Milton Point Pier

Milton Point, Rye, October 2010

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Five Islands Park

I see this often: an appealing waterfront park is overshadowed by a grander, more famous one nearby. That  seems to be the case with Five Islands Park in New Rochelle. Tucked away at the end of a narrow road lined with municipal garages and a water treatment plant, is this 15 acre city park of small islands connected by a series of bridges.

While many are familiar with nearby Glen Island, this unique space along Echo Bay remains somewhat obscure. Five Islands doesn't have the Jazz-Age design or manicured feel of Glen Island, but instead has a more natural, even rugged landscape. Pathways wander through wooded areas skirting an untamed shoreline of exposed bedrock and glacial erratics. It is easy to imagine this is what Glen Island looked like a century ago.

As with many shoreline parks, the big drawback here is that Five Islands is restricted to city residents. But on a recent September visit, I had no trouble entering the park and enjoying the beauty of a sunny, late summer afternoon.

Umbrella Point

The best laid plans of mice and men

I knew this would happen sooner or later. On a day following the December snowfall, I stopped by Manor Park in Larchmont after running a few Christmas errands. I had hoped to take some pictures for a holiday post, and  send them to some friends and family in warmer climates.  The sun was low in the sky, and except for a few footprints along the walkways, the snow was still undisturbed. Everything seemed in place for taking some beautiful winter photos.

While some of you may occasionally wake up on the wrong side of the bed,  I have days where I fall eight feet from the top bunk. After taking numerous shots, I noticed a small red dot blinking on the camera. At first I thought it was telling me that the battery was low, which was not a problem since I was nearly finished shooting. Unfortunately the light meant  something else: there was no memory card in the camera. Sure enough, I found the card attached to it's adapter, sitting on a table alongside the computer at home. Since then, I have tried to remind myself that I don't visit these places to just take photographs. Six weeks later however, it still bothers me.

I returned to Manor Park recently, but there was no virgin snow. With much of Long Island Sound  now blanketed in a January Thaw, my visit the previous month seemed far removed. I walked along the east end of the park to an area known as Umbrella Point. I checked to see if  the memory card was in the camera; I shot a few photos,...... then I checked it again.

Soundbounder: Larchmont Manor Park

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Flickr: Snowfall Umbrella Point  

Rye Town Park Centennial

Whenever I hear the name Rye Town Park, I always have to think for a moment. It always takes me a few seconds to remember that Rye Town Park is the official name of Oakland Beach. I have always had difficulty with alternate or changed names:  I still refer to the Met Life Building as the Pan Am Building, and the Patriots play at Foxboro, not Gillette Stadium. Houses still carry the last name of  the owners who lived there 25 years ago, but have long sinced moved on.

Rye Town Park however, is a name that has been around a long time; certainly longer than I have. In 2009 the park celebrated it's 100th birthday, and continues to be one of the nicest town parks along this stretch of Long Island Sound. During our recent January thaw, I found her looking much like she did in an early 20th century postcard.



Rye Historical Society: Walking Tour Script

Rye Patch: New Dog Running Area At Oakland Beach

Painting Rye: Crescent Of Rocks

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photo credit: Penny Postcards (top)

Glen Island Bridge

Glen Island was originally a private resort created in the late 19th century, that consisted of several islands linked by causeways and footbridges. To reach the islands, one needed to arrive by excursion boat, or take a small ferry from New Rochelle. When Westchester County purchased the land in the 1920's, the islands were connected with fill to create one large island. The drawbridge shown here, was also constructed to connect the park to the mainland. The stonework and streetlamps make this an attractive bridge. Today, the 105 acre Glen Island is the second most visited county park in Westchester.

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Westchester.com: Glen Island Park

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Shore Park In Pelham Manor

Squeezed between the New York City line and New Rochelle, Pelham probably has the shortest shoreline of any town on Long Island Sound. Less than a mile long, much of it is consumed by the grounds of the New York Athletic Club. Adjacent to the club is Shore Park, which is a simple, yet attractive piece of coastal access property. Maintained by the village of Pelham Manor, this is a resident-only park during the summer months. There are picnic tables, restrooms, and a playground, but most of the park is simply a large lawn that extends to the water.

Shore Park provides possibly the most attractive views of the Bronx one could hope to see. That's right I said the Bronx! Not exactly known for it's charm and natural beauty, the Bronx has a terrible reputation, with some of it deservedly so. The 2,700 acre Pelham Bay Park however, provides a backdrop here that is nothing but trees, herons, rocks and water. This is a view of the borough many never see, or even know exists.

