m. 



PEOPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF THE ALLEGANY STATE 

 PARK— A NEW FOREST AND STREAM PLAY- 

 GROUND FOR WESTERN NEW YORK 



Submitted by the Commissioners of the Ax^legany State Park 



Present Conditions in the Allegany State Park 



Until the creation of the Allegany State Park purchase area 

 by legislative act of 1921, there was lacking in western New York 

 an immediate future prospect of a large public forest recrea- 

 tional area such as had been provided the people of eastern 

 New York. That the state by its act was meeting a tremendously 

 popular demand for a wilderness playground for the 1,700,000 

 people who reside within 100 miles of the new park, has been 

 demonstrated by the crowds of people who have swarmed into 

 the park the past two seasons. While the state has made a be- 

 ginning in providing a large forest park for the people of west- 

 ern New York, it is merely a beginning. For the legislative act 

 set aside an area in which land may be purchased. Thus far, 

 however, small appropriations have limited land acquijiitions, 

 while meager funds for development work have permitted only 

 inadequate facilities. Consequently we have thousands of peo"- 

 ple going into the park area who can not yet be accommodated 

 by public provisions for their health and happiness. They are, 

 therefore, forced in some cases to trespass upon private lands, 

 and in other cases to use the park under great handicaps. 



This New Wilderness Playground Greatly Needed by Western 



New York 



The vast importance to the public welfare of having a large 

 park of forests, hills and streams in western New York is 

 brought out by the fact that the Allegany State Park was the 

 only new conservation project recognized by the legislature in 

 1921 in a year of strict economy. The state may be excused, 

 while on a program of economy, for not providing out of current 

 revenues for more than a beginning in its new western play- 

 ground, but it cannot fail to recognize the public need of pro- 

 viding by a bond issue for the thousands of people from all 

 parts of western New York who have gone to the park in search 

 of wholesome recreation and opportunities for nature study. 



26 



