Governor George Pataki held a ceremony on Saturday to announce the creation of the new Trail View State Park - Long Island's newest state park, which is located along the Old Bethpage Parkway right-of-way in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The dedication ceremony took place where the property crosses Jericho Turnpike just west of Woodbury Road.

Trail View State Park is the fifth park that the governor has created on Long Island and one of 17 statewide that have been established since 1995.

"The new Trail View State Park will provide miles of beautiful scenic trails that will enable outdoor enthusiasts to experience the beauty of Long Island's woodlands and unique wildlife habitats," Governor Pataki said. "Whether you're a hiker, a biker or want to spend time with your family enjoying the great outdoors, the Trail View State Park will offer outstanding recreational opportunities, while also ensuring that this vital open space is protected for the benefit of future generations."

The more than 400-acre park, which spans 7.4 miles, running north from Bethpage State Park to Cold Spring Harbor State Park, will offer multi-use trails for hiking, cycling, birding and other trail-related activities.

"It is always a pleasure to be somewhere when we are introducing a brand new state park where more open space is preserved," State Senator Carl Marcellino said at the recent ceremony. "The governor is committed to the environment and to preserving the health and well-being of this planet, our community and the people who inhabit it. We need support. This is only the beginning of preservation."

Although Pataki said that he didn't have time to walk the entire trail on Saturday, he assured that he would be back to enjoy the beauty of New York's newest state park. "Long Island is one of the great places in the state of New York to work and raise a family," said Pataki. "It also is one of the places with the greatest quality of life. We have the beaches, the parks and resources. We have to do more to preserve open space, protect our environment, reclaim our waterfronts and allow the children of the 21st century to have access to parkland and open space that we didn't have when we were kids."

Since Pataki has been governor, he has made preservation of open space, creation of new parks and making recreational opportunities available for people of the 21st century one of his highest priorities. "We are not going to stop - Long Island is too beautiful and we need to continue to work to preserve the open space that we have here on Long Island," said Pataki, who also thanked many local officials who helped make this occasion possible.

"Turning this land from a parkway into a park demonstrates the governor's commitment to our environment, our Long Island region and our state park system," said Assemblywoman Donna Ferrara. "On behalf of all of the people here and everyone in Nassau and Suffolk County and especially my family, we intend to enjoy the full splendor in this new state park. Thank you Governor."

Nassau Hiking & Outdoor Club Conservation Chair Guy Jacob said, "This is the governor who makes our environmental dreams come true. This momentous occasion will be remembered as a zenith in New York State history. This day we develop a haven in the midst of our evermore developing finite island."

The Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference, a non-profit, grassroots organization that was started over 20 years ago, has created a network of over 150 miles of hiking paths on Long Island and has been working endlessly toward this dedication. "I'd like to thank Governor Pataki and Commissioner Castro on behalf of hundreds of volunteers who have worked so hard to protect this special greenbelt land," said Nancy Manfredonia, president of the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference. "What an amazing story this has been from Robert Moses who envisioned this as a parkway. We now have a national recreation trail on what is finally a wonderful new state park. This is an amazing day for us in the Greenbelt Trail Conference. We are thrilled. Thanks to Rich and Lisa Schary who went all out for this. Also our board worked so hard."

Since 1995, the state has invested more than $378 million to preserve more than 394,000 acres of open space. These land holdings offer new opportunities for the public to enjoy New York' s great outdoors. In his State of the State address this year, Governor Pataki committed to preserving an additional one million acres over the next decade.

"Governor Pataki's efforts to expand the state park system in designating this new linear property as parkland is yet another step forward in his unmatched commitment to safeguarding precious open space in the region," said New York State Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro. "By linking Bethpage and Cold Spring Harbor State Parks with this acquisition, we are providing improved public access to scenic natural landscapes that will enhance outdoor recreation for Long Island communities in one of the most densely populated suburban areas of the state."

Cold Spring Harbor State Park was dedicated in 2000 and comprises 40 acres of hilly terrain that offer scenic vistas of the harbor. The park serves as the northern trailhead of the Nassau Suffolk Greenbelt Trail that extends to Bethpage State Park and eventually the south shore of Nassau County. Bethpage State Park is a 1,475-acre recreation facility that offers five world-class golf courses, picnic facilities, bridle paths, hiking and biking trails, polo and other playing fields, tennis courts and cross-county skiing trails.

The Bethpage Parkway right-of-way was originally acquired in the 1960s with the intent of extending the parkway to the north shore and south from Bethpage State Park to the Southern State Parkway. As a right-of-way, the parcel was under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Transportation for maintenance purposes but will now be cared for by State Parks in partnership with various Long Island trail organizations.

Before Pataki ventured onto the trail, Castro presented the governor with a custom-made walking stick courtesy of Bayard Cutting Arboretum as a thank you for "all of the little things he does as well as this gesture today."

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Pataki, Castro and local politicians on-hand unveiled the new sign marking this area Trail View State Park -Long Island's newest state park.