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Donald A. Myers, Superintendent
About the Department
The Department currently oversees and maintains 850 acres of land for recreational use, with facilities such as the Town Park and Pool, Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway, Town Golf Course, 14 Pocket Parks, The Crossings of Colonie Park, Schuyler Flatts, Boght Baseball Complex, the South Colonie Sports Complex, and North Colonie Soccer Complex under its jurisdiction. The Department also offers various programs and special events to the public, including the Summer Enrichment Program, the Summer Playground Program, Learn-To-Swim, and weekly track meets in the summer. Additional activities include winter skating rinks, cross-country skiing, fishing contest, Dynamic Duo road race, Town Band, Memorial Town Band and Town Brass Choir concerts throughout the year. The Parks and Recreation Department Office is located within the Colonie Town Park. Other locations where Recreation employees work include the Parks and Recreation Department Maintenance Garage, Golf Course Club House and Golf Course Maintenance Garage, West Albany Memorial Pocket Park, and The Crossings of Colonie. The Superintendent of Parks and Recreation is Donald A. Myers and the Town Board Liaison is Deputy Supervisor Nancy R. Hernandez. The department employs 46 full-time and over 500 part-time and seasonal employees. .
From the NYS
Thruway- The Town Park and Pool Complex was opened in the Summer of 1967 and
is located along the Mohawk River, approximately 2.5 miles north of
the Latham Traffic Circle. The 160 acre park contains an Olympic size
pool with diving area, training pool, spray pools, bath house, two pavilions,
picnic facilities, tennis courts, playground equipment, boat In order to use the Town Park and Pool you must be a resident of the Town of Colonie and have a green residency card. You can obtain a green resident card at no charge at the Colonie Parks & Recreation Office, the Town Clerk's Office in Town Hall or the Colonie Community Center on Central Avenue. You must show proof of residency. A nonresident may also come into the park or pool as a guest of a resident. Pool passes are also available for those residents who frequently use the pool. You can purchase a pool pass at the Recreation Office each season. The 2008 park and pool rates are: Click Here
Mohawk and Hudson Bikeway
Locally, bicycling enthusiasts can travel eastward
along the Mohawk River from the Town of Niskayuna, through Colonie, Cohoes,
and Watervliet, and along the Hudson River to the Corning Preserve in
the City of Albany.
Pocket Parks The largest of the pocket parks is the 22 acre
West Albany Memorial Park. The facility was built in 1977 and is located
off Fairfield Avenue in the southeastern section of the Town. In 1990, Several of the pocket parks, including West Albany Memorial Park, are also sites for the Summer Playground Program. A map of the Pocket Park and Playground locations is available.
Town of Colonie Golf Course (with 36 scenic
holes)
In 1996, additional land was purchased and a new 9 hole addition was being planned and designed. With the "Cutting of the Green" ceremony on September 3, 1998, the Town of Colonie became one of the largest public golf course facilities in the country. The 36 hole layout allows for approximately 180 additional golfers per day (30% increase). With the increasing popularity of golf, yearly attendance at the Colonie Town Golf course could approach over 100,000 rounds of golf per year. The golf course is available for use by Colonie residents and their guests. Residents may obtain a golf permit at the Town Clerk's Office (783-2734) at Memorial Town Hall, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tee off times must be secured 48 hours in advance by calling 374-4181 or 374-4182. You can book a group outing, during the week, by calling 783-2762. To reach the Pro Shop, call 374-4852.
Crossings of Colonie The Crossings Park is located in the Sand Creek and Albany Shaker Road area of the Town of Colonie. This pastoral park is approximately 130 acres in size and has rolling fields, thick stands of trees, walking paths, an orchard, bike trails and a three-acre pond. In addition to the trails, lake and landscaping, the park has a picnic area and farm-style buildings. The Crossings also has a state of the art barrier free playground for children of all ages and abilities. During the summer months, the Farmers Market at the Crossings is open every Saturday from 9-1. All open areas of The Crossings are available for public use. Use of the pavilions, barn stables, the Courtyard and both rooms in the Meeting House requires a permit. If you would like to reserve a pavilion for your private function, please call the Crossings at 438-5587. If you would like to reserve an interior space, the gazebo, or book a special event, please call Parks & Recreation at 783-2760. Schuyler Flats
Cultural Park South Colonie Sports Complex The South Colonie Sports Complex consists of approximately 44 acres of land that was purchased from the Veeder family. The construction cost of this project was 1.3 million. This site now has 8 soccer fields, softball fields, and a restroom/concession stand facility. It is the new home of South Colonie Soccer and Colonie Girls Softball. There are approximately 1,900 children total that participate in these programs. North Colonie Sports Complex Fee Schedule Colonie Town Pool and Park Rates Town of Colonie Golf Course Rates The Crossings of Colonie Rental Rates
The Town Golf Course is used
for cross-country skiing with over 5 miles of groomed trails.
