OTISVILLE—The Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County, which helped give birth to 4-H in New York around the beginning of the 20th century, has now given the youth development organization a new, 21st century home.
The Education Center and 4-H Park in Otisville opened on July 22 with a ribbon cutting ceremony that kicked off a week-long series of events.
According to the Center’s executive director, Lucy Joyce, the new complex was originally seen as a safe place for 4-H kids to show their projects and engage in activities, events, and competitions. “From this it grew into a fully-grown community development project. There will be much more than 4-H here.”
The extension found itself outgrowing its facilities as demand for its programs was growing says Executive Administrator Peggy Kral. “We were renting this space and renting this space. Financially, it was beginning to be a very high cost for us because most of our programs are either free or very low cost.” So the education center and park began to take shape.
Ground-breaking for the complex began a year ago, according to project manager Stan Spencer. Spencer, Bob Waltenberg, and Mike Fox have overseen completion of phase one. Waltenberg says this phase put the finishing touches to site work, basic infrastructure, and building prep for the property.
The structures completed so far cover about six acres of the 54 acre-site which is leased from the Town of Mt. Hope. There are facilities for car shows, gardening events, yard sales, and more. He and his colleagues are using the first phase as a way to learn what they did right and where they can improve.
