Project Completes a Series of Improvements to Enhance the Park and Revitalize the Waterfront 

Funding provided by the New York State Department of State under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund Local Waterfront Revitalization Program

The New York State Department of State today announced the completion of an amenities building with restrooms at Lucille Ball Memorial Park in downtown Celoron, the comedian’s hometown, in Chautauqua County. The project was funded by a $383,000 grant to the Village from the DOS Environmental Protection Fund Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP), which funded a series of projects to enhance the park and waterfront. 

“A park without amenities is like a ship without a sail. The new amenities building at the Lucille Ball Memorial Park puts the finishing touches on a mosaic of LWRP projects that have helped showcase the park as a safe, enjoyable and vibrant public gathering space,” said Secretary of State Rossana Rosado. “This pandemic has exposed the importance of outdoor places for people to visit and interact safely. With these improvements, Lucille Ball Memorial Park now does justice to its iconic namesake.”

The amenities building includes ADA-compliant restrooms, drinking fountains, diaper changing stations, a security system and a storage area. The project caps off a series of projects funded by a previous $425,000 LWRP grant to the Village aimed at enhancing the park experience and increasing waterfront recreation opportunities, which included a new boardwalk, a waterfront trail, a kayak launch and a new break-wall.

Celoron Village Mayor Scott Schrecengost said, “The Village of Celoron is proud to add this beautiful new amenities building as part of our comprehensive revitalization of iconic Lucille Ball Memorial Park. It exemplifies our Village’s goal of offering improved Chautauqua Lake access and enjoyment for our residents, visitors, and lake users of all ages. We thank the NYSDOS for their partnership and generous financial support of our efforts.” 

Prior to these renovations, the Village received a $36,000 LWRP grant in 2009 to advance community waterfront planning, which included visioning, the development of revitalization strategies, conceptual design work for village streetscape improvements and improvements to the Lucille Ball Memorial Park.                  

The Department of State's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP), funded under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund, provides matching grants on a competitive basis to eligible villages, towns, cities, and counties located along New York’s coasts or designated inland waterways for planning, design, and construction projects to revitalize communities and waterfronts. This program helps communities breathe new life into their waterfront and underused assets in ways that ensure successful and sustainable revitalization. To learn more about the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, visit here.