Bedford Hills, NY—Westchester Land Trust (WLT), a nationally accredited land conservation nonprofit headquartered in Bedford Hills, NY in close partnership with the Friends of Glenwood Lake (FGLP), Glenwood Lake Association (GLA), and the City of New Rochelle (City), announce the dedication and ribbon cutting of the Alpheus Prioleau Gateway on Sunday, April 28 at noon, rain or shine.

The Gateway is named for Mrs. Alpheus Prioleau, the late wife of the prior landowner. Charles and Alpheus Prioleau purchased the lots in 1959 and 1967 and lived adjacent to the properties. The Prioleau family are longtime New Rochelleans, with roots in the City going back to at least 1910.

“On behalf of my colleagues on City Council past and present and City administration and departments—who have each worked so hard for so long, I want to express appreciation to all of the partners who have made the Prioleau Gateway a reality,” said New Rochelle Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert. “Thanks to the vision and perseverance of Westchester Land Trust, Friends of Glenwood Lake Park, Glenwood Lake Association, our community partners and neighbors and the Prioleau family, open space at our beautiful Glenwood Lake will be preserved and protected in perpetuity.”

WLT, FGLP, and the City have worked in partnership for nearly two decades to protect land around the 4-acre kettle Glenwood Lake. For more than 70 years GLA has been committed to protecting the park from development and stewarding its preservation and rehabilitation—this support was crucial in the eventual protection of the land. The lake is part of the Hutchinson River and Long Island Sound watersheds and provides critical stopover habitat for migratory birds along the Atlantic Flyway.

The Prioleau parcels were the last undeveloped properties adjacent to the lake. The 0.35 acres was purchased by WLT in 2020 from Mr. Prioleau, with the support of FGLP and more than a dozen private individuals that provided bridge loans to WLT. In 2022, WLT sold the property to the City to complete the 13-acre forested park. WLT retained a conservation easement on the property, ensuring the land will be protected in perpetuity.

Mia Baudry, President of Friends of Glenwood Lake Park states, “The successful conservation of the Prioleau parcels is a testament to the power of community organizing and a reminder that friends and neighbors of all ages can come together to create change. Through this work, we have shown our children that they have agency, and that access to nature is and should always be for all.”

Since the acquisition, WLT, FGLP, and GLA worked together to remove more than an estimated 2,000 pounds of trash, cut invasive vines, establish an urban forest, and reroute and extend a trail for improved pedestrian safety and to finally complete the lake trail. A stacked boulder sculpture with a bronze plaque honoring Mrs. Alpheus Prioleau serves as signpost at the Gloucester Place entrance. The sculpture is reminiscent of the small stone cairns that can be found throughout the park.

This work was supported by grants secured by WLT from the New York Land Trust Alliance and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Westchester Community Foundation, Friends of New Rochelle Parks/Westchester Parks Foundation, and anonymous donors.

“The Gateway represents decades of dedication to protecting the land by many community partners, including Friends of Glenwood Lake Park, Glenwood Lake Association, the City of New Rochelle, neighbors that live around the lake, and countless volunteers,” said Kara Whelan, president of Westchester Land Trust. “This oasis of green is a jewel of New Rochelle and we’re thrilled to honor the Gateway’s namesake at this event.

About Friends of Glenwood Lake Park
FGLP is a nonprofit organization founded in 2006 by private citizens for the purpose of preserving and protecting Glenwood Lake Park in accordance with FGLP’s Master Plan. Through its work, FGLP aims to foster inclusivity and stewardship by coordinating community-driven and educational experiences for the improvement of the Park’s vital and fragile ecosystems, in partnership with the City of New Rochelle. For more information, contact FGLP at: FriendsofGlenwoodLakePark@gmail.com

About The City of New Rochelle
With its unparalleled location, superb quality of life, diverse and talented residents, a focused business climate, and a robust residential and commercial development pipeline, the City of New Rochelle is leading the transformation of a generation. Its close proximity to New York City and opportunities for businesses to grow and succeed in the current economic climate is defining the City of New Rochelle as “open for business” – ready to welcome new residents of all socioeconomic backgrounds and embrace smart, transit-oriented development growth patterns that promote open space. Accelerated by a fast-track zoning process along with resources for small businesses and micro-enterprises, the “New Rochelle Model” of development continues to enhance the City’s downtown area and business district by supporting job creation, property values and private investment – while enhancing sustainability and livability through green and energy-efficient design. The City of New Rochelle has been recognized regionally by the state and federal government for its thoughtful city-wide infrastructure improvements and advancements including affordable housing development, the creation of more usable public space and recent ten-year flood mitigation program. For more information on why New Rochelle is ideally yours, please visit www.ideallynewrochelle.com.