Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the completion of more than $3 million in improvements at Massena Intake Park, a local marina and picnic facility in St. Lawrence County associated with the New York Power Authority’s St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project on the St. Lawrence River. The improvements include an expansion of existing boat launches from four to eight, a new dock and room for seasonal boat parking as well as the addition of two new, spacious picnic pavilions with restrooms, parking and handicap accessibility features. Eugene L. Nicandri, NYPA Board of Trustee’s Vice-Chair, NYPA President and CEO Gil C. Quiniones, and NYPA leaders joined state and local elected officials today in Massena at a ribbon cutting to officially open the renovated facility.

“Investing in recreation facilities like the Massena Intake helps to ensure that New York’s top-notch tourism destinations remain vibrant and continue to help strengthen regional economies as New York recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Governor Cuomo said. “With these new renovations, the park will support large fishing tournaments benefitting both residents and tourists and strengthening the North Country’s economy for years to come.”

Located along a scenic portion of the St. Lawrence River and New York’s international border with Canada, the Massena Intake is a popular stop for boaters and serves as an inviting local attraction for visiting tourists. It is also the site of several national fishing tournaments. The Massena Intake is one of several recreational facilities that fall within the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s project boundary for the NYPA’s St. Lawrence-FDR Hydropower Plant in Massena. Work on recreation facilities, which began in 2019, stemmed from the Power Authority’s 10-year review of the 2003 Relicensing Agreement for the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project. The New York Power Authority owns and operates the park and funded the renovations.

Eugene L. Nicandri, NYPA Board of Trustee’s Vice-Chair and Massena resident said, “I’ve been watching the progress on this park over the past several months and I am very pleased to celebrate the conclusion of this work and the official opening of these renovated facilities. I am very proud of the partnerships NYPA has built throughout the North Country. It is this recognition of community and partnership that makes important upgrade projects like this possible benefitting the entire area. This is great beginning of a new chapter in the post-pandemic life of this community.”

Massena Town Supervisor Steve O’Shaughnessy said, “I would like to thank the New York Power Authority for working with the riverfront communities to enhance the Massena Intake. It has become the crown jewel of the St. Lawrence River and is instrumental to developing tourism through fishing tournaments and recreation.”

NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. For more information visit http://www.nypa.gov or look for NYPA on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and @NYPAenergy on Twitter