A new lakefront park in the Town of Plattsburgh is moving closer to becoming a destination for local families, with $1.28 million in state funding supporting a planned children’s playground.
The grant will help pay for a large adventure playground at the Battlefield Memorial Gateway, a developing waterfront park near U.S. Route 9 and Sunset Drive. The playground is being designed around the military and maritime history connected to Lake Champlain, giving children a recreational space that also reflects the area’s past.
The funding comes through New York’s NY PLAYS program, which is providing grants for playground projects across the state. For Plattsburgh, the award covers a significant portion of the cost of the planned playground.
The Battlefield Memorial Gateway is more than a playground project. The Town of Plattsburgh is developing the waterfront property as a military remembrance park in partnership with the Clinton County American Legion. Plans include spaces for public gatherings, historical interpretation, walking paths and improved access to the waterfront.
The planned Children’s Adventure Playground is one part of that larger development. According to the town’s current project plans, the play area is intended to encourage physical activity and exploration while incorporating elements connected to the natural landscape and nearby Crab Island.
Construction on the gateway’s second phase began in April 2026. That phase includes a park pavilion, walking paths, landscaping, drainage improvements and other site work, with completion currently scheduled for September.
The project has also received community support through MichiganFest, the annual celebration of Plattsburgh’s signature Michigan hot dog. The event has helped raise money for the Battlefield Memorial Gateway, adding local fundraising to the state and municipal support behind the project.
Once the broader development is completed, the lakefront site is expected to offer families more opportunities for outdoor recreation while connecting visitors with Plattsburgh’s military history and waterfront.
For residents, the playground will add a family-focused feature to a park designed to serve several purposes at once — recreation, public access, historical remembrance and community events.
