The Little Falls Times reported that the Herkimer Home State Historic Site is closed through at least April 1, and is slated to remain closed not only for the entire 2011 operating season, but permanently.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2011-12 budget proposal cuts Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation spending by more than eight percent, from $228 million to $209 million. The proposal does not include any funding for Herkimer Home, which needs roughly $320,000 to remain open.
“It would be a shame to lose the site,” Little Falls Mayor Robert Peters said during a telephone interview on Monday. Peters was one of 40 people to meet at the home of American Revolutionary War hero Gen. Nicholas Herkimer last Wednesday to brainstorm how to keep the site operating. “It’s an important place to our community, and to other surrounding communities as well, and it would be a real tragedy to see it closed. We need to come together and prevent this from happening.”
Peters said he and other city and county officials discussed the matter prior to the Feb. 9 meeting and have continued discussing what they believe can be done to ensure the site will open in 2011.
“The city, should a group come forward and raise the money, or at least a portion of the money, needed to keep the site secure and to maintain it, would be willing to provide 10 hours a week from its Department of Public Works to maintain the building and grounds,” said Peters, who is also president of the Herkimer County Conference of Mayors. “I would hope other communities would follow the city’s lead and would come forward to provide similar services. In addition to maintaining the grounds, the city would also be willing to make any emergency repairs that would be needed.”
In an effort to draw increased attention to the historic home just outside of the city of Little Falls on State Route 169, and to bring in additional tourists, Peters said a “Taste of Little Falls” type event and Victorian fair could take place Labor Day weekend throughout the city and at the site.
“The food event would be held throughout the city on Friday, with the Victorian fair held at Herkimer Home on Saturday and Sunday,” said Peters. “An event like this would bring people to the city who might choose to stay at one of our places in town, eat at one of our restaurants or shop at one our stores. It would also draw people to the site and generate revenue for its operation.”
Assemblyman Marc Butler said during last Wednesday’s brainstorming session visitors to Herkimer Home generated about $6,800 in revenue in 2010, adding $30,000 of the site’s roughly $320,000 budget goes toward operational expenses, with the rest paying for salaries.
Butler also said last week a nonprofit group or surrounding municipality could sign a lease with the state, essentially forcing the local entity to maintain the site while the state maintains ownership.
“The assemblyman said the local group or municipality could then keep any profit generated from the site,” said Peters. “An agreement like that is something the city would be willing to explore with a group or another municipality. The city is also willing to extend water service to the site, which would provide water to a portion of the town of Danube. These are all things the city can do to improve the site and is willing to discuss as we collectively work to keep the site open in the years to come.”
Read more here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment