to state parks, state lands, and other parks to:

  • Visit in small groups limited to immediate household members.
  • Maintain distance from others while in places where people tend to congregate, such as parking lots, trailheadsand scenic overlooks.
  • Avoid games and activities that require close contact, such as basketball, footballor soccer.
  • Avoid playground equipment like slides and swings and other frequently touched surfaces.
  • Do not share equipment, such as bicycles, helmets, ballsor Frisbees.
  • If you arrive at a park and crowds are forming, choose a different park, a different trail, or return another time/day to visit.
  • If parking lots are full, do not park along roadsides or other undesignated areas. To protect your safety and that of others, choose a different area to visit, or return another time or day when parking is available.

New York City

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island:As part of the National Park Service, the reopening of these landmarks will be included in President Donald Trump's Opening Up AmericaAgain plan,which will gradually reopen national parks, although no firmreopening date has been set for either the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island.

"Our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance," said Jerry Willis, National Park Service public affairs officer for the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island."Decisions on phased resumption of operations are being made on a park-by-park basis and regularly monitored."

Any updates regarding the reopening of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island will be posted on their website, nps.gov/stli.

American Museum of Natural History: The museum has been closed since March 13 and will remain so until further notice;however, "weekly reassessments of the situation" have been conducted during the closure, according to a noticeposted on its website.

Refunds will be offered to those who purchased tickets when the museum reopens to staff.

Until then, visitors can explore the museum virtually and take a look through their research collections and learn-at-home resources at amnh.com/explore.

The Bronx Zoo:The zoo, along with the Wildlife Conservation Society'sfour other New York City properties,are in the process of discussing reopening procedures, said Max Pulsinelli, executive director of communications for WCS Zoos and Aquarium.

The Bronx Zoo,Central Park Zoo, New York Aquarium, Prospect Park Zoo andQueens Zoo have been closed since March 16.

Previously purchased tickets to any of the zoos or the aquarium will be accepted on a future 2020 date. For information, reach out to member services, membership@wcs.org, or guest relations, guestrelations@wcs.org, teams.

Dutchess County

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum:All National Archives research rooms nationwide, including those at presidential libraries, were closed to the public onMarch 13.

The FDR Presidential Library & Museum will remain closed until further notice.

"Right now, the only date-related directive we have is that all public events (our programs, education groups and visitor center room rentals) are cancelled through June 30," said Clifford Laube, public programs specialist.

The FDR National Historic Site and Val-Kill, whichare overseen by the National ParkService, are also closed. Like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Islands, openings will occur on a park-by-park basis.

Splashdown Beach: This popular waterpark,typically openfrom Memorial Day through Labor Day,is hoping to open as early as mid-June.

Splashdown Beach's Chief Operating OfficerAndrew Chafatelli said they are working with their international partners within the World Waterpark Association, their comprehensive aquatic risk management partners Jeff Ellis and Associates, and following updates from the CDC and health officials to "ensure the safety of our employees and patrons."

"We are committed to doing everything we can to open this summer while still providing a clean, safe and fun place for families to recreate as always," Chafatelli said.Season passes bought for 2020 will automatically be extended to June 2021.

Genesee County

Darien Lake Theme Park:The Six Flags-owned theme park in Genesee County, which was originally scheduled to open on May 8, has delayed its opening to at least mid-May, park officials confirmed.

While there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at the park, “the safety of our guests and team members is always our highest priority,” the printed statement read. “We will continue to closely monitor this evolving situation, and follow the most current guidance from federal, stateand local officials.”

For those who pre-purchased tickets, expiration dates havebeen extended to the end of the 2020 season. For season pass holders, will be extended the number of operating days that the park remains closed.

Monroe County

Genesee Country Village and Museum:While the museum in Mumford, Genesee County offers special events all year long, its “regular season” runs from early May to mid-October.

“We’re obviously not opening May 9, as planned, this year,” said Becky Wehle, museum president. “Like so many others, “we are waiting for guidance from the state on when we can re-open in some capacity.”

All programs, events and classes planned for May have been canceled or postponed, she said.

Museum officials are working on a phased plan on how to reopen the property, once permitted. With more than 100 acres, including hiking trails at the museum’s nature center, Wehle said she expects the first visitors returning to the property will simply be able to walk the paths or hike trails.

