Stewart Park
Ithaca, Tompkins County, NY
Stewart Park, Ithaca’s main waterfront park on Cayuga Lake, has long been a cherished gathering place. Owned by the City of Ithaca, the park provides the community’s only free and easily accessible waterfront access. By the early 2010s, however, the park had fallen into decline after decades of underinvestment and benign neglect.
In 2011, Rick Manning, then leading the completion of the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, recognized the park’s potential as a revitalized community hub. Alongside Scott Wiggins, former owner of La Tourelle, he founded Friends of Stewart Park (FSP) with a vision of restoring the park’s historic structures, expanding accessibility, and enhancing its role as a welcoming public space. As Manning later reflected, “That was the spark that started the Friends of Stewart Park and all of the many improvements to the park that the Friends has accomplished and is still accomplishing today.”
The Spark
The turning point came while completing the final stretch of the Cayuga Waterfront Trail in 2011. The trail’s passage through Stewart Park underscored its significance as a civic anchor and its unrealized potential. Manning and Wiggins realized that revitalizing the park could connect the city more fully to the lake while preserving its historic structures and ensuring equitable access for generations to come.
The Project
Friends of Stewart Park (FSP), like many Friends groups across the country affiliated with municipal parks, was borne out of a need to help the City revitalize the park at a time when municipalities nationwide are struggling with funding park improvements. Because municipalities cannot directly fundraise themselves beyond certain governmental grant applications, FSP has, in essence, acted as a fundraising arm of the City. Beyond fundraising, however, FSP has also taken on the role of visioning, developing, and managing construction projects. Since its founding, FSP has partnered with the City of Ithaca not only to advocate for improvements but also to plan, fundraise, and execute ambitious capital projects. Collaborators have included:
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City of Ithaca staff and officials, including the Youth Bureau, Engineering, Planning, and Historic Preservation offices.
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Wharton Studio Museum (WSM), which has worked closely with FSP on design and fundraising for the adaptive reuse of the historic Wharton Studio into the future Wharton Studio & Café. WSM also led interpretive signage installations and co-nominated the park to the National Register of Historic Places.
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Historic Ithaca (HI), a key partner in preservation planning, including restoration of the Cascadilla Boathouse and National Register nomination.
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