The Town of Clifton Park has announced its second photo contest spotlighting the Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve. Entries will be accepted electronically between June 1^st and September1^st, 2025, by the Office of Parks and Recreation at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

All are invited to submit their best photographs taken at the Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve. This year’s contest will highlight the historic aspect of the preserve in conjunction with the 200^th anniversary of the Erie Canal. Photographers will be organized into three divisions: Junior, Amateur, and Professional

There will be a two-round public voting process.  In round one photographs will be displayed on Facebook from September 5th through September 12th, for public voting.  To vote for a photograph simply “Like” the photograph on Facebook.  The two photographs with the most votes from each division will be displayed at Amity Reformed Church October 11^th and 12^th for the second round of voting, in person during the Vischer Ferry Canal Fest.

A grand prize will be awarded as well as prizes for the top two photographs in each division.

The Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve Photo Contest was created to highlight and showcase the beauty, character and historic significance of the Preserve.

The Preserve encompasses over 600 acres of historically and ecologically significant land adjacent to the Mohawk River, within the Vischer Ferry Historic District. The Preserve has three areas of interest: a wetland ecosystem, the remains of the Erie Canal, and the site of the town's first Settlement. The Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve is open to all for study, recreation and enjoyment of its natural beauty. Hiking along the old Erie Canal towpath is a popular activity for historians and nature lovers, featuring the historic remains of Clute's Dry Dock and Lock 19.

"We are building upon last year's successful photo contest, which served to showcase our beautiful Vischer Ferry Preserve. What is new this year is that we are adding a theme to the contest. This year's theme will be history, to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Eerie Canal's- a waterway which helped to shape our nation. The preserve is rich with historic sites from the old canal still intact. We plan to have a new theme for each contest going forward. We are also dividing the photographers into three categories so that younger contestants, amateur photographers, and professionals all have a chance to proceed to the second round and win a prize," said Councilwoman Reid.

pdf 2025 Photo Contest Official Rules(513 KB)

The Town of Clifton Park is hosting a series of monthly hikes through its many nature preserves and parks. These hikes will be an opportunity for the public to join Clifton Park officials, employees and volunteers on a casual, but informative, hike. These hikes will allow residents the opportunity to gain a renewed appreciation for the many open spaces, trails and parks that Clifton Park has to offer. We will strive to make these hikes informative and educational while also soliciting feedback on potential improvements to each individual area.

Clifton Park has preserved over two thousand acres of open space since the inception of an Open Space Plan in the early 2000s and these scheduled hikes will be an offering to explore one of our many natural gems for the first time or to return with a group and enjoy conversation and camaraderie with other residents.

Deputy Supervisor Anthony Morelli who is also the Town Board liaison for the Town’s Open Space, Trails, and Riverfront Committee commented “Clifton Park has hundreds of acres of wonderful wildlife preserves, parks and open spaces open to the public year-round. Each offers its own unique characteristics, and we strive to make improvements each year with the help of employees, dedicated volunteers and various community, scouting and youth groups. The hope is that through these scheduled outings we will increase awareness, enjoyment, and education for our residents and visitors. Through these hikes, residents will be able to observe wildlife, and varieties of plants and trees while also learning about the historical significance of each site.”

For more information contact Town Deputy Supervisor Anthony Morelli at (518) 371-6651.

The Town of Clifton Park will be opening the Town pools beginning on Memorial Day weekend and the popular Learn to Swim program will return with two sessions of classes.

Registration is open. The schedule for each pool will be the following:

1. Country Knolls- May 25th - August 17th

2. Barney Road Pool- May 25th - August 17th

3. Locust Lane Pool – June 26th - August 17th

The August 17th closing date is tentative, based on staffing levels. If the Town has enough lifeguards employed to keep pools open later than August 18th, we will adjust to the available staffing levels and continue to operate the pools for Clifton Park families past August 17th.

