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Paul Smith's College will not open John Dillon Park for summer 2026 without $80K–$110K water upgrade
Summary
Paul Smith's College told the Town of Long Lake it will not open the John Dillon Park campground for summer 2026 unless a chemical water-treatment system (estimated $80,000–$110,000) is installed; the college says operational constraints and low site count limit feasibility and has asked the town to consider assistance.
Paul Smith's College representatives informed Town officials that the college will not open John Dillon Park for the 2026 summer season unless the park's water system is upgraded to satisfy New York State Department of Health standards. Town leaders were told the college estimates a chemical treatment plant would cost between $80,000 and $110,000 and that the current UV system has been unreliable.
Supervisor Clay J. Arsenault and Councilman Thomas L. Donnelly said the college highlighted operational limits: the campground has 11 sites (9 in the main area and 2 more at a distance), operates with five seasonal employees, does not charge fees, averaged about 70% occupancy when open, and draws roughly 50–60% of visitors who identify as accessible/handicapped. Paul Smith's representatives (Zoe Smith, Bill Brosseau, John Woods) asked the Town to consider assistance for the water-filtration project to meet Department of Health requirements.
Town staff including Water Superintendent Keith Austin and Chief of Staff Matthew Newby discussed the request with the board and noted the limited scale of the campground compared with the cost of the needed treatment plant. The board agreed to consider the request; no formal commitment or funding allocation was made at the May 27 meeting. The town indicated further review will occur, and the issue may appear on the June agenda for additional discussion.
