RIBBON CUT AT 10 TODAY
Seward Sends $50,000
For Copes Corners Park
By JIM KEVLIN • for www.AllOTSEGO.com
COPES CORNERS – State Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, has obtained a $50,000 state grant to help the Town of Butternuts continue to upgrade its Copes Corners Park, it was announced at the ribbon-cutting on this park this morning.
The grant was announced by Jeff Bishop, Seward aide, who was representing the senator, who is recuperating from an operation at his Milford home.
Bishop made the announcement just before Butternuts Town Supervisor Linda Gover cut the ribbon.
Also present were county Rep. Jim Powers, R-Butternuts, who helped the town obtained the park from the county for $1, the county Democratic chair Richard Abbate, officials, and 100 campers and others there to enjoy the park’s Spring Festival, which includes bands through the afternoon, an ice cream social at 5, Tumbleweed Highway performing at 6 and a bonfire at 8.
The property, about a mile south of Gilbertsville on Route 15, had been made available by the Copes family for public recreation as far back as before the Civil War.
In recent decades, the County of Otsego ran it as a park, but after it was washed out in the flood of 2006, and repaired only to be washed out again in 2011, the county withdrew its support. The town’s Copes Corners Park Committee, chaired by Fred Johnson, then stepped up to redevelop it as a town property, with camping and fishing.
The $50,000 from Seward will be used for a pavilion, adding hot water in the showers, and playground equipment.
“I commend the Copes Corners Park Committee and all of the volunteers that have dedicated countless hours to rebuilding this park, they are the reason the gates are open today,” the senator said in a press release.
Bishop also read a state Senate proclamation commending the effort.
This is wonderful news. I just want to add that It would be nice if some recognition went to Jim Simpson, who worked so hard to save the park for our town, at a time when others were willing to let it go. So much great work since then by the park commmittee and many others. But without Jim’s early efforts, we might well have lost this beautiful asset to the town of Butternuts.
It’s Route 51. Not 15.