AND NOW WE'RE GONNA TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE STATE PARK SYSTEM WHICH IS CELEBRATING ITS 100TH BIRTHDAY NEXT YEAR.

TO COMMEMORATE THE ANNIVERSARY, THE STATE IS LAUNCHING A CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE IN 2024 WHICH INCLUDES EMISSION DISCOUNTS AND NEW ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO ATTRACT VISITORS TO PARKS ALL OVER THE EMPIRE STATE.

IN ADVANCE OF THE SPECIAL CELEBRATION, ERIK KULLESEID, THE COMMISSION ARE TO THE STATE OFFICE OF PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAS BEEN TRAVELING ALL OVER NEW YORK TO PROMOTE THE STATE SYSTEM AND HE RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH US IN THE STUDIO.

[ THEME MUSIC ] WELL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE TIME, COMMISSIONER.

SO 2024 MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE STATE PARK SYSTEM.

CAN YOU TAKE US BACK TO HISTORY IN 1924 AND THE ORIGIN OF THE CREATION OF THE PARK SYSTEM WHERE THE $15 MILLION INVESTMENT UNDER GOVERNOR ALFRED E. SMITH?

I'LL TAKE YOU BACK IN HISTORY.

SO 1924 WAS THE SENTINEL YEAR.

IT WAS THE YEAR THE STATE PARK'S ACT PASSED IN APRIL AND THAT WAS AN ACT THAT TOOK WHAT WAS SORT OF A COLLECTION OF PARKS, STATE-OWNED AROUND THE STATE, YOU KNOW, NIAGRA FALLS GOES BACK TO THE 1880S.

LETCHWORTH PARK GOES BACK TO THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.

LETCHWOOD PARK IN THIS AREA GOES BACK TO 1913.

BUT IN 1924, THE STATE PARKS ACT WAS PASSED AND IT BROUGHT TOGETHER ALL THOSE DISPARATE REGIONAL EFFORTS THAT WERE REALLY BEING RUN BY PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY UNDER SINGLE UMBRELLA, THE STATE PARKS.

CAME ALONG WITH A $50 MILLION BOND ACT TO HELP BUILD IT OUT.

15 MILLION DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT TODAY BUT I THINK IS A HEALTHY SUM BACK THEN AND WHAT IT WAS WAS A PERIOD OF INCREDIBLE GROWTH, AN EXPANSION OF THE MANDATE OF PARKS, RIGHT?

PARKS, UNTIL THAT MOMENT, HAD REALLY BEEN FOCUSED AS MUCH AS ANYTHING ON FOCUSED ON PRESERVING THOSE SPECIAL SCENIC PLACES, NIAGRA FALLS, LETCHWORTH GORGE, SINGULAR LANDSCAPES, SINGULAR VISTAS, SING LA ITEMS THAT YOU REALLY COULDN'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE.

IN THAT YEAR-- FROM THAT PERIOD FORWARD, THERE WAS A FOCUS ON RECREATION.

NEW YORK WAS BOOMING THEN.

BURGEONING CITIES, TEAMING CITIES AND IT NEEDED PLACES TO PROVIDE RECREATION FOR THE WORKING CLASS.

SO YOU HAD A LOT OF EXPANSION INTO THE BEACHES, JONES BEACHES, A LOT OF THE OCEAN BEACHES COMING INTO PLAY.

A LOT OF THE WORK AT HARRIMAN, HUDSON VALLEY AND THIS IS REALLY A BIG DESTINATION WHERE BEACHES AND RECREATION CAME INTO PLAY OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO BE OPEN.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT YEAR NOT JUST FOR COLLECTION BUT SORT OF A CHANGE IN APPROACH AND AN EXPANSION OF THE MANDATE AND BREADTH OF WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

FAST FORWARDING TO RECENT YEARS, HOW HAS THE PARK SYSTEM TRIED TO LIVE UP TO THAT INITIAL MANDATE?

YOU KNOW, HAVE WE BEEN BUILDING MORE PARKS?

HAVE WE BEEN TRYING TO CREATE NEW RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES?

HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR JOB TODAY MANIFESTING THAT ORIGINAL 1924 MANDATE?

SO THE 19-- SO AFTER THAT YEAR, SO LIKE I SAID, AND ACTUALLY DURING THE '30S, WPA, CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, AGAIN, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE WERE PUT TO WORK IN PARKS, TO BUILD OUT PARKS.

THAT CONTINUED INTO THE '50S AND '60S.

