Ulysses moving forward with plans for first town park 

The Town of Ulysses could be on the brink of creating its first public park, an endeavor the town proposed in 2023 — but one that was ultimately rebuffed by local residents. 

The new proposal to build a municipal park comes after the town announced on Feb. 11 that Marvin and Allison Pritts intend to donate approximately 15.234 acres of land to the town

of Ulysses, at their property located at 5150 Cold Springs Rd. in the village of Trumansburg.

A resolution seeking an environmental review of the land’s acquisition, approved unanimously by the town board on Feb. 25, states that Ulysses intends to create a park, to be used initially for general recreational activities such as walking and daytime athletic practice/contests on a mowed grass field. Future improvements, the resolution states, depend on the establishment of community needs, wants and funding.

The town sought through that Feb. 25 resolution to become the lead agency in conducting this environmental review and indicated that to other viable boards, such as the zoning board of appeals and the planning board.

Last summer, the town board authorized a survey for the proposed donation, which was completed late last year. 

“I’m overwhelmed by the generosity of the Pritts family for considering such a sizable donation to the town,” Town Supervisor Katelin Olson said in a press release issued Feb. 14. “I think it would allow our community to plan together to create a park that provides accessible public space to our residents of all ages. With so much negativity in the news, this is an example to me of how individuals can choose to make a positive difference in the lives of others where they live.”

The site has access to public water, is close to “moderately dense” residential areas in Ulysses, has a minor slope and has the potential of an almost mile-long trail connecting the park to the Trumansburg Central School District, the survey concluded. 

The town also estimated, with the help of the Ulysses Department of Public Works (DPW), that maintenance of the park would be less than $2,000/year for insurance, mowing and basic maintenance by the DPW.

“A donation of such a large piece of property is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Since a donation does not include the expense of purchasing the land, accepting it would give the town an opportunity to include the public in shaping its recreational usage and thoughtfully and gradually planned development,” Olson said in a press release.

In a press release, Marvin and Allison Pritts detailed why they chose to donate the parcel. They noted that building community is an important value to the Pritts family and that both of them are outdoor enthusiasts who want to give others the chance to experience a new outdoor recreational space. 

“We recognize that too many children and adults spend too little time outdoors and this is

negatively impacting our individual health and lessens the potential quality of life of our

Community,” the Pritts family wrote in their statement.

This is not the first time the town of Ulysses has tried to build a public park. In 2023, the town was keen to purchase a 30-parcel on Krums Corners Road from Mark Washburn, the town’s code enforcement officer, for around $210,000. The measure was deeply unpopular among a vocal number of town residents and ended up the subject of a special election conducted that December. 

Results reported at the time by Tompkins Weekly indicated that 923 of the 1,433 voting residents rejected the town’s options.

But so far, if public comment submissions are any indication, residents’ sentiments toward the establishing of a public park with the donated land seem overwhelmingly positive. Almost 60 comments in support of the measure have flooded the town clerk’s and supervisor’s inbox. There are also seven comments rejecting the town’s plan for a public park.

The comments in favor can be found here:  https://townofulyssesny.gov/__cms/docs/2025-02-to-03-25-comments-in-favor_Redacted.pdf.

The comments against the measure can be found here: https://townofulyssesny.gov/__cms/docs/2025-02-to-03-25-comments-opposing–sanitized_Redacted.pdf.

The town must finish its environmental review process. Olson said, at the March 11 meeting of the town board, that the review could be finalized sometime in April.

Ulysses Connection appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com. Contact Eddie Velazquez at edvel37@gmail.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @ezvelazquez.

In brief:

A public hearing on the acquisition of the land donated by the Pritts will be held on April 8 at 7 p.m. at the town board meeting that same night. 

Below is an excerpt from the town’s website:

“The Ulysses Town Board will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 7pm for the purpose of hearing comments on a donation of 15.234 acres of land for the purpose of recreation. The land is located primarily at 5150 Cold Springs Road, (tax map #12-4-18.3 & 12-4-19.2) Trumansburg.

“The parcel is still under environmental review at this time and the Town Board has not yet accepted the donation.

“The meeting will be held in person at 10 Elm St., Trumansburg NY 14886. Members of the public may join in person or remotely at via Zoom videoconference at https://zoom.us/j/183862745 or +16465588656,,183862745#.

“(The regularly-scheduled Town Board meeting will follow the hearing).

“At the aforementioned time and place, all interested residents (or their agents/representatives) will be afforded an opportunity to submit written and/or oral comments. Comments may also be sent in advance to the Town Clerk at 10 Elm St., Trumansburg NY 14886 or via e-mail to clerk@townofulyssesny.gov by 5pm on April 8, 2025.”