Historically our lifeguard staff has always been high school and college age individuals. State guidelines require that there be a specific number of lifeguards over the age of 18 on staff for a municipal pool to be open to the public. In today’s world these young adults have many opportunities for internships and other exploratory career programs that may shorten the number of years they remain working at the pools. Losing experienced guards has always been a challenge but now occurs more often. We also lose lifeguards in August to high school and college sports along with other school activities. We are proud of our lifeguards and the personal and professional opportunities they choose to pursue. Supervisor Barrett and Saratoga County initiated a new County-wide program a few years ago to offer free lifeguarding classes in an effort to rebuild our shrinking ranks of lifeguards as we exited the Covid Pandemic. Clifton Park and many interested new lifeguards have benefitted from the program. The minimum age to work as a lifeguard is 15. As an additional recruitment idea, we would like to encourage all adults who are certified lifeguards and interested in working at the pools in late August to contact our Parks and Recreation Director Mike Woerner at 518.371.6651.

We will have three very qualified, fantastic pool managers in 2025 of varying levels of experience. We are very fortunate to have managers who have worked at the pools as lifeguards, head lifeguards and are now able to balance their career pursuits while serving as managers. In 2025, we welcome Isabel Adams as the new manager at Barney, replacing a long-time and important member of our team, Bruce Sutphin. We thank Bruce for his many years of dedication and leadership to ensuring the people who visited the pools had a fun and safe experience.

The Town will also offer our popular Learn to Swim program again in 2025. Registration is open. The number of children who can register for the program will depend on the number of lifeguards available to teach the classes. The lessons will be conducted at the Country Knolls Pool and the schedule will be the following:

1. Session 1 – July 8th - July 19th

2. Session 2 – July 22nd - August 2nd

For more details about the pools and Learn to Swim, to purchase a membership, or to register for Lean To Swim please visit https://parksrec.egov.basgov.com/cliftonpark

For more information about applying to be a lifeguard and/or Learn to Swim instructor, please contact Mike Woerner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Clifton Park to Open Pools Beginning May 26^th, 2024
Learn to Swim classes offered in July

The Town of Clifton Park will be opening the Town pools beginning on Memorial Day weekend and the popular Learn to Swim program will return with two sessions of classes.

Registration is open.  The schedule for each pool will be the following:

1. Country Knolls- May 26^th- August 18^th
2. Barney Road Pool- May 26^th- August 18^th
3. Locust Lane Pool – June 26^th- August 18^th

The August 18^th closing date is tentative, based on staffing levels.  If the Town has enough lifeguards employed to keep pools open later than August 18^th, we will adjust to the available staffing levels and continue to operate the pools for Clifton Park families past August 18^th. 

The Town will also offer our popular Learn to Swim program again in 2024.  Registration will open on June 3^rd.  The number of children who can register for the program will depend on the number of lifeguards available to teach the classes. The lessons will be conducted at the Country Knolls Pool and the schedule will be the following:

1. Session 1 – July 8^th- July 19^th
2. Session 2 – July 22^nd- August 2^nd

For more details about the pools and to purchase a membership please see https://parksrec.egov.basgov.com/cliftonpark

For more details and to register for Learn to Swim please see https://parksrec.egov.basgov.com/cliftonpark

For more information about applying to be a lifeguard and/or Learn to Swim instructor, please contact Supervisor Barrett at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Town of Clifton Park’s three municipal pools, Barney Road, Country Knolls and Locust Lane will have staggered closing schedules to extend the pool season as much as possible. The Locust Lane Pool will close on Sunday, August 18^th, Barney Road Pool will close on Friday, August 23^rd and the Country Knolls Pool will remain open through Sunday, August 25^th.  The original closure date for this year was tentatively set for August 18, 2024. Staffing for all three pools will allow the Town to extend the season for an additional week.

The pools are open seven days a week from 12pm to 8pm.  Seasonal membership includes unlimited visits to all three facilities throughout the season and the option to purchase guest passes for friends and family.  Half price memberships are currently available for the end of the season and can be purchased at www.CliftonPark.org.

The 2024 pools season began on Memorial Day Weekend with Country Knolls and Barney Road pools being the first to open on May 26^th.  All three were open for residents to enjoy beginning June 26^th.  The Town also hosted another successful Learn To Swim program, offering two sessions at the Country Knolls Pool.