YOU SAW SORT OF THE GREAT SOCIETY.

YOU HAD A LOT OF FEDERAL DOLLARS START COMING IN IN THE '60S, UNDER THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND AND A LOT OF CONTINUED EXPANSION BUT THEN YOU REALLY BEGIN TO SEE THE END OF THE 20TH CENTURY CONTINUED EXPANSION HERE AND THERE AS IT CAME UP, BUT YOU HAD A REAL DISINVESTMENT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

YOU SEE POOLS CLOSING.

YOU SEE MORE THAN ONE LAKE AND BEACHES CLOSE.

THERE WAS A LACK OF INVESTMENT AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THE LAST 15 YEARS THAT REALLY ALMOST 40-YEAR BACKLOG OF DISINVESTMENT HAD STARTED TO BE ADDRESSED AND SO RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE.

YOU KNOW, SO I WOULD SAY DURING THE PATAKI ADMINISTRATION, THERE WAS A HUGE EXPANSION OF THE PARK SYSTEM.

WE EXPANDED NEARLY 10% DURING THAT PERIOD, IN ACREAGE, NEW PARKS AND NEW AREAS AND THEN THE LAST 15 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH INCREASED CAPITAL.

WE'RE STILL NOT THERE YET.

WE'RE STILL LEVEL SETTING WITH THE RIGHT LEVEL OF CAPITAL IS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS DRAMATIC SYSTEM, 5,000 BUILDINGS, THOUSANDS MILES OF TRAILS, 36 GOLF COURSES AND TRAILS, YOU KNOW, REALLY A HUGE PORTFOLIO OF RECREATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO RIGHT NOW, SORT OF LOOKING FORWARD, WE ARE FOCUSING ON, OKAY, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE.

RIGHT?

SO WE ARE GOING BACK TO THOSE PLACES WHERE THERE ARE CLOSED FACILITIES.

WE STILL HAVE CLOSED POOLS, CLOSED BEACHES.

YOU KNOW, LAKE SEBEGO DOWN IN THE HARRIMAN-- HEROIN STATE PARK WHICH IS OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY, WHICH IS A BEACH THAT WE CLOSED IN 2011 DUE TO A TROPICAL STORM IRENE AND LEE, AND WE DID NOT REOPEN BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE THE CAPITAL.

WE ALSO-- WE DO EXPAND GOVERNOR HOCHUL, HERSELF, OPENED A NEW PARK IN KINGSTON AT THE OLD QUARRY, A STATE PARK THAT IS A LOVELY-- IT'S ACTUALLY A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE DESPITE ITS INDUSTRIAL PAST.

IT USED TO BE A QUARRY.

IT'S A LOVELY PLACE.

THE EMPIRE STATE TRAIL RUNS THROUGH IT.

WE'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLE SWIMMING OPPORTUNITIES AND QUARRY LAKES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO THINKING ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE IN THE FUTURE, RIGHT?

THIS CENTURY, WHAT'S THE NEXT CENTURY GOING TO BE ABOUT?

CLIMATE CHANGE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

SO WE HAVE THE LARGEST SHORELINE OWNER IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THOSE BEACHES AND THOSE BARRIER ISLANDS OFF THE SOUTH SHORE OF LONG ISLAND.

THOSE ARE A LOT OF THE PARKS, AND WE'VE GOT A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AT SEA LEVEL RISE, STORMWATER, JUST THIS SUMMER, BEAR MOUNTAIN IN THE HUDSON VALLEY, VERY POPULAR PARK IN HUDSON VALLEY WAS CLOSED FOR THREE MONTHS BECAUSE OF A STORM THAT RIPPED THROUGH IN JULY.

RIGHT?

IT WAS NOT A TROPICAL STORM.

IT WAS JUST EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN OVER A VERY SHORT PERIOD THAT WASHED A WHOLE LOT OF THE HILLSIDE INTO THE PARK.

CLOSED DOWN OUR WATER SYSTEM.

THAT WAS CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER, SO YOU'VE GOT TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND AS FACILITIES BECOME AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO EXPAND AND I THINK THE WHOLE SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED WITH NOT A BIG URBAN FOOTPRINT AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR US IN THE CITY OF KINGSTON, HIGH FALLS WHICH IS ON THE GORGE IN ROCHESTER IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE THERE'S AN EFFORT TO CREATE A STATE PARK THERE.