The nearby neighborhoods in Pelham Manor also provide an enjoyable diversion. Lined with tudors, colonials, and stone churches, the sidewalks here make for an interesting and pleasant walk.

Historic Pelham

Village of Pelham Manor

Soundbounder: Pelham Bay Park

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Kirby Pond Tide Mill

Along Kirby Lane in Rye are several parking spaces directly across from the Tide Mill Boat Basin. The spot provides an attractive view of a former tide mill and pond. Built in 1770, the mill's grinding wheels (bottom photo) now mark the entrance to the marina. The Rye Nature Center has provided an interpretive sign that provides a brief history of the mill, along with a guide to the birds found on the pond.

Although there is not a park here, and the mill is private property, this location provides a unique view with peaceful surroundings. The building is a popular subject for artists and photographers. When I visited this week, a painter was setting up his easel, while a couple with a large black lab shared something to eat as they took in the view.

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Tide Mill Boat Basin : History Of The Mill

Painting Rye: The Mill Pond (scroll down)

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Wikipedia: Tide Mills

Hudson Park In New Rochelle

Playland Pier & Boardwalk

I like it here best in the Spring and Fall. Unlike many amusement parks, Playland Park in Rye is an attractive waterfront destination. Opened in 1928, this county park has many art-deco buildings, as well as a great deal of open space. It is an amusement park with an emphasis on the word park. I think the only major flaw is that the beach area is too small.
Playland is scheduled to open for the season on May 9, which also means that fees and crowds will be a daily feature. I took these photos on a warm November day last autumn. Quite a few people were taking advantage of the weather, but the size of the park easily absorbed the small, off-season crowd.
The pier underwent extensive renovations in the early 1990s. From the 1930s through the 1950s, large excursion steamers brought passengers to this pier. Two ships, the Americana and the Westchester carried passengers daily from Battery Park to Rye. The Wauketa traveled here from New Jersey. Despite the renovations, the pier still maintains the historic feel of an old ferry terminal.

Playland Park
YouTube: Dragon Coaster 1929 (?)
YouTube: Polar Plunge December 2008
Flickr: Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Perkins in Big
Flickr: Playland Pier
Painting Rye:Playland Boardwalk
My Rye: 1950 Aerial Photo

Iona College Women's Rowing Team

Iona College Women's Rowing Team, Glen Island, October 2008
Iona Gaels: Website
Glen Island Park

Marshlands Conservancy

Marshlands Conservancy in Rye is such an unspoiled piece of shoreline that I almost hesitate before writing about it. The 173 acres of meadow and salt marsh extend from Boston Post Road to Milton Harbor, and provide the only public access to a salt marsh in Westchester County. I have visited here regularly for about a decade, and I never grow tired of it. Each visit seems to offer a different shade of light and color that remains unique.

Despite my familiarity with Marshlands, I am always a bit confused when I start out on a walk there. The woods behind the visitors center are not clearly marked, and the first part of my walk is usually a blind ramble, until I reach a footbridge that crosses over to a meadow that borders the Jay Heritage Center. From there, the walk becomes straight forward as the meadow leads to a sloped trail that overlooks the marshes and harbor.

At the bottom of the slope, a causeway divides the marshes and leads to an island that contains the ruins of a house which was destroyed by the 1938 Hurricane, and eventually a fire. When I visited in October, the sky was steel blue and contrasted beautifully with the oranges and browns of the autumn foliage. Several New York City buildings were visible on the distant horizon, while Hen Island sat close and quiet, despite the recent political uproar. I circumvented the island, eventually reaching a shaded area with rock outcroppings that meet the beach. Two young children and their nanny searched the shore for shells and small rocks, while an elderly woman with a large hat quietly painted the shoreline scene. This appears to be a popular spot for artists, and I have often stumbled upon them when visiting. One of these days I will try to put together a post featuring some of the paintings.

I continued walking the shoreline that switched several times from sandy beach, to marshy mud. Although the walk here is an easy one, good footwear is needed for some of the pathways that are often quite wet. I started my way back, taking one last look at Milton Point and the thinning, late season mooring field of the American Yacht Club. When I reached the wooded area near the entrance, a deer stood in silence watching my every move. I stopped walking and slowly reached for my camera (see WebAlbum below). I took two shots before trying to zoom in closer, but it was too late. He turned his back to my camera, before letting out a snorting sound and running for the woods.