Supervisor Barrett would like to thank the dedicated lifeguards, water safety instructors and pool managers, as well as the Buildings and Grounds staff for another successful summer season.

“Our aggressive lifeguard recruitment efforts, free lifeguard training courses in partnership with Saratoga County and the commitment of our pool staff has gradually increased our staffing levels and service capabilities, since the Covid Pandemic said Town Supervisor Phil Barrett.  All Learn to Swim registrants were accepted, people will be able to visit the pools later into the Summer this year and the return of open swim for day campers are positive developments for the 2024 pool season.”

The Town of Clifton Park will be changing its website domain name in 2025.  In December of 2024 Governor Hochul signed a bill introduced by Senator James Skoufis (D, Orange County) requiring all municipalities with a population greater than one thousand five hundred residents maintain an official website with a “.gov” domain name that is accessible to the public by the end of the year. The goal of this bill is to provide the public accessible basic information, financial reports, meeting and election notices, meeting agendas and minutes, and up to date versions of local codes and laws. The Town of Clifton Park has been providing all this information and more to the public for many years on its current website, CliftonPark.org. This change will only affect the domain name for the town’s website.  The website will still look the same and will continue to provide residents with up-to-date information about what is happening in town.

Although this mandate is not required until December 2025 the Town will be making this transition sooner than later due to the implementation of a new communication platform that will be rolled out in late spring of 2025 which will also include the use of the Town’s domain name. This new program which is designed to help local government entities connect with residents will be an additional source of information for our residents to gain more detailed information about the projects, programs and events that are happening around Town. More information about this program will be made available as the program is implemented.

At this time the Town has applied for a .gov domain name. Once it has been approved, we will announce it.  With this change email addresses for all town staff and elected officials will also be changing to match the new domain name. The Town of Clifton Park will continue to update residents and the general public about this transition as it moves forward.

The grand opening of the new Bass Pro Shops at 400 Clifton Park Center Road and its Conservation Night event is scheduled for Wednesday, July 30, at 6 pm. Heavy traffic is expected throughout the day and evening, especially around the Clifton Park Center Mall area.

The Town of Clifton Park suggests the following travel routes to help manage traffic flow and ensure public safety.

Recommended Routes

From I-87 Southbound (Exit 9)

       A. Turn left onto Clifton Country Road from NYS Route 146
       • Then turn left at the traffic signal onto Clifton Park Center Road

       B. Or, proceed westbound on NYS Route 146 to Moe Road
       • Turn left onto Moe Road to travel southbound
       • Then turn left onto Clifton Park Center Road, at the first traffic signal

From I-87 Northbound (Exit 8A)

• Turn left onto Grooms Road
• Then turn right onto Moe Road
• Turn right onto Clifton Park Center Road and proceed on Clifton Park Center Road northbound through the intersection with Sitterly Road to the Bass Pro Shop property.

From NYS Route 9

• Use Sitterly Road to travel westbound
• Then turn right at the traffic signal onto Clifton Park Center Road

From NYS Route 146 Eastbound

• Turn right onto Moe Road to travel southbound
• Then turn left onto Clifton Park Center Road at the first traffic signal.

Important Notes

• Event traffic is expected to peak between 4:00 PM and 9:00 PM.
• Please allow for extra travel time and be mindful of pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicle traffic, and emergency vehicles.
• Parking attendants and signage will be in place to assist with traffic flow and parking.

As always, please drive safely and be courteous to fellow drivers and event attendees.

The Transfer Station will be open extra hours on Sunday, April 27th and Sunday, May 4th from 10am-4pm for spring lawn debris drop off only. Lawn debris can be dropped off to the Transfer Station at any time during regular business hours.

This service is for Clifton Park residents only. Please bring proof of residency when dropping off.

To find out more about the Transfer Station including Regular Business Hours please go to Transfer Station - Town of Clifton Park Official Website.

The Transfer Station will be open on the following four Sundays (October 20th, October 27th, November 3rd, November 10th) for Fall Clean-Up between 10am-4pm. 

This service is available free of charge to all Town residents, no permit is required.

