The Town of Clifton Park in conjunction with the New York State Canal Corporation and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor will host Canal Fest in the Vischer Ferry Historic District on October 11-12, 2025, in celebration of the bicentennial anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the creation of the Erie Canal, a waterway that shaped our nation and impacted the settlement of what is now the Town of Clifton Park. In decades past Clifton Park has celebrated the significance of the Erie Canal with an annual Canal Days celebration. Being the bicentennial anniversary, this is the perfect year to resurrect those events and celebrate.
Canal Fest will take place over both days of the weekend and will be held at various locations throughout the Vischer Ferry Historic District including Amity Church, the Vischer Ferry General Store, the firehouse, and the Vischer Ferry Historic Nature Preserve. There will be food trucks, performances, guided tours and exhibits. The event kicks off on October 11th at 9:30 am, with a dedication ceremony for the new historic marker at the access road to the Vischer Ferry Cemetery followed by a parade down Riverview Road at 10:30am and continues through Sunday afternoon.
“The proximity of Clifton Park to the Erie Canal and the role it has played throughout our history is part of what makes our Town so unique. I look forward to celebrating this distinct heritage alongside residents during this meaningful and fun commemorative weekend,” said Councilwoman Reid.
We are consistently working to improve our parks and budgeting for upgrades and maintenance annually. We also plan in advance for major projects in specific parks when needs necessitate a larger investment of funds. For example, earlier this year the Town Board approved funding for a redevelopment of Martin Jewitt Longkill Park off Longkill Road. The plan will result in new playground equipment, new basketball court, revamped parking areas and other amenities.
We are currently discussing ideas for improving the Mary Jane Row Dog Park which is accessible from Ray Road. Some of the ideas include new amenities for park visitors, new exercise equipment features within the fenced areas that can be enjoyed by our pets, improvements to the parking lot and park entrance and other possibilities. This post includes some examples of equipment we have been reviewing. Councilman Tony Morelli will be spearheading this effort with Parks and Recreation liaisons Councilwoman Walowit and Councilwoman Reid.
Please send your thoughts, ideas and firsthand experiences while using the park to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The information you share will be very helpful during our planning process. As we make progress with the planning process, we will offer options for further public review and comment. Thank you for assisting us with this endeavor.
For the fourth consecutive year, Supervisor Barrett, as Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors and the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services, announces a sponsorship opportunity for FREE American Red Cross Lifeguard and/or Water Safety Instructor training. With New York State funding from the Office of Children and Family Services, there will be 20 slots available for people 15 to 17 years old to obtain lifeguard certification and become employable for the 2026 summer season!
This program has assisted Clifton Park and other communities in increasing the number of certified lifeguards working in our communities following a sharp drop in numbers during the Pandemic. We consistently need more lifeguards in an effort to build back our team to pre-pandemic levels. The free training opportunity eliminates the barrier of training expenses and allows lifeguards to be certified in advance of the 2026 pool season. For general information regarding lifeguard opportunities, please contact the Clifton Park Parks and Recreation department at 518-371-6667.
CONTACT: Anthony Morelli 518-371-6651 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Food Collection Events for Local Food Pantries
The Town of Clifton Park has held food collection events for the benefit of local pantries and in partnership with people working to help people in other parts of the country affected by natural disasters. During and following the Covid Pandemic we held food drives that were very successful due to the incredible generosity of our community. The Town partnered with a Clifton Park family who was delivering food and personal needs to the people of North Carolina following Hurricane Helene to collect donations. When an apartment fire occurred earlier this year, a local business owner Chad Gregory, established a drop off point for donations and once again the outpouring of support ensured the people displaced by the fire had food, personal items and furniture during a difficult situation. The Town has held two Shredding Day events per year for many years. During these events, we collect food donations for the Helping Hands food pantry in Jonesville.
We are now asking for your assistance again.
This week we have heard from many people concerned with the government shutdown and its effect on food programs. The local food pantries can likely expect a surge in requests for food as funding for programs run out. Therefore, two collections will be held in the next few days. We will have volunteers collecting donations of non-perishable food, toiletries, pet food and other similar items families need on a daily basis.