Wehle said museum officials are considering moving other activities — such as cooking demonstrations — outdoors. Because some structures on property are small and have cramped quarters, those structures may remained closed to the public.

The museum also is considering extending hours, once it is open daily, in case they need to limit how many guests can be on property at once. This way, she said, they can accommodate all visitors.

SeaBreeze Amusement Park:The amusement park, located on Culver Road in Irondequoit, has postponed its planned May 16 season opening.

“Right now, it’s unclear when we will be able to open for the summer due to COVID-19,” park officials said on the park’s website.“We’re closely monitoring the situation and will work with local and state officials to set a firm opening date that is safe for everyone.”

Park officials said once they are able to open the park, they will “make any adjustments needed for current holders of season passports & one-day tickets.”

Seneca Park Zoo:It's not yet known when the Seneca Park Zoo could reopen,but zoo officials are working on a re-entry plan for whenever that will be, said interim zoo director David Hamilton.

Potential changes includealternative protocols for zoo visitorsat the front gates, within thezoo shop and handlingcash, saidSeneca Park Zoo Society PresidentPamela Reed Sanchez.

"We want people tounderstand that (visiting the zoo) is safe in a post-corona world," she said, adding that studies show that zoos and botanical gardens "will be among the first places people want to visitwhen the world re-opens."

Orange County

Legoland New York:The highly anticipated opening of the theme park set for the Town of Goshen in Orange County will now occur in 2021, but no official opening date has been announced.

However, Orange County Tourism Director Amanda Dana has previously stated she anticipates the park could open in April 2021.

The $500 million amusement park was originally set for a July 4 opening.Butshortly after Gov. Andrew Cuomo shut down nonessential construction sites throughout the state, park officials announced the change in opening.

More: Legoland New York delays opening due to coronavirus. Here's when it will open

"Nothing is more important to us than the health, safety and security of our team, the partners we work with, and the communities we serve," Legoland New York Resort Divisional Director Stephanie Johnson said in a statement."We are in an unprecedented situation that has affected businesses worldwide."

Park leaders have said that job offers for hourly workers, as well as purchased annual passes or single-day tickets, will be honored when the park opens in 2021.

Sullivan County

Bethel Woods Museum and grounds:The grounds at Bethel Woods and itsmuseum are closed until further notice. However, staff are evaluating contactless experiences and looking into the best practices for when they do reopen.

"This is a rapidly changing matter that requires frequent evaluation, assessmentand adaptation by all involved, and at all times we will heed the guidance of national and local officials and health authorities," Bethel Woods Center for the Arts CEO Eric Frances said."Our innate optimism has energized our staff to plan for many scenarios and put together in-depth contingency plans. We will be ready to safely welcome back our guests when that moment presents itself."

According to Frances, possible plans include the use of personal protective equipment, including masks and gloves, for staff and visitors, and maintaining their "stringent sanitization protocols."

Concerts and events have either been postponed or canceled; others are still scheduled to go on.

"We will make all necessary changes to the schedule and remain as flexible and hopeful for a 2020 season, Frances said.

Westchester County

Rye Playland:The county-operated amusement park has postponed opening day, with no official date set as of yet.

"We still have the obligation to make some decisions about when it might open," Westchester County Executive George Latimer said. "The next fallback decision— and we haven't reached a final judgement on this— is Memorial Day weekend."

According to Latimer, officials are expected to know within the next week whether or not a Memorial Day opening for Rye Playland, including its pool and beach,would be possible. If not, Latimer said officials would look at a June opening noting that the decision would be based on events surrounding the virus.

Historic Hudson Valley:According to Rob Schweitzer, HHV hopes to open its sites in July:"The sites we hope to open at that time are Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, as well as Sunnyside and Union Church of Pocantico Hills."

Philipsburg Manor may remain closed to complete a significant restoration project of the site’s bridge, mill, and wharf area, which started last year.

All spring programming has been cancelled including signature spring events, Sheep-to-Shawl, Celebrate Pinkster, and Vote Like a Girl.

"We will not have special events this summer, but are hopeful about having a robust calendar in the fall, including of course The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze," he added.

As summer approaches, popular attractions, landmarks around NY discuss reopening (2024)
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