Please have your Drivers License ready to shown to the attendant.

The Town of Clifton Park is excited to announce the transition to a new communications platform, GovDelivery (Granicus), designed to enhance how we share important updates, news, and alerts with you.

If you have previously subscribed to notifications through the Town’s website, you will continue to receive those communications for the time being. However, as we onboard this new system, we strongly encourage you to subscribe to GovDelivery to ensure uninterrupted access to Town updates. During this transition period, some communications may be duplicated across both platforms and in the event that certain updates are discontinued from the website subscription system, they will be exclusively available through GovDelivery.

Subscribe now to stay informed: Connect to Clifton Park

We appreciate your patience and participation as we improve and enhance our communication digital tools to better serve you.

UPCOMING ROAD CLOSURE OF RIVERVIEW ROAD
Two Culverts Being Replaced on Riverview Road, Between Sugar Hill Road and Sambrook Edge

Clifton Park, NY -- Clifton Park Highway Superintendent Dahn Bull has announced an upcoming Road Closure for a road construction project taking place on October 16, 2024. This project will be the replacement of a culvert on Riverview Road. Schools and Local Emergency Response have been informed. Please make sure to avoid the area. Closing at approximately 8:00 AM, the Road will reopen at approximately 3:00 PM. 

UPCOMING ROAD CONSTRUCTION ON MAXWELL ROAD
Milling and Paving Operations on August 27^th and 28^th, 2024

Clifton Park, NY -- Clifton Park Highway Superintendent Dahn Bull has announced a road reconstruction project of Maxwell Road in the Exit 9 Commerce Area to take place between August 27^th and 28^th, 2024. This project will be the milling and paving of a very busy road, Maxwell Road, and work will be weather permitting.

During construction, the road will remain open to public traffic. Clifton Park Highway Department Flaggers will be on site to manage traffic control. While the roads will remain open during construction, there is the potential for delays, and temporary closures. Motorists are advised to use caution in these areas as crews work to restore these roads. Delays may occur, so motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes in these areas.

Two Culverts Being Replaced on Riverview Road, Between Sugar Hill Road and Brian Drive

Clifton Park Highway Superintendent Dahn Bull has announced an upcoming Road Closure for a road construction project taking place on July 22 and 23, 2025. This project will be the replacement of two culverts on Riverview Road. Schools and Local Emergency Response have been informed. Please make sure to avoid the area. Closing at approximately 8:00 AM, the Road will reopen at approximately 3:00 PM each day. 

Last Monday evening the Town Board held a public hearing involving the topic of E Bikes. E Bikes have become very popular, and many people enjoy using the bikes for fun or as an alternate form of transportation to get to a destination. The Town Board is currently in a lengthy study of E bikes involving the assessment of the various types of bikes and associated safety measures we may be able to incorporate into the potential travel routes as well as the actual definition of E bikes that needs to be incorporated into our Town Code and other important elements of the topic. 

Currently, New York State regulations are in effect given there are no Town regulations pertaining to E bikes. New York State regulations state E bikes are not allowed on any public lands or roadways with a stated speed limit over 30 mph. The Town Board must define E bikes within our Town Code and stipulate regulations to allow E Bikes to be used on public lands. The process we have embarked upon will lead to the proper definition and regulations to allow E bikes in specific public areas. To be clear, the proposed legislation being considered by the Town Board would expand the permissible use of e-bikes, not restrict it.

Many people who attended the public hearing were surprised by the discussion that ensued on this topic. Unfortunately, the dissemination of a false narrative that was propagated on social media led people to believe the Town was embarking on a far different process than the reality of the situation. This is unfortunate but all too common. It is true E bikes are currently banned in public areas, based on New York State regulations but the Town Board is working toward a commonsense resolution which considers the safety of pedestrians as well as E bike riders. We assume many people are not aware of the current state regulations that we have found during the early stage of our review process. A process like the one the Town Board has initiated is vital to resolve the contradictions in state and local laws. 