MARSHLANDS CONSERVANCY: WebAlbum
NYNJ Trail Conference: Marshlands Conservancy
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Playland To Expand Shore Access

The New York Times and the Journal News both reported last week that county owned Playland Park in Rye will switch to an admission fee system next year for the amusement section. Budget shortfalls and amusement parks are not really my specialty, but what caught my eye was what the NY Times reported in the fifth paragraph of the story.

The Times wrote:
"The county will also open the park's shoreline from the Ice Casino to the Edith Read Sanctuary to the public for the first time and make it accessible year-round. Currently, only a third of the almost mile-and-a half stretch of beach is open to the public when the amusement park is operating between May and September."

I visited Playland in October, and one of the first things I noticed was that a gate had been installed on the road that leads to the Edith Read Sanctuary. One could still walk past the gate, but the small lot that kayakers use was no longer accessible. It will be interesting to see just how "accessible" the shoreline becomes, but this certainly sounds like very good news.

Another thing that caught my eye in the Times story was the comment made by Parks Commissioner Joseph A Stout. He stated:

"This will create the longest stretch of public access beach on either side of the Long Island Sound"

My first reaction was to wonder whether that is really true. It doesn't seem possible. Al Smith/Sunken Meadow Park in Suffolk County certainly has more beach. Even Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx has longer stretches of public access beach. Either the statement is false, or it is a carefully phrased comment that I am not fully grasping.
I will have to look into this further.

Thoughts & Rambles: Larchmont Manor Park

Whenever opposition to public access arises, I always think of Manor Park in Larchmont. For those of you not familiar, Manor Park is a privately owned and maintained, 13 acre space situated along the southwest entrance to Larchmont Harbor. There is no charge to enter the park during any season. Visitors do not need to first make a trip to the town hall with a utility bill, car registration, and bank statement to show proof of residency. There is no attendant at the entrance who charges $7 on weekdays and $9 on weekends. There is not even a fence around the park.



Manor Park is free for everyone, but it is not a free-for-all. There are rules, and plenty of them. Aside from the usual "dogs must be leashed" and "no ball playing" rules, the park also bans picnicking, blankets, chairs, food, and beverages. There is no biking, skating, fishing, or swimming allowed either. You cannot launch a kayak or sailboard from the park. Wedding photography requires a permit. Parking is not allowed on the streets that border the park. The only activities allowed seem to be walking, sitting, reading, and thinking. The cynic in me says that the rules are just a backhanded way of discouraging visitors. The idealist in me says that the rules are fine. If the Larchmont Manor Park Society truly wanted to keep out nonresidents, they could have installed a wrought iron gate with a card key system similar to Gramercy Park. According to the their website, the society receives no money from any government agency. It is within their right to restrict visitors, but they have not done so. The cynic in me is wrong this time.



A common theme heard in the coastal access debate is that small town parks need to restrict nonresidents because residents of nearby larger cities would overwhelm the park. If they wanted , Larchmont could make that claim too. The village borders the city of New Rochelle, while the Bronx line is only about a 6 mile drive down Boston Post Road. White Plains is less than 10 miles north via Rte 125. In all of my visits to Manor Park, it has never seemed crowded or overwhelmed. I realize that this is not a perfect argument due to the limited recreation available at Manor Park. Anyone looking to spend a Saturday swimming and picnicking is certainly not going to consider Manor Park. But then again, not everyone who visits Greenwich Point or Bayley Beach is looking to swim and picnic. Some visitors just want to walk, or read, or take in the scenery. Greenwich and Rowayton are not interested in what you plan to do, they simply do not want you there.



Another common argument is that the residents of Greenwich accept no state or federal money to maintain their parks, therefore they are free to restrict access. As I earlier noted, the Larchmont Manor Park Society receives no government money and could legally impose similar restrictions if they chose to. To their credit, they have not done so.



If you visit, be sure to respect the rules that are posted, and be careful to observe the parking signs. Your best bet is to park on one of the cross streets, two or three blocks north. A hidden benefit here is that you will be able to view some of the Victorian and center hall Colonials that line the Manor. The striated rocks that border the shore make for a beautiful scene. The stone walls and steps that wind through the park complement the beauty. Manor Park is truly unique, and it is open to everyone at no charge. That is a rare commodity in this vicinity. Just be sure to leave your cooler and beach towel at home.



Manor Park Web Album

Soundbounder: Umbrella Point