SO I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FILL OUT THE PORTFOLIO, RIGHT, AND BE IN SOME OF THE MAJOR CITIES AROUND THE STATE, TOO.

SO LOOKING AHEAD TO 2024, WHICH IS, AS WE MENTIONED, THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY ARE TO THE STATE PARK SYSTEM, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO DO TO CELEBRATE THE STATE PARK BIRTHDAY?

SO WE KICKED IT OFF THIS SUMMER.

THIS SUMMER, I DID A TWO-DAY TOUR OF TEN STOPS IN TWO DAYS, RAN AROUND THE STATE.

BEING A LITTLE BIT SILLY BUT HAVING A TOTALLY GOOD TIME SHOWING THE BREADTH AND SCOPE OF WHAT OUR STATE PARK SYSTEM IS TO SORT OF BUILD MOMENTUM.

NEXT YEAR, WE'LL HAVE A STATE PARK CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, '24, WE'LL GIVE YOU A LIST OF A HUNDRED PARKS, A HUNDRED DESTINATIONS ACROSS THE SYSTEM AND PEOPLE CAN GET A LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER CHECK OFF WHERE THEY'VE GONE AND GET A PRIZE AT THE END OF THE SUMMER.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO TRY A PARK THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO.

TRY A REGIONEN OF PARKS THAT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO.

ROLL IN MORE VISITATION, ALL IN A VIEW TO CELEBRATING THAT LEGACY.

I'M BIAS, BUT I THINK OUR PARK SYSTEM IS UNPARALLEL.

WE OWN ALL THE BEST PLACES THAT NEW YORK OFFERS, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF NATURAL LANDSCAPES AND RECREATIONAL LANDSCAPES SO A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE THAT, GET-- HELP BOLSTER OUR ADVOCACY AND OUR GOALS FOR HAVING MORE CAPITAL TO CONTINUE TO REBUILD THE SYSTEM AND PUT IT AT A LEVEL WHERE IT SHOULD BE TO ENHANCE THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND ALSO TO CELEBRATE THE PAST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO START A SHARE YOUR STORY SORT OF ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO GO IN, UPLOAD MATERIALS, TELL THEIR STORIES, TELL HOW THE STATE PARK SYSTEM HAS ENHANCED THEIR LIVES, RIGHT?

SO A LOT OF FUN STUFF THAT SERVES TO JUST REMIND PEOPLE HOW SPECIAL THE NEW YORK STATE PARK SYSTEM IS AND HOW EXCEPTIONAL, UNIQUE, SINGULAR THIS STATE PARK SYSTEM IS.

WELL, IN ADDITION TO GET PEOPLE TO TRY OUT NEW PARKS FOR THE FIRST TIME, IS PART OF THAT EFFORT GOING TO BE ENGAGING PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT EVEN BE COGNIZANT OF THE PARKS THAT ARE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OR ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THEM THROUGH MAYBE A SHORT DRIVE OR SUBWAY RIDE?

TOTALLY.

I MEAN, WE WANT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALWAYS LOOKING TO EXPAND OUR AUDIENCE AND THAT'S DONE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE REFLECT.

THERE'S A LOT OF ASPECTS TO THAT.

THERE'S STAFFING, RIGHT?

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF REFLECTS THE POPULATION COMES TO VISIT.

WE NEED TO BE ADVERTISING IN THE RIGHT AREAS.

WE NEED-- THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A HUGE SPANISH-SPEAKING POPULATION THAT WE NEED TO REACH IN THE NEW YORK AREA, PARTICULAR TO GET THEM OUT OF THE PARKS.

WE NEED TO REDUCE THOSE BARRIERS TO ENTRY IN MANY WAYS.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU OR I OR MANY PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THE TRAIL AND KNOW WHAT A TRAIL MAP MEANS AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO BE OUT THERE.

SO YES, IT'S CONTINUING TO OFFER LANGUAGE SERVICES, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME INTO THE PARKS AND MAKE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE, RIGHT?

AND NOT EVERYBODY, NOT EVERY CULTURE, NOT EVERY ETHNICITY ENJOYS PARKS THE SAME WAY.

WE ALSO HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE AND LET PEOPLE COME IN AND ENJOY NATURE THE WAY THEY LIKE TO.

WELL, ASSUMING DO YOU HAVE AN UPTICK IN VISITATION IN 2024, HOW MANY ADDITIONAL PARK POLICE OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WILL YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY?

SO WE HAVE A GREAT PARK POLICE FORCE.

