Durand-Eastman Park
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Durand-Eastman Park is a large urban park north of Rochester, New York. It is administered by the Monroe County Parks Deparment.
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[edit] Geography
The park contains several lakes. The two largest are Durand Lake and Eastman Lake. The park's northern boundary is defined by 5,000 ft[1] of Lake Ontario coastline. Although about half of the park is a part of the City of Rochester, it is amost completely surrounded by the town of Irondequoit, New York.
[edit] History
Durand-Eastman Park was formally dedicated on May 22, 1909.[2] Historically, the beach at Durand-Eastman was much wider than it is today. In 1915, bath houses were built on the lakeshore. They became unusable in 1949 due to rising water levels.[2] The building was eventually demolished.
[edit] Flora
Durand-Eastman has a variety of trees and wildflowers. A 1937 source claims that the park "contains 395 varieties of native and foreign trees, shrubs, and plants."[3]
The park's Slavin Arboretum contains an impressive collection of trees.[4]
[edit] Fauna
Deer, raccoon, Eastern Gray Squirrels and chipmunks are common mammals in the park.
[edit] Recreation and Facilities
The park has a municipal golf course, built as a 9 hole course in 1917[2], that was redesigned by Robert Trent Jones in 1933. Now it has 18 holes and a club house. There are hiking trails. Swimming was permitted at the park's Lake Ontario beach in 2006, but the future of this policy is in doubt because of high bacterial counts in the water[5].
[edit] References
- ^ Durand Eastman Park. City of Rochester. 15 Jan 2007. http://www.ci.rochester.ny.us/prhs/Parks/index.cfm?action=showvenu&id=70
- ^ a b c West, Maude I. Irondequoit History. Irondequoit, New York: Town of Irondequoit, 1957.
- ^ Rochester and Monroe County: A History and Guide. Rochester, The Genesee Book Club of Rochester: 1937.
- ^ Cook, Richard J. "Durand Eastman Park: Slavin's Arboretum." Upstate Gardeners Journal Winter 1998.
- ^ "The Cause of Bacteria at Durand Eastman Beach. Dec 11 2006. Jan 15 2007 <http://10nbc.com/index.asp?template=item&story_id=20959>
