Governor Hochul Announces Major Step Forward in $95.8 Million Lake Sebago Beach Reconstruction

Governor Hochul announced a major step forward in a $95.8 million project to rebuild Lake Sebago Beach at Harriman State Park with the award of a key construction contract to a New York company. The beach has been closed for more than a decade after being destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene. Reopening the Hudson Valley public swimming beach is a major component of Governor Hochul's NY Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative to expand access to safe places to swim for more New Yorkers.

"Our NY SWIMS initiative is creating more accessible and affordable places where families and communities can escape extreme heat and come together for fun and relaxation," Governor Hochul said. "Lake Sebago Beach has been beloved since it opened in the early 1950s and I'm excited a new generation of New Yorkers will finally get to enjoy swimming at this treasured lakefront at Harriman State Park."

The project's construction contract was awarded to C-Squared Constructors LLC, of Wilton, NY, as general contractor for $80.8 million; previous contract awards went to Stantec Landscape Architecture and Geology PC, of Rochester, NY, as prime design consultant for $10 million and LiRo Program and Construction Management PE PC, of Syosset, NY, as construction manager for $5 million. The project is supported by $78.1 million from the state Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act and $17.1 million is being provided from New York State Parks capital funding. Reconstruction of 48 acres of beach and surrounding areas is expected to start in spring 2026 and be completed by summer 2027.

New York State Parks Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser said, "Governor Hochul's leadership in expanding safe swimming opportunities is reversing decades of disinvestment in swimming facilities - and this project is a prime example of that. This beach has long been an important recreation area easily accessible to the metro New York City area. Re-opening Lake Sebago to the public will provide more recreation and swimming access for a new generation of New Yorkers."

Palisades Interstate Park Commission Executive Director Joshua Laird said, "For decades, Sebago Beach was a beloved summer destination for families from across the New York Metropolitan Area. Thanks to our colleagues at New York State Parks and Governor Hochul's investment of Environmental Bond Act funding, this jewel of Harriman State Park will once again become a place where fond summer memories are made for generations to come."

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, "Governor Hochul is ensuring the investments made through the historic Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act are improving and enhancing connections to the outdoors and, in turn, the well-being of all New Yorkers. The comprehensive plan to rebuild Lake Sebago Beach will provide a beautiful respite from the summer heat, while incorporating key resiliency features that protect park infrastructure and the area's natural resources."

Lake Sebago Beach has been closed since 2011 after being ruined by high winds and flooding from Tropical Storm Irene. The bathing beach was filled in with washed up sediments, and nearby trails and parking areas were damaged. Irene was one of the costliest storms in New York state history, creating more than a billion dollars in damages

The rebuilt beach area will have new sand, repairs to the existing bathhouse, new restrooms, a capacity of more than 4,000 patrons and parking for at least 900 cars in three separate lots. There will be a 1,600-foot promenade along the lake, two brand new playgrounds, and picnic and game areas. To support agency energy goals, a photovoltaic solar array will be installed on the roof of the rehabilitated bathhouse and infrastructure will be installed to support EV charging stations in the main parking lot. A state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility is being constructed to support the restrooms and responsibly manage the ecology of the site.

To help the new facility better resist future storms and improve water quality at Lake Sebago, the project also includes the restoration of the former Stillwater Creek, which originally flowed into the lake from nearby Lake Kanawauke. Better able to reduce potential sediment deposits into the lake and absorb potential floodwaters, the restored creek and wetlands will replace an underground piping system between the lakes that was installed during the facility's original construction in the early 1950s. A new bridge will carry traffic on Masonic Camp Road over the creek. The site has been designed to handle up to a 500-year storm's intensity in order to avoid the kind of flood damage that occurred in 2011.

The project builds on Governor Hochul's efforts to encourage affordable outdoor recreation. The Fiscal Year 2026 Budget includes $200 million for State Parks to invest in and aid the ongoing transformation of New York's flagship parks and support critical infrastructure projects throughout the park system. The Governor's new Unplug and Play initiative also earmarked $100 million for construction and renovation of community centers through the Build Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors (NY BRICKS), $67.5 million for the Places for Learning, Activity and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS) initiative helping New York communities construct new playgrounds and renovate existing playgrounds; and an additional $90 million for the continuation of the NY SWIMS initiative.

NY SWIMS focuses on underserved communities and areas prone to extreme heat and reverses decades of disinvestment to ensure public parks offer new, state-of-the-art swimming facilities which can serve thousands of daily visitors. This project also advances the Bond Act's goal of investing at least 35 percent of funding on disadvantaged communities (DACs) that shoulder a disproportionate burden of negative environmental outcomes such as pollution exposure and lack of access to open space.

The $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act was the largest environmental bond act in state history. The act is aimed at supporting environmental improvements that preserve, enhance and restore natural resources and is expected to create more than 84,000 local jobs. The act dedicated $1.5 billion toward climate change mitigation, $1.1 billion toward flood risk and restoration, $650 million toward water quality improvements and resilient infrastructure, and $650 million toward open space land conservation and recreation.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, and welcomes over 88 million visitors annually. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

Contact the Governor's Press Office