THEY'VE BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE 1880S, THE OLDEST POLICE FORCE IN THE COUNTRY OR OLDEST PARK POLICE FORCE, I SHOULD SAY.

THEY'VE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS.

THEY, DID-YOU KNOW, THEY ARE REALLY EXPERT AT-- IT'S AMAZING WHAT THEY GET DONE WITH PRETTY LEAN STAFFING.

WE WILL BUILD THEM AS NECESSARY.

THERE'S NO QUESTION.

WE'RE EXPANDING THEM NOW.

THEY SUFFERED.

THERE WAS A-- THEIR FUTURE WAS IN QUESTION FOR A WHILE UNDER THE CUOMO ADMINISTRATION, BUT NOW THEY'RE BACK AND GROWING AGAIN.

WE'RE BUILDING THE PARK POLICE FORCE, AND WE ALSO DO A LOT OF PARTNERING.

WE PARTNER WITH STATE POLICE, WITH LOCAL POLICE.

UD BE SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF PARTNERSHIPS THEY HAVE BECAUSE IT'S A PRETTY FAR-FLUNG SYSTEM, RIGHT, SO WE NEED TO HAVE PARTNERS IN POLICING OUR PARKS AND I THINK WE DO A GREAT JOB OF THAT.

IN TERMS OF RESOURCES FOR THE PARK SYSTEM, I KNOW THE BUDGET DIRECTOR RECENTLY PUT OUT A LETTER ENCOURAGING AGENCIES AND OFFICES INCLUDING YOUR OWN TO MAINTAIN FLAT FUNDING THIS YEAR BUT ARE THERE EXCEPTIONS FOR, SAY, ONE-TIME EXPENSES FOR SOMETHING LIKE 100TH BIRTHDAY PARTY?

SO YOU'RE RIGHT, WE HAD A FLAT BUDGET.

THAT'S CUSTOMARY FOR GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT HAS TO BE LEAN AND EFFICIENT, BUT YES, IN THE BUDGET LETTER, THERE'S A CALL FOR ONE-TIME INVESTMENTS AND IT'S A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IN SOME OF THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

I'M LOOKING AT THOSE PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO EXPAND DRAMATICALLY.

LIKE I SAID SORT OF EARLIER, WE'RE STILL REBUILDING AND BRINGING BACK ONLINE ASSETS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF-LINE, RIGHT?

THIS IS A MATTER OF RESTORING THE SYSTEM.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT-- THERE IS A NEW PARK BUT BY IN LARGE, THIS IS TO CONTINUE REBUILDING A PARK SYSTEM THAT WAS UNDERINVESTED IN FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS.

YOU MENTIONED YOUR VISITS TO THE STATE PARKS IN 2023, THIS WHIRLWIND TOUR YOU WENT ON WHICH BY MY ACCOUNT INCLUDED SWIMMING, BIKE RIDING, GOING ON A ZIP LINE, PADDLING IN A KAYAK, DESCENDING INTO CAVES, AND MUCH MORE SO MY QUESTION IS-- AND THIS IS AN HR QUESTION.

THIS ISN'T ME.

YOU HAVE TO PUT INTO LIKE A VACATION REQUEST FOR THESE TRIPS, OR DOES THIS COUNT AS WORK FOR YOU?

YOU ALSO FORGOT SHOOTING THE CANNON OFF AT OLD FORT NIAGRA.

VACATION?

YOU KNOW, I AM VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE ONE OF GREATEST JOBS AROUND, RIGHT?

BECAUSE MY JOB IS TO BE IN THE PARKS, TO BE PROMOTING THE PARKS.

THERE'S NOTHING I LIKE TO DO MORE THAN THAT.

SO I WORK HARD BUT YOU KNOW, ALMOST SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WORK.

IS THERE ANY THOUGHT TO MAYBE GOING TO BETHPAGE BLACK AND SHOOTING AROUND WITH YOUR FAVORITE RADIO AND TV HOST, MAYBE HE SHOOTS A HUNDRED.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO CELEBRATE 2024 AS WELL.

I WOULD HAVE BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOU OUT TO BETHPAGE BLACK.

I WOULD BE A DISASTER ON THAT COURSE NOT BEING A GOLFER MYSELF, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING YOU TEE OFF.

WELL, WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH NEW YORK STATE PARKS RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSIONER, ERIK KULLESEID..

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

[ THEME MUSIC ] AND FOR MORE ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STATE PARK SYSTEM, VISIT PARKS.NY.GOV/100.