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Email: press@dos.ny.gov
October 22, 2026
NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF PEOPLE’S PARK AND RECREATION CENTER IMPROVEMENTS AS PART OF SENECA FALLS’ DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE
Park Improvements Include New Pathways, Playground, Mural and “It’s a Wonderful Life” Bridge Upgrades; Recreation Center Gets New Accessible Kayak Launch and Skate Park Enhancements
$4.1 Million Award for People’s Park and $324,000 for Recreation Center Funded Through the State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative
See Before and After Pictures
New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley today announced the completion of improvements to the Seneca Falls People’s Park and Community Recreation Center. The two projects were supported by a combined $4.4 million grant from the New York Department of State, through the Town’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) award received in the fourth round of the program.
“This historic community continues to forge ahead with the completion of the park and recreation center projects and many others this Town’s rich history, culture and quality of life,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “These two projects significantly enhance the public realm in Seneca Falls, providing important public gathering spaces and greater access to the historic Erie Canal to this burgeoning downtown.”
Improvements to People’s Park include activating the Erie Canal edge with waterfront treatments; new pathways; a new playground; and upgrades to the “It’s a Wonderful Life” Bridge, including new paint and lighting and a mural on the Ovid Street bridge abutment. Recreation Center improvements include an accessible kayak launch and “street league” obstacles to the Skate Park.
Seneca Falls is widely recognized as the birthplace of the women’s rights movement and is home to the National Women’s Hall of Fame, which was also supported through the DRI. The village is also famously associated with the beloved holiday classic “t’s a Wonderful Life”, which was believed to be inspired in part by the Town of Seneca Falls.
Other projects funded through the DRI include:
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Established the National Women's Hall of Fame as a Destination (COMPLETE): $1,000,000
This project included the renovation of the building’s iconic smokestack, addition of a stairwell and elevator to improve access to the upper stories and improvements to the museum’s interior exhibit space.
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Renovated the Historic Huntington Building (COMPLETE): $800,000 This was an adaptive reuse project of the historic, vacant Huntington Building into 53 energy-efficient affordable housing units (including 27 with supportive services for veterans).
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Improved the Heritage & Information Center (COMPLETE): $533,000 This project included façade improvements, updating permanent interior exhibits, installation of a new elevator and renovations to boater spaces.
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Enhanced the Frank Ludovico Sculpture Trail (COMPLETE): $178,000 This project included the installation of a new gateway entry plaza, upgrading the trail surface to be accessible to all and the addition of descriptive sculpture plaques.
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Transform the “It's a Wonderful Life” Museum: $1,917,000 This project will include improvements to the Museum to address structural stabilization of the building, façade renovation to reflect its historic appearance, enhanced accessibility and improved signage.
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Establish a Building Improvement Fund: $853,000 The building improvement fund provides funding for downtown buildings and property owners for interior and exterior building improvements. Five projects have been completed through the fund, with at least another four underway.
Seneca Falls was named the Finger Lakes Region Downtown Revitalization Initiative winner in the fourth round of the program in 2019. Other DRI winners in the region include Geneva, Batavia (Round 2 and 9 winner), Penn Yan, Rochester, Newark, Perry, Waterloo and Canandaigua.
Town of Seneca Falls Town Supervisor Frank Schmitter said, “I would like to thank Governor Kathy Hochul and Secretary Mosley for providing the support through the DRI. This project provides a significant boost to Seneca Falls’ tourism and economy, and we couldn’t have done it without the help of New York State.”
About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative
The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the Department of State with assistance from Empire State Development, Homes and Community Renewal and NYSERDA, the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative "plan-then-act" strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation. Through nine rounds, the DRI has awarded a total of $1 billion to 99 communities across every region of the State. The FY 2027 Enacted Budget provides another $100 million for the program.
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