1,381 Plank Donors, early supportors of the idea to transform the former Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge into the Walkway Over the Hudson were formally recognized with a plaque on Tuesday, November 27 at the western entrance of Walkway State Park.

Fred Schaeffer, Past Chair of Walkway Board of Directors helped present the plaque for these donors, who made financial contributions to the effort prior to 2004, long before the $38 million project achieved the major government and private charitable funding needed to complete construction in October 2009.

This ceremony was held alongside a ribbon cutting at the Park's new Walkway West Pavilion and the recognition of several new Stewards of the Walkway, donors who have given more than $10,000 in support of various improvements at the popular new state park.

Representatives from the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce joined in the ribbon cutting for the Walkway West Pavilion, a building used to support Walkway events, merchandise sales and volunteer activities near the park's western entrance.


The Walkway West Pavilion was designed and constructed entirely using equipment, materials and labor donated by several area individuals and businesses, including: Joseph Bonura Jr., Bonura Hospitality Group; John Storyk and Matthew Ballos, Walters-Storyk Design Group; Naomi Brooks, Verdant Landscapes; Joao Dias, Atlantic Concrete Foundation, Inc.; Woody Pirtle, Pirtle Design Inc.; Vince Santonja, Dutchess Quarry & Supply Company, Inc.; New York State Office of Parks, Recreations, & Historic Preservation.

At the end of the event, new bronze donor medallions for the latest Stewards of the Walkway were revealed at the Center Observation Area. The Charles Slutzky Family of Hunter Mountain Ski Bowl, Charlotte Cunneen-Hackett Charitable Trust, and the James J. McCann Charitable Trust were presented medallions for their generous contribution and joined an array of medallions from numerous major contributors to the effort build and improve Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park.