N.Y. Power Authority and Massena Officials Dedicate Renovations to Massena Town Beach

Contact
Carol Simpson
(315) 764-6863 or
(800) 262-NYPA - within NY State
carol.simpson@nypa.gov

Printer-friendly version

July 20, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MASSENA—Al Schriver, regional manager, Northern New York, New York Power Authority (NYPA)today joined with Sandy Cook, supervisor, Town of Massena; Ken MacDonnell, mayor, Village of Massena, and other local officials to formally dedicate the newly renovated facilities for Massena Town Beach.  The renovations were completed late this spring in time for the Town Beach season.

“The legacy of the new license for the St. Lawrence-Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project and the bright future it promises are seen today in the smiling, and wet, faces of our youngest residents enjoying the newly restored Massena Town Beach,” said Schriver. “The Power Authority continues to live up to its commitment to the North Country with projects like this, many built by local companies, to provide new and improved recreation and tourism-related facilities in the North Country.”

“The Power Authority and its contractors did a first-class job with these marvelous improvements to Massena Town Beach,” said Cook. “Massena’s families and visitors will experience many summers of relaxation as a result of our continued partnership with the Power Authority.”

“We’re delighted the Power Authority completed these Town Beach renovations in time to provide Massena residents with an opportunity to use and enjoy them this summer,” said Ken MacDonnell, mayor, Village of Massena.   “These facilities will provide welcome relief from this summer’s exceptionally hot weather and present families with the opportunity to enjoy quality time together in a secure, supervised environment.”

The Massena Town Beach is jointly operated by the Town and Village of Massena under an agreement with the Power Authority with provisions for annual payments to reflect the cost of maintenance.

Facilities at Massena Town Beach were completely rehabilitated and/or replaced by J.E. Sheehan Contracting Corp. of Potsdam with subcontractors including: Burns Bros (Potsdam), S&L Electric (Colton), Grasse River Asphalt & Paving (Canton), Parker Line Striping (Dekalb), Butler Fence North, Inc. (Watertown), Syracuse Mosaic Terrazo (Syracuse) and Scott Painting (Alex Bay).  The improvements were designed by C&S Engineers located in Syracuse.  Among the subcontractors working with C&S Engineers include: Reimann-Buechner (Syracuse) and N.K. Bhandari (Syracuse).  Bernier, Carr & Associates (Watertown) served as construction manager.

The complete rehabilitation of the Town Beach bathhouse includes new treatments to all interior and exterior surfaces, new men’s and women’s restrooms compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations, new lighting, new alarm system, new lighting fixtures, new roofing and other improvements. Also a new playground, new signage, a new sanitary treatment and septic system, a rehabilitated beach area, and a renovated and repaved parking area are included in the work among a variety of other projects. 

The new 50-year license was awarded to the Power Authority by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on October 23, 2003.  As part of the new license, the Power Authority is required to rehabilitate existing and build new recreational facilities. In December 2003, the trustees authorized expenditures totaling about $170 million—including the costs of recreational facilities—to comply with the new license. In 2004, FERC approved the recreation plan.

Every 12 years during the term of the new license, after consultation with the towns within the project boundary and other organizations that signed the relicensing settlement agreement, NYPA will prepare and file with FERC a report on the adequacy of the recreational facilities associated with the power project to meet recreation demand.