Woodlawn Beach State Park

Woodlawn Beach State Park is a 107acre park located near the village of Blasdell on the eastern shore of Lake Erie in Erie County, New York. It was opened as a state park in 1996, and has been operated since 2011 by the Town of Hamburg under a ten-year agreement with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.HistoryWoodlawn Beach was historically a popular swimming location and resort during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Served by several trains and steamships, Woodlawn Beach at this time featured a hotel, restaurant, dancing hall, bowling alley, billiards hall, toboggan slide and a 30acre picnic grove.Access to the beach was restricted after the 1950s, when new owners disallowed public use of the land. The beach was once again opened to the public after New York State purchased of property from Buffalo Crushed Stone in 1996. The $6.3 million acquisition was made with the assistance of the Trust for Public Land.The park was operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation prior to 2011. However, after a period of closure due to state budget constraints, since 2011 the park has been operated by the Town of Hamburg through a ten-year partnership agreement with New York State. Although still struggling to cover expenses, the town has had some success by marketing the park's features, such as its beach, restaurant and banquet facilities. Losses have continued to decrease in the years since the town's takeover of park operations.