It's official - Morgan Lake has been adopted!

On Wednesday, March 14th I met with Mayor John Tkazyik, former 5th Ward Councilwoman Yvonne Flowers, and City Administrator Michael Long at City Hall to discuss my efforts to improve the existing conditions at Morgan Lake Park. At the start of the meeting, I distributed copies of the short report I prepared,  which included a timeline of my research on the history of the lake, as well as my proposal to create volunteer opportunities at the park for community members and local students to practice environmental stewardship. Mike Cerasaro, a good friend studying Natural Resources Management and Policy at Paul Smith's College, suggested the title "Lake Steward" for the proposed volunteer position during a phone conversation we had prior to the meeting. The Mayor, City Administrator, and former Councilwoman were extremely receptive to my proposals and encouraged me to continue my research on Morgan Lake. I left City Hall that day with my head held high and with a copy of a 1896 map of College Hill that depicts the ice house at Morgan Lake given to me by the City Administrator.


Now that I have entered a partnership with the City of Poughkeepsie through the Adopt-A-Parks Program, I am now officially a Morgan Lake Park Lake Steward. By adopting the lake, I have agreed to take responsibility for keeping Morgan Lake Park clean. The Adopt-A-Park Program is sponsored by the Department of Public Works. The DPW will provide me, and any other volunteer Lake Stewards, with trash bags, gloves, reflective vests, hard hats, and anything else needed to properly and safely clean the park. So look forward to seeing Lake Stewards wearing borrowed reflective vests and hard hats picking up trash around the perimeter of Morgan Lake soon!