Cold Springs Road parcel donated for Ulysses Park

The Ulysses Town Board voted unanimously at an Aug. 27 town board special meeting to accept a land donation of a 16-acre parcel on Cold Springs Road that could be used for recreational purposes by town residents.  

The parcel, donated by longtime town residents Marvin and Allison Pritts, could become the first public park in the history of Ulysses. 

The move has been widely supported and celebrated by residents who have submitted public comments to the town of Ulysses. At one point in the spring, Town Supervisor Katelin Olson said that the town had received 76 letters in favor of the acquisition of the parcel at 5320 Cold Springs Rd. and eight against it.

Chris Matthewson, is one of those residents who support the creation of the park. Matthewson is a coach with Taughannock Soccer Club. His club allows around 200 children in the greater Tompkins County area to participate in youth sports. 

“We urge you to accept the land donation for recreational use. Thank you for ongoing dedication to the community and growing together,” he said, reading a statement for town board members. “Thank you to the Pritts family for their generosity, vision and gift in this investment to the health of our community.”

Currently, Taughannock Soccer Club uses the Trumansburg Central School District facilities for their activities.

“The school district is stretched thin with the space they currently have,” Matthewson said, noting that the club’s practices and games contribute to the wear and tear of the school’s fields. “We are looking to decrease that. We are committed to being responsible stewards of the land and good partners in our community. It is about giving kids room to play, learn to thrive, and relieve the pressure of our school grounds.”

Matthewson said that the club is committed to taking care of the potential park.

“Our club is committed to investing volunteer time and fundraising so that the investment and stewardship don’t fall to taxpayers,” he noted. “Opportunities like this are rare. This is urgent, and we cannot afford to let this opportunity slip away.”

Marlaine Darfler, a resident who volunteers at the library and who spoke in support of the land acquisition, said that the town’s young people are in dire need of more spaces to go.

“I see so many people who can’t afford to go to a park. They come in for the few park passes that we have,” she noted. “Our park passes don’t make up for the number of people who need a place to go play with their kids.”

Not all residents at the meeting were on board with the town board’s decision.

Jyll Strothman, a resident of a nearby address on Cold Springs Road, said that she and her neighbors were disappointed and upset that the Prittses did not consult them regarding the land donation.

“I agree that the kids could use more opportunities,” she said. “I ask that the board keep with the requirements with the no bright lights, that it is monitored, and that we have no parking in front of our houses. Just being respectful for our needs since this is abruptly going to change our lives.”

Olson said at the end of the meeting that nothing would change overnight. 

“It is really important that the neighbors have shared their concerns. I really do hope that you continue to be participants in the process,” Olson noted. “This process won’t happen overnight. It is going to be a slow development process. No one is stepping in with $10 million to do anything. We are looking at interesting financial futures as a country, as a community, as a state. There will be a lot of deliberative conversations. I would like to manage both concerns and expectations that nothing will be changing overnight.”