There are three public park areas in Montezuma:
- Location: 8102 Dock Street, adjacent to the Town Hall
- About the Park: The property for the present Town Hall and recreational parkland was acquired in the 1990’s by the Town from the New York State Thruway Authority under the office of former Town Supervisor, John Giardina. It is the former historic site of a 600′ by 600′ boat basin used for the Enlarged Erie Canal between 1849-1917. It contains a basketball court, running/walking track, youth playground equipment, baseball field and pavilion.
- Rules for Reservations at the Giardina Memorial Park and the Town Hall:
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- Maintain an orderly behavior while on Town Property.
- No alcoholic beverages or smoking in or on Town Property.
- To reserve the park and pavilion there will be a $50.00 non-refundable fee for Town residents and $100.00 non-refundable fee for non residents due at the time of filling out the application at the Town Clerk’s office.
- To reserve the Town Hall there will be $$75.00 non-refundable fee for Town Residents and a $125.00 non-refundable fee for non-residents due at the time of filling out the application.
- A $25.00 refundable clean-up fee will also be required at the time of filling out the application, and will be refunded after the area has ben inspected.
- Hours for the Town Hall, Park & Pavilion use is 9 AM to 10 PM.
- No loud music after 9 PM.
- Contact for Town Hall/Pavilion/Grounds Reservations: Marie Cronin, Town Clerk to reserve the site for special occasions. 315-776-8844, Extension 1
Willow Grove Stop 69 Park/Dale M. Owens Ball Field
- Location: West Loop Road
- About the Park: Located in the small community known as Stop 69, near the site of the former Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Rapid Railroad (the RS&E trolley) line. The trolley ran from downtown Rochester to Auburn and Syracuse from 1907-1930. Over the years, the park has been used for many baseball games. The field was dedicated to the memory of Dale M. Owens in 1977 who was tragically killed in a automobile accident. Dale loved baseball and was dedicated to helping out with the Little League Ball Team. In 2013, a walking track was added to the park.
- Hours: Daily, Dawn to Dusk
- Contact: For special use of field call Marie Cronin, Town Clerk at 315-776-8844, Extension 1
Montezuma Heritage Park:
- Location: Three trailhead locations: #1 – Byron Lapp Memorial Trail, High Street, north of Fire House; #2 – Aqueduct Trail on Chapman Road off, High Street, south of Town Highway Barn; #3 – NEW ENTRANCE AT 480 State Route 31 east of Seneca River Bridge
- About the Park: The Montezuma Heritage Park consists of over 165 acres of parkland acquired by the Town of Montezuma in the 1960′s to be preserved and protected. It holds many significant natural and historic resource sites along the Seneca River/Erie Canal that tell the story of New York State’s Canal System from 1820 to today. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the 70-acre Seneca River Crossing Canals Historic District on the Seneca River in the towns of Montezuma and Tyre. It illustrates over 200 years of canal engineering. There are now a series of eleven connecting trails located along interpreted historic sites of the Erie and Cayuga-Seneca Canals. The remains of the magnificent Richmond Aqueduct, second largest aqueduct on the Enlarged Erie Canal, can be visited along the original towpath trail.
- Uses: Enjoy walking, biking, cross-country skiing, bird watching, and fishing. To protect the visitors in the park, the environmentally sensitive and historic sites, no unauthorized motor vehicles or hunting are permitted.
- Hours: Daily, dawn to dusk
- Friends of the Montezuma Heritage Park: To celebrate the Town’s heritage and history, and re-create a stronger sense of place for the community, a non-profit Historical Society all-volunteer friends advocacy group helps to maintain the Park and interpret its Erie Canal history. For more information about the Park, or how to become a Friend , contact Cheryl Longyear, Town Historian at 315-776-4656.