Poughkeepsie… There will be a fun new way to keep cool this summer at Dutchess County Parks with the opening of a new water “sprayground” at Wilcox Memorial Park in Milan. There will be a special ribbon cutting celebration on Sunday, June 2nd at 11am as part of a day of family fun as the park hosts the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County 4-H program’s “A-Fair to Remember” event from 10am to 3:30pm.
County Executive Sue Serino said, “Our new water sprayground is a great addition to our beautiful Wilcox Memorial Park in the Town of Milian and we are excited for people of all abilities to enjoy it throughout the summer. Join us on June 2nd to kick off summer fun as we cut the ribbon for our new water feature and enjoy the famous Fair milkshakes and activities as part of the 4H’s A-Fair to Remember event. I can’t wait to see everyone at Wilcox!”
The new, 1,900-square-foot water sprayground has 27 water-spray and sprinkle features including friendly characters and a water-table—all enclosed by a split-rail fence—for all ages and abilities to enjoy. The sprayground is located at the lake beachfront for families to enjoy a full day of summer fun. Work on the sprayground has been recently completed and Parks staff will be conducting equipment testing over the coming weeks, and it is expected to be open for use as Wilcox Park kicks off its summer beach season on June 1st. Once officially open, the sprayground will be available daily from 10am-6pm, weather depending, through Labor Day weekend.
The ribbon cutting for the new sprayground will be part of a full day of family fun at Wilcox as Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County’s 4-H program will be hosting its “A-Fair to Remember” event, featuring Dutchess County Fair-themed activities and attractions including farm animals, music, arts and crafts, hands-on activities, shooting sports demonstrations, and carnival games, plus everyone’s Fair favorite... milkshakes by the Dutchess County Dairy Committee – just like at the Dutchess County Fair!!! The event is a great opportunity to learn more about the 4-H program from participating Dutchess County young people. In addition to the beloved milkshakes, there will be other refreshments available for purchase, including lemonade, soft drinks, and food truck offerings. The event will be held rain or shine, and registration is not required. Learn more at dutchesscounty4h.weebly.com/afair2remember.html
Parks Director Susanne O’Neil said, “Dutchess County Parks along with the whole team at Public Works have been working hard to improve the lakefront at Wilcox Park. In addition to improved electric, sand and added aerators at the lake, we are thrilled to have this new sprayground amenity at the waters’ edge and encourage everyone to join us as we cut the ribbon and celebrate its official opening on June 2nd.”
The new sprayground is just one of many features available at Wilcox Memorial Park, including the popular swimming and boating/fishing lakes, pavilions and camp sites, paddle- and row boats for rent, as well as the award-winning 27-hole disc golf course.
Wilcox also boasts several accessible features, such as sand wheelchairs and an access ramp across the sand beach to the water’s edge for individuals with mobility challenges. Wilcox Park is open now through Labor Day from 8am to 7pm weekdays and 8am to 8pm on weekends. The swimming lake will be open weekends from 11am to 5pm, June 1st trough June 23rd (subject to staffing, weather and water quality conditions) and 11am to 5pm Thursday through Sundays from June 27 through Labor Day weekend. There is no fee for entrance to Wilcox Park. Follow Dutchess County Parks on Facebook for updates.
For more information about Wilcox Memorial Park, call 845-298-4603 or visit DutchessNY.gov/Parks for more information.
