CLIFTON PARK — Clifton Park officials may soon be negotiating with Colonie to buy the Stony Creek Reservoir.
The reservoir, which is entirely in Clifton Park, is owned by Colonie and is that town’s backup water supply.
The Clifton Park Town Board agreed Monday night to have appraisers survey the reservoir property as a first step to opening talks.
Town Supervisor Philip Barrett said he was “cautiously optimistic.”
Board member Sanford Roth said he would like Clifton Park to make the purchase a top priority.
“Colonie would retain use of the reservoir as a water supply, but we would like to see it opened up for the public,” Roth said.
Currently, signs warn against trespassers and the reservoir property is clearly posted as private. But it is commonly known that there is an abundant supply of largemouth bass and pike in the reservoir, and hunters roam the land during duck season.
Roth said the market value would be in excess of $1 million.
“I don’t want to put an exact number on the value because I don’t know. We’ll find out what the appraisers think and go from there,” Roth said.
Board member Scott Hughes said the reservoir proposal is an exciting opportunity. He said the 1,012-acre preserve was appraised in 1996 for about $2.6 million.
“You’ve got two parties looking to take talks to the next level,” he said.
Colonie officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
According to minutes of Colonie’s Feb. 12 Town Board meeting, a closed-door session of the board was held to discuss the property. No reference is made to any action taken after the executive session.
Barrett said he had been in contact with Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan, who said officials of the two towns should meet to discuss possible terms for the reservoir’s sale.
Roth said Clifton Park Town Board members have talked about how the property could be used if it were opened up.
“I’d love to see fishing access and non-motorized boats on the reservoir,” Roth said. “Maybe the town could even provide rentals of canoes and kayaks at an access point.”
He said Colonie does not pay taxes to Clifton Park, so there would be no loss of property tax revenues if it were sold.
The first dam was built in 1952 to hold back the water of the Stony Creek, creating the reservoir. The Latham Water District had purchased the land in the late 1940s.
Roth said the current dam was recently inspected and certified as safe by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Meanwhile, the town is moving forward with plans for another park.
The Route 146 park will likely include trails, warming huts and other shelters as well as a large pond that could be a skating rink in the winter.
Roth said he liked the idea of the park but he didn’t support the cost of digging, insuring and perhaps staffing a pond.
“We have two skating rinks already. I don’t know if we need a pond. It would be nice, very attractive, but I’m not sure it’s something we need to have,” he said.
Board member Thomas Paolucci said members of a committee set up to study uses for the 150-acre park were unanimous in the desire for a pond.
“A water feature was one of the first things people wanted,” he said. “They didn’t want a summer-only facility, and if we’re making the investment, we want to get winter use, too.”
He said hiking and biking trails could be used for cross-country skiing in the winter, and allowing skating on the pond when it’s frozen seemed to be a logical use of the area.
The board approved $171,700 for further study of the property as well as drawings of where facilities would be best situated on the property that is on Route 146 west of Route 146A.
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