Re-VISION RYERSON
2015–2024
In July 2015, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced that Duke Lake could not be refilled because the ground around the dam was still unstable. For many community members like the Friends of Duke Lake, the news reopened a decade-old wound. After years of hoping that the lake would return, they were forced to accept that it was gone for good. At the same time, some residents and park staff members saw a chance to rethink the future of Ryerson. The Duke Lake Task Force became the Re-Vision Ryerson Station State Park Task Force, beginning a new phase called Re-Vision Ryerson.
Drawing for the 2016 Greene Country Calendar by Colleen Nelson, showing the artist drawing in the former lakebed
DCNR launched a huge public participation process and received more than 500 survey responses. Residents asked for improvements to the pool, trails, and campgrounds, but their top priority was restoring water access for fishing and boating. In 2016, DCNR presented a Master Concept Plan that included a new pool complex, restored stream channels, and other exciting upgrades.
At one of the meetings, Brandy Tuttle read a letter expressing her excitement for the changes ahead. The letter was written from Duke Lake’s perspective, just like the original Friends of Duke Lake letter from 2005. Read it here.
The park began the first major renovations in 2018 by modernizing the campgrounds with new indoor showers, deluxe cottages, and full-hookup campsites. By 2020, the number of people staying at the campgrounds had jumped by over 128%, attracting visitors from across the county. (While filming, the crew of Friends of Duke Lake stayed many times in the campground and loved it!)
In 2022, the park opened a new $10 million swimming pool complex with a zero-entry pool, water slide, and spray park. Free to the public, the pool quickly became a big attraction for the park. Solar panels were also added above the parking lot to improve sustainability.
Friends of Duke Lake stills showing Ryerson in 2024–2025
Despite these improvements, many longtime residents remain frustrated by the lack of progress in the lakebed. In 2018, DCNR shared a nearly finished stream restoration design, but the project stalled after officials discovered more unstable ground. Shelly and Brandy say parts of the park now feel neglected, with overgrown trails, dirt-filled parking areas from pool construction, and less maintenance in the lakebed. The closure of the Iron Bridge has further limited fishing access. Ten years after the start of Re-Vision Ryerson, many community members felt left in the dark, with little communication from the state about the project timeline or how the settlement money was being spent.
RE-VISION RYERSON
2015–2024
In July 2015, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced that Duke Lake could not be refilled because the ground around the dam was still unstable. For many community members like the Friends of Duke Lake, the news reopened a decade-old wound. After years of hoping that the lake would return, they were forced to accept that it was gone for good. At the same time, some residents and park staff members saw a chance to rethink the future of Ryerson. The Duke Lake Task Force became the Re-Vision Ryerson Station State Park Task Force, beginning a new phase called Re-Vision Ryerson.
Drawing for the 2016 Greene Country Calendar by Colleen Nelson, showing the artist drawing in the former lakebed
DCNR launched a huge public participation process and received more than 500 survey responses. Residents asked for improvements to the pool, trails, and campgrounds, but their top priority was restoring water access for fishing and boating. In 2016, DCNR presented a Master Concept Plan that included a new pool complex, restored stream channels, and other exciting upgrades.
At one of the meetings, Brandy Tuttle read a letter expressing her excitement for the changes ahead. The letter was written from Duke Lake’s perspective, just like the original Friends of Duke Lake letter from 2005. Read it here.
The park began the first major renovations in 2018 by modernizing the campgrounds with new indoor showers, deluxe cottages, and full-hookup campsites. By 2020, the number of people staying at the campgrounds had jumped by over 128%, attracting visitors from across the county. (While filming, the crew of Friends of Duke Lake stayed many times in the campground and loved it!)
In 2022, the park opened a new $10 million swimming pool complex with a zero-entry pool, water slide, and spray park. Free to the public, the pool quickly became a big attraction for the park. Solar panels were also added above the parking lot to improve sustainability.
Friends of Duke Lake stills showing Ryerson in 2024–2025
Despite these improvements, many longtime residents remain frustrated by the lack of progress in the lakebed. In 2018, DCNR shared a nearly finished stream restoration design, but the project stalled after officials discovered more unstable ground. Shelly and Brandy say parts of the park now feel neglected, with overgrown trails, dirt-filled parking areas from pool construction, and less maintenance in the lakebed. The closure of the Iron Bridge has further limited fishing access. Ten years after the start of Re-Vision Ryerson, many community members felt left in the dark, with little communication from the state about the project timeline or how the settlement money was being spent.