For ski conditions, please call 374-4181. Learn to Swim Programs are offered at both the Colonie Town Pool and at Shaker High School. The program at the Town Pool is a two-week program that begins at the end of June through the beginning of July. Registration information is sent home through the schools during mid May or can be obtained by calling 783-2760. The Summer Playground Program is a six-week program for school age children offered at 15 sites throughout the Town, Monday through Friday, beginning in the end of June each year. There is no formal registration required, and the only charges are for various trips. Directors supervise individual and group activities, arts and crafts, roller skating, pool and bowling trips, and field trips to Waterslide World and Great Escape. Brochures are sent through the schools in mid-May. The Summer Enrichment Program is a series of courses offered in four program areas from kindergarten through high school aged children throughout the Town. The four program areas are music, crafts, swimming, and athletics. Among the courses offered are individual music lessons, crafts for kids, Level I through Level VII swimming lessons, and such athletic camps as basketball, golf, soccer, gymnastics, lacrosse, field hockey, softball, and baseball. Swimming lessons will be held at Shaker High School in their newly renovated pool. Registration information will be distributed through the schools in mid-May, or may be obtained by calling 783-2760. Summer Water Aerobics will again be offered at the Colonie Town Pool. These classes, set to music, are intended to provide fun AND fitness. Water exercise is easy on the back and joints, and will improve muscle tone, flexibility, and strength. Men and women of all abilities are encouraged to participate. Musical Groups The Colonie Town Band and the Colonie Centennial Brass Choir, in their 43rd and 11th year of operation, respectively, consists of groups of volunteer musicians who perform at various sites throughout the Capital District throughout the year. The Parks and Recreation Department also sponsors The Memorial Concert Band of Colonie. The band plays concerts in the Mark Cornell Auditorium at Colonie Central High School. For more information about joining either band or choir, or for concert schedules, please call the Parks and Recreation Office at 783-2760. UPCOMING CONCERTS
Q. Who can rent Town of Colonie Pavilions and what are the fees? A. Any Town of Colonie resident in the Town can rent the pavilions at Town Park and West Albany Pocket Park starting on the first business day of each year. The requirements are that it must be booked by a Colonie resident and that at least 1/3 of the group be Colonie residents. The pavilion fees are currently $80 Monday through Wednesday and $90 Thursday through Sunday and holidays. A gate fee is also charged at Colonie Town Park for residents and non-resident guests of a pavilion group. Pavilions are usually available from mid-May through mid-October at Colonie Town Park and mid-May through mid-September at West Albany Pocket Park. Pavilions have charcoal grills and areas for volleyball, horseshoes, bocci and a ball field at Town Park and one at West Albany Park is available when league play is not using the area. Pavilions generally are available between 10:00 a.m. and dusk. Q. Are there pavilions available for rental at the Crossings of Colonie Park and what are the fees? A. There are 3 pavilions available for rental at the Crossings of Colonie Park. These pavilions are much smaller than the ones at our other parks, as they only hold about 50 people. Like the pavilions at our other parks, they are available for rental on the first business day of the year. The rates for renting these pavilions are $40.00 for Monday through Wednesday and $60.00 for Thursday through Sunday and Holidays. To rent a pavilion at the Crossings, please call 438-5587. Q. Where can you access the bike trail? A. The Town of Colonie bike trail can be accessed at the Town Park located on Schermerhorn Road in Latham. There is a parking lot located right next to the bike trail. Other locations to the bike trail are along River Road and at the Niskayuna Lions Park train station. Q. How do you obtain a permit to use the Town Park/Pool and Golf Course? A. The Town resident permits can be obtained at three locations: The Recreation Department, Colonie Community Center and Memorial Town Hall. The season pool permits can be obtained only at the Recreation Department. Golf Course permits can only be obtained at the Town Clerk's office located in Memorial Town Hall. Key Dates for the 2008 Season LEARN-TO-SWIM REGISTRATION-Saturday, June 7th 9:00AM-Noon at the Colonie Community Center ENRICHMENT PLAYGROUND Tuesday, July 1st - August 8th PARK OPENING- Saturday, May 10th POOL OPENING- Saturday, June 21st and Sunday, June 22nd Contact Information Town of Colonie Parks & Recreation Dept. Phone Number:
Parks Department Informational Recording: Tee Off Times - 374-4181 Hours of Operation Parks and Recreation Department Office: 8:00AM-4:30 PM
Last updated 06/19/08 |
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The
Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for the organization,
planning, promotion, and maintenance of the various recreational facilities
and programs throughout the Town of Colonie.
launch,
nature trails, covered bridge, and cross-country ski trails. It is also
the home of the 
With the opening of the Mohawk trail Bikeway in 1975, the Town of Colonie became a front-runner in the State's system of trail development along the Barge Canal from Buffalo to Albany. The first leg, a 5.5 mile section constructed on the abandoned New York Central Railroad bed, stretches along the Mohawk River westward from the Town Park to the Niskayuna town line. In 1983, a one mile section was completed eastward toward the City of Cohoes. In November of 2006, six-tenths of a mile of the bike trail was paved by the Route 9 underpass to the Cohoes city line. The cost of this project was $28,000, with 50% of the cost being covered by a grant from the Capital District Transportation Authority.
eight baseball/softball
fields were built to accommodate the 
During the Winter,
ice skating is offered at Town Hall and the Crossings Pond, as well
as at the following pocket parks: Forts Ferry, Maywood, Maplewood, Stanford
Heights, Lishakill, Palma, and West Albany.
For skating rink openings call 785-4301.