Recreation

The building houses the office of the Recreation Department.
Phone Number: 845-658-8198
Click here for all forms & documents for Recreation use

ROSENDALE COMMUNITY CENTER

The Rosendale Community Center on Route 32 is the hub of the Recreation Department and houses the Department office. The grounds contain an event building, outdoor pavilion, playground, baseball/softball field, swimming pool, tennis and pickleball courts, an outdoor Fitness Court, and a basketball court, all of which are open to the public.

Rosendale Community Center Building: The building is available for rental for private parties or clubs when not in use for Town functions. The building has two areas: a small room with 7 round tables that seat four (with an additional 13 available), and a larger section with a dance floor and 10 large rectangular tables each seating 10. The divider can be slid back to make one very large room, or the room can remain separated to accommodate two simultaneous functions. The maximum capacity is 150 people. The building has a commercial kitchen with oven, burners, grill, deep fryer, deep sinks, refrigerator, and freezer.

The Youth Center is also on the property: Click here to redirect to the Youth Department

Programs offered:
All programs are open to the public, they take place at the Community Center Building and are free of charge unless otherwise noted.
Call the Recreation Office at (845)658-8198 for more information.

On-going Public Programs:
Slow Jam Music Group, Gentle Yoga, Ukelele Jam, Rosendale Seniors, and Zumba Dance.

Events will be posted on General Announcements. *You may Subscribe to announcements on our main page.*

The Community Center building also serves as a Red Cross-approved Emergency Shelter during Town-declared disasters. Opening of the Shelter will be posted on the Town website.

Pool:
The swimming pool is open to the public during the summer months for a fee, paid either as a daily rate or a season pass. It has two sections, a zero-entry rec pool and a deeper lap swimming area. There is a bath house and a concession stand. During the summer season, the pool is open 7 days a week. Pool hours are 12 noon to 7 pm daily with early morning adult lap swimming from 7-8 am Monday through Friday. Swim lessons for various skill levels are given every year. The Rosendale Rapids Swim Team practices weekday mornings and competes for several weeks each season; the pool closes early for swim meets occasionally, which will be posted in advance.

The Pool must occasionally close for unforeseen circumstances such as inclement weather. This will be posted on the marquee at the entrance to the Community Center and the town website.

Opening and closing dates for the season, as well as the seasonal direct phone line to the Pool, will be posted on the website each year by late May.

Pavilion:
The Pavilion is named for Catherine O’Leary, who was the mayor of Rosendale Village in 1957, the first female mayor in New York State history, and who later served as Rosendale Town Clerk. The Pavilion is adjacent to the pool and to the playground. It has 21 picnic tables, 2 of which are wheel-chair accessible. Grills are allowed, but must be gas only. It is available for rent for private parties (limited to 10 tables during the Pool season). The Pavilion is the home of the Youth Center’s summer day camp during July and August. For rental information, download an Application for Use.

Ballfield:
Lasher Field is named for Robert “Nippy” Lasher, beloved Rosendale chief of police from 1971-1995. The scoreboard is named for James Frazer, advocate for Youth and Softball in Rosendale in the 1990’s. The field offers lighting for night play. For rental information, download an Application for Use.

PARKS

Veteran’s Park is located at the intersection of Routes 213 and 32, across from the Stewart’s shop. Visit the carved stone war memorials or sit in quiet contemplation in the gazebo while gazing the waters of the Rondout Creek. Ceremonies are held every Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day to honor Rosendale’s fallen soldiers.

Linear Park is located behind the Sante Fe Burger Bar on Main Street. It has lighting, benches that look out to Willow Kiln Park, and follows a straight path along the old D&H canal to lead you to Central Avenue near the Rosendale Library.

Willow Kiln Park is located behind the municipal parking lot off Main Street, behind the Rosendale Theatre. Enjoy a picnic on one of the tables in the shade of willow trees below former cement kilns or walk across the little bridge. Trails to Joppenburgh Mountain are accessed from the park.

Rutsen Park is named for Jacob Rutsen, the founder of Rosendale, is a small area on James Street adjacent to the Rosendale Food Pantry that overlooks the Rondout Creek. It is a short walk up a hill to join the Community Center complex.

James Street Walkway is a sidewalk for pedestrians on James Street near the bridge over Route 32. It links our neighborhoods and is a wide, safe walk with three benches providing a panoramic view of the Rondout Creek.

Hardenburgh Park is named after one of the founding families of Ulster County who had a homestead here in Rosendale. It is a right-of-way adjacent to the former St. Peter’s School with small fields overlooking the Rondout Creek and leads to a lovely stone staircase accessing the Rosendale Trestle. The Rosendale Trestle is a 940-foot long former railroad trestle rising 150 feet above the Rondout Creek. When it was built in 1872 it was the highest span bridge in the United States. Since 2013 it has been a pedestrian walkway on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, a 22-mile path through Ulster County. (link to wvlt.org) It can be accessed by car at the parking lot on Binnewater Road, by bicycle on Elting Road, or by foot through Hardenburgh Park.

Rosendale Trestle is a 940-foot long former railroad trestle rising 150 feet above the Rondout Creek. When it was built in 1872 it was the highest span bridge in the United States. Since 2013 it has been a pedestrian walkway on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, a 22-mile path through Ulster County. Click here for Wallkill Valley Land Trust that can be accessed by car at the parking lot on Binnewater Road, by bicycle on Elting Road, or by foot through Hardenburgh Park.