CAZENOVIA — On May 16, the Village of Cazenovia held a dedication ceremony for Henry Burden Park, a 5.1-acre property located across the creek from the Willow Patch off Mill St.

The new park is open year-round from dawn to dusk for the enjoyment of village residents and visitors.

According to Mayor Kurt Wheeler, Dudley D. Johnson of the Cazenovia Restoration Corporation donated the property to the village in 2017. Village Attorney Jim Stokes coordinated the donation.

Since acquiring the land, the village has worked to transform the space into a park with help from Scouts BSA Troop 18 and students from Project CAFÉ and the Cazenovia High School National Honor Society (NHS).

“We have been working on the upgrades actively for about two years, even during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Wheeler. “The students have put in hundreds of hours of volunteer time.”

The area was first cleared of brush, fallen limbs, dead trees, etc. Project CAFÉ and NHS then worked to lay/mulch a quarter mile loop trail with wood chips donated by National Grid. Finally, three picnic tables and three benches were added to the space.

Cazenovia High School senior Jake Tobin built the outdoor furniture as part of his Eagle Scout Service Project.

“The dedication of Henry Burden Park will give our community another beautiful green space to explore and enjoy time outdoors,” said Wheeler. “It is a lovely, tranquil spot right in the heart of the village. We are incredibly grateful to Dudley Johnson and the Cazenovia Restoration Corporation for the donation of this special place. We are also appreciative of the [time] invested by Eagle Scout Jake Tobin and students from Project CAFÉ and NHS to improve the site.”

The park is named in honor of Cazenovia entrepreneur, leader and philanthropist Henry Burden (1866-1937).

Burden was president of Cazenovia National Bank, Cazenovia Canning Company, and Cazenovia Electric Company.

He was also responsible for refurbishing The Lincklaen House in 1916; erecting a combination opera house/town hall (now the Catherine Cummings Theatre) on Lincklaen St in 1897; and directing that all electrical wires be laid underground in the village to avoid damaging the aesthetic of the downtown.

For more information on the Village of Cazenovia Parks and Recreation, visit villageofcazenovia.com.