Assemblywoman Nily Rozic and Senator Brad Hoylman (Assemblywoman Nily Rozic’s Office)
Sept. 23, 2019 By Allie Griffin
State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D-Flushing) and State Senator Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) have introduced legislation to rename Donald J. Trump State Park.
The legislation would direct the commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) to rename the park, which is located in Westchester and Putnam counties and is no longer maintained.
Donald Trump purchased the lot in the 1990s to build a $10 million private golf course, but donated the land for public use to the state in 2006 after his plans failed, according to the New York Times. Then in 2010, due to budget cuts, OPRHP closed the park and stopped maintaining it.
Signs for the park are on the Taconic State Parkway.
A sign on the Taconic State Parkway advertising Donald J. Trump State Park. (Google Maps)
Rozic introduced legislation to remove Trump’s name from the park during the previous two legislative sessions, but it didn’t make it out of the committee either time, according to NBC.
In 2017, she suggested renaming it after Heather Heyer, the woman killed while protesting the Charlottesville rally of white nationalists.
“In an effort to best serve New Yorkers and visitors alike, we need to recognize that the current designation is not uplifting of New York values and its current state does not provide a safe, welcoming space for all,” Rozic said.
(Assemblywoman Nily Rozic’s Office)
According to the Declaration of Policy of OPRHP, state parks should foster and strengthen “the individual’s sense of purpose, well being, and identity.”
The lawmakers argue that Donald Trump doesn’t reflect the values of the state’s individuals and thus the state park shouldn’t be named after him.
“Having a park named after you is an honor Donald Trump doesn’t deserve,” Senator Hoylman said. “It’s time for New York to take a stand against his racism and divisiveness by renaming this state park.”
