Closed State prison emerges as Town Woodlands

Wickham Woodlands rises from former prison site

Exciting things are  happening at the former Mid-Orange Correctional Facility!

For one thing, the newest Town Park has an official name. At a recent Town Board meeting, the 600-plus acres that the Town acquired for $1 for non-commercial, recreational purposes was officially designated Wickham Woodlands. “These newly available lands represent a once-in a-lifetime for a community like Warwick,” said Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton. "With Wickham Lake and the combination of open space, woodlands, and usable buildings, the potential is enormous.”

Aerial view of portion of Wickham Woodlands,Wickham Lake, and Sugarloaf Mt in the background

To oversee the realization of that potential, the Supervisor designated citizens’ committee headed by Town Board member Russ Kowal. "The committee’s work began with a Town-wide “visioning” meeting in the spring where hundreds of ideas from the community were collected,” said Kowal, "and now those ideas are starting to come to fruition.”

So far, here’s is a listing of the new facilities that either are or are planned to be in the near future:

— A specially-designed baseball field designed for people of all abilities;

— A floating dock — generously donated by local company Meeco Sullivan — for canoe and kayak launches;

The Meeco Sullivan team: from L: Adam Schlomann, Mike Keppler, Bob Sullivan, Jim Mason, Mike Hennelly and Steve Sullivan.

— A lakeside picnic area 

— A beautiful 2+ mile walking trail that will link the various activity centers of Wickham Woodlands, including the sports fields, the Lake, and the barn area where potentially , cultural, educational and artistic facilities could be created.

Supervisor Sweeton and Committee Chair Kowal have announced that a day of “food, festivities and fun for the whole family” is being planned for Sat, Sept. 26 (rain date Sept 27) from 1pm to 5pm to celebrate all that is happening at Warwick’s newest park. Catering trucks will be there but feel free to bring your own  lunch and enjoy the picnic field.

Said Sweeton, “The closing of Mid-Orange could have been a huge negative, costing us many local jobs and leaving a slowly decaying hole of 733 acres in the heart of the Valley. Instead, we now have a new Corporate Park, 400 acres of protected wetlands, and Wickham Woodlands, over 200 acres of land available to us for recreation and public use. New jobs, healthy additions to our tax rolls, and wonderful recreation — definitely a cause for celebration for all of us!”

The day of festivities will give Warwickians a chance to see and experience the exciting potential of Wickham Woodlands. Added Kowal, “This is not just about seeing, it’s about celebrating. 

While plans are not yet finalized, it is hoped that people and families will be able to circulate to the 3 main areas — the ball fields/pavilion, and a drive by at barn and “piggery.” and the lake — by either walking the path, taking a hop-on/hop-off bus, or riding a hay wagon. Families will also be encouraged to bring canoes or kayaks for a “community flotilla” on the lake.

At each of these areas, a member of the committee will be there to explain what has already been done and what future plans are, with opportunity for everyone to share their thoughts about what might be included in the plans.