The Town Board regularly conducts studies on topics that arise as new technologies evolve and changes to New York State law allow for new industries to emerge. Other studies that are underway include the analysis of Battery Storage Systems and large-scale cannabis growing and cultivation businesses. The E Bike study will be conducted over the next several months and will continue to be a public, comprehensive process. However, the first task will be to define E bikes in the Town code and allow their use in specific public areas. Further analysis of associated issues will follow. 

Thank you to everyone who attended the public hearing. We will provide updates on the process as we move forward. 

Wintertime is great for reflecting and planning for the future. If you haven’t already shared your opinions on agriculture and farming in the Town of Clifton Park, you can still do so by filling out an online public survey at www.cliftonparkfarms.com from now through February 1, 2025.

Your input as a resident of Clifton Park is essential in shaping a plan that reflects our community's shared values and vision for preserving farmland and supporting local agriculture in town. By sharing your views, you can help shape a public plan for sustainable opportunities for our local agricultural industry for generations to come.

The Town of Clifton Park’s Agriculture and Farmland Advisory Committee and town consultants are making progress on the town-wide public farming plan that was kicked off by the Town Board in Fall 2024 with help from a $25,000 state planning grant from NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets. This public planning project is scheduled to be ongoing throughout 2025, with the goal of creating a draft public plan by Fall 2025.

During Clifton Park’s 2024 Farm Fest, we kicked off public outreach discussing farming with community members at multiple local farms and venues, and with a public online survey. As of January 2025, 258 people have responded to the public survey.

In December 2024, the Town mailed out a focused survey customized for Farmers / Farmland Owners / Large Landowners. To date, 14% of this focused group of property owners have responded. The Farmer Survey is still open, and the Town welcomes additional responses from farmers and property owners of farmland through February 1, 2025.

The Agriculture and Farmland Advisory Committee will be hosting public meetings in early 2025. Please stay tuned for more information.  For any comments or questions on this Town Farmland Planning Project, please feel free to contact the Open Space Coordinator at (518) 371-6054.

Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve to Re-Open February 22, 2025

The Town of Clifton Park closed the Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve last Friday, February 14th due to two separate encounters with an aggressive coyote in this area of Town. We assume the coyote was of failing health due to the nature of the encounters. DEC was immediately contacted, and agents have been patrolling the area regularly since these encounters occurred. Since February 14th, there has been no evidence of aggressive coyote activity in the Preserve or in this general area of Town. The Town of Clifton Park thanks our partners at DEC and the Canal Corporation for their support in this situation. The Vischer Ferry Preserve will open to the public Saturday morning. As with all of our many beautiful parks and nature preserves, please use caution while visiting.

Winter Season Parking Restrictions

Please be advised, in the event of winter weather, vehicles should not be parked on town roads or streets. 

Chapter 194-5-E states: "No person shall park or leave unattended any vehicle on the pavement or shoulder of any Town highway, road or street during a period of snowfall, sleet, freezing rain or other winter-type weather and for a forty-eight-hour period after the precipitation ceases."

Vehicles that are in violation of this code may be ticketed.

We appreciate your assistance in helping to keep our town’s roads and streets clear!

Mailbox Winter Checklist

Snow has incredible force when it flows off the end of the plow. Often, the weight of the snow is enough to topple a mailbox. Check on your mailbox and make sure it’s ready for winter. Here’s some suggestions and rules set out by the United States Postal Service!

• Ensure your mailbox post is solid, no rot or breakage.
• Make sure your mailbox is positioned between 41” and 45” from the roads surface.
• Mailboxes should be at least 6” back from the curb to avoid plow hits.
• Make sure it has a reflector and is visible to our plow drivers.

In the event the Highway Department damages your Mailbox

If a plow truck damages your mailbox, please contact the Clifton Park Highway Department at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or (518) 371-7310. We have a team of employees that make repairs and replacements with mailboxes after storms. This is only for damage done by highway equipment. In the event we replace the entire mailbox, we provide a pressure treated 4x4 post and traditional black or white USPS approved mailbox.

Join us for this exciting event at Clifton Park Center on Saturday, February 1st from 12-3pm!  Click on the link below for all the details.

pdf 2025 Winterfest Brochure(7.76 MB)