Woodlawn Beach State Park is a park located near the
village of Blasdell on the eastern shore of
Lake Erie
Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also h ...
in
Erie County,
New York. It was opened as a
state park in 1996, and has been operated since 2011 by the
Town of Hamburg under a ten-year agreement with the
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
History
Woodlawn Beach was historically a popular swimming location and resort during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Served by several trains and steamships, Woodlawn Beach at this time featured a hotel, restaurant, dancing hall, bowling alley, billiards hall, toboggan slide and a picnic grove.
Access to the beach was restricted after the 1950s, when new owners disallowed public use of the land. The beach was once again opened to the public after
New York State
New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
purchased of property from Buffalo Crushed Stone in 1996. The $6.3 million acquisition was made with the assistance of the
Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land is a U.S. nonprofit organization with a mission to "create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come". Since its founding in 1972, the Trust for Public Land has compl ...
.
[
The park was operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation prior to 2011. However, after a period of closure due to state budget constraints, since 2011 the park has been operated by the Town of Hamburg through a ten-year partnership agreement with New York State. Although still struggling to cover expenses, the town has had some success by marketing the park's features, such as its beach, restaurant and banquet facilities.]urban runoff
Urban runoff is surface runoff of rainwater, landscape irrigation, and car washing created by urbanization. Impervious surfaces (roads, parking lots and sidewalks) are constructed during land development. During rain , storms and other precip ...
, contaminated stream drainage, algae and leafy debris. Woodlawn Beach was identified by the Natural Resources Defense Council
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a United States-based 501(c)(3) non-profit international environmental advocacy group, with its headquarters in New York City and offices in Washington D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Bo ...
as the third most polluted swimming beach in New York State after failing 32% of water sample tests in 2011.
Facilities
The park offers a beach, hiking, playground, picnic areas and a bar and restaurant. Kayaks and paddle boards are available for rent, and the park is available for parties and weddings.[ The Lodge is available by rental only.
The park is open for day use all year, but swimming is permitted only during summer months. The beach is open from dawn until dusk seven days a week beginning Memorial Day weekend and closes Labor Day weekend. There is a $7 parking fee. Active military (with ID) are discounted to $5 as well as motorcycles. Monday through Friday, senior citizens (62 years and older) may enter the park free of charge.
Pets are not permitted on the beach or in bathing areas. This is a statewide rule for all New York State operated parks. As of the summer of 2021, there is no alcohol permitted on the beach or in the parking lot.
The park accepts Empire Passes and Access Passes issued by New York State.
]
See also
* List of New York state parks
References
External links
Town of Hamburg: Woodlawn Beach
New York State Parks: Woodlawn Beach State Park
{{authority control
State parks of New York (state)
Parks in Erie County, New York
Nature centers in New York (state)
Lake Erie