Westchester Parks Foundation Welcomes Employee Volunteers from Xylem and G.A. Fleet

Westchester Parks Foundation Welcomes Employee Volunteers from Xylem and G.A. Fleet to Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers for Next Phase in Lake Revitalization Project

Removal of Water Chestnut in Hard-To-Reach Shoreline Areas by Volunteers & New Eco Friendly Truxor Machines

Westchester County Executive George Latimer joined Westchester Parks Foundation, the only organization dedicated exclusively to promoting and supporting Westchester County Parks, in welcoming employees from Xylem and G.A. Fleet to the next phase of the multi-year Lake Revitalization Project at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers. Nearly thirty employees participated in the daylong volunteer project of hand-pulling the aquatic invasive species, Water Chestnut from the ten-acre lake. The volunteers worked alongside two new Truxor Multifunction Amphibious Workhorse machines used for lake weed control in hard-to-reach areas along the shoreline. These new machines are smaller, faster and can access areas the mechanical harvester used the last couple of years could not reach. The Truxor machine unloads plants onto a barge that’s parked in the middle of the lake. The barge then heads to shore where an excavator and dump truck operation removes the plant matter to decompose.

George Latimer, Westchester County Executive stated: “It’s been great to see the progress made over the past few years of the Lake Revitalization Project at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers. I’m excited to see the work the two new Truxor Multifunction Amphibious Workhorse machines contribute to the project as the preservation is not only important to current visitors but to future generations of park-goers.”

The project kicked off in July 2018 and is part of a planned effort to sustain the lake over the course of the next few years and restore it to its original state for recreational use. Since the clean-up started over ten acres of Water Chestnut was removed by the machine and 70,622 pounds by hand. Rye Brook based Xylem and G.A. Fleet have been sponsors of the project since inception.

Joe Stout, Executive Director of WPF stated: “Westchester Parks Foundation is committed to providing recreational use of Tibbetts Brook Park Lake to the residents of the third largest city in NY State. Over the last five years we have removed over 70,000 pounds of invasive species from the lake, but we still have so much more work to do, especially along the shoreline, in hard-to-reach areas. We are thankful for Xylem and G.A Fleet, who continue to support this effort and provide the opportunity for the new Truxor machines this year.”

Tibbetts Brook Park is critically important to the community in Yonkers, as one of the largest parks in New York State’s third largest city. Additionally, parks and waterways serve a key role in urban areas to give residents access to needed green space. Westchester Parks Foundation’s efforts at the lake will eventually bring this area back to regular use over the next decade.

The Foundation’s mission is to engage the public to advocate for and invest in the preservation, conservation, use, and enjoyment of the 18,000 acres of parks, trails, and open spaces within the Westchester County Parks system. For more information about Westchester Parks Foundation, visit www.thewpf.org or follow them on Facebook.com/WestchesterParksFoundation and Instagram @thewpf.