Please drop off your donations on Sunday, November 2nd, from 1-3pm at the Clifton Park Senior Community Center on the Common. The Common is easily accessible from Vischer Ferry Road. For your convenience donations can also be made on Monday, November 3rd, 3-5pm at 1858 Route 9, Clifton Park, NY 12065.
The two locations available on different days provide additional opportunities and convenience in making your donations. We have several food pantries in town and all will benefit from your donations.
The Town of Clifton Park has approved a final 2026 budget. The budget includes significant investments in our infrastructure, parks and nature preserves, programs, services and many other important elements. Town budgets are structured utilizing separate funds and special districts in New York State. The General Fund is the budget for general town operations, and the Highway Fund is the budget for the Highway Department. The 2026Budget remains within the New York State Tax Cap restrictions.
The Budget for the General Fund is $24,786,423 and total spending for the Highway Fund is $7,623,470. The budget maintains no tax for the General Fund. The Highway Fund tax will increase from .327883 per thousand of assessed value to .33441 per thousand of assessed value resulting in a total tax of $36.12 for a home with a full market value of $300,000. The EMS tax will increase from .329383 per thousand of assessed value to .337073 per thousand of assessed value equating to a total tax of $36.40 for a home with a full market value of $300,000.
The Budget includes a 3.5% COLA for all Town employees. We are also balancing significant increases in healthcare costs and the mandatory annual contribution all government organizations are required to allocate for the New York State Retirement Fund. Per the NYS Comptroller’s statistics, Clifton Park ranks 911 of 931 Towns in the state in municipal property taxes. In addition, Saratoga County has the lowest property taxes and sales tax rate in NYS.
The Town Board has allocated $3.45 million for paving and construction activities associated with road improvements for 2025. A portion or all funds not spent by the Highway Department for paving in 2025 will be considered for allocation in the 2026 budget, adding to the $1,650,000 included in the 2026 Budget for paving. Currently, invoices totaling $1.921 million of the $3.45 million of allocated funds have been submitted.
The Town of Clifton Park has a multitude of programs for people of all ages. The programs and services we enjoyed this summer at our camps, pools and recreational facilities will continue to be offered in 2026. The 1500 members of the Clifton Park Senior Community Center as well as the people who use the Senior Transportation program will experience full support for these programs and activities in 2026.
Some of the improvements approved as part of the 2026 budget include:
Dog Park Improvements
Country Knolls Pool/Playground property: Burning Bush Boulevard-Roof replacement, Indoor Carpet replacement, Pave parking lot
Barney Road Pool Building: Roof Replacement
Whipple Bridge at the Vischer Ferry Preserve: Pave walkway
Celebration Events: funding for upcoming events celebrating our history
Basketball Courts on The Common: Resurface Basketball Courts
Pickleball Courts at Veterans Park: Additional fencing
Garnsey Park Improvements
Heritage Square Planning: plan for future of 3 properties owned by the Town including The Grange and Grooms Tavern
Senior Transportation upgrades
Public Building Security Upgrades
The Town Board continues to invest in our busy parks and recreational resources and facilities that, in some cases, offer multiple services to our community.The Town Board also approved a plan for significant redevelopment of the Martin Jewett Park off Longkill Road earlier this year.The project was formed through an extensive planning process, working with Longkill Park District representatives that began in 2024. Our Buildings and Grounds Department began removing old playground equipment in preparation for the project in 2026.
We have provided updates on several projects through the year involving roadway improvements and trail/sidewalk network expansion.Projects currently in stages of planning include:
Route 146/Tanner Road- Roundabout
Route 146/Waite Road – Roundabout
Clifton Park Center Road/Sitterly Road- Roundabout & Sidewalk extensions
Plank Road/Kinns Road- Intersection Redevelopment
Route 146 Trail/Sidewalk- Vistas Development to Shen Entrance (North side of Route 146)
Clifton Country Road- Sidewalk Expansion
Vischer Ferry Road- fill trail gap on East side of the road
Kinns Road/Farm to Market Road- Corridor study with Town of Halfmoon
As we look forward to 2026, the Town of Clifton Park continues to be in sound fiscal condition.New redevelopment efforts in the Exit 9 area through the years have increased our tax base, converted empty buildings into revenue generating opportunities, assured the school system is well-funded thereby lowering school tax increases and offered essential services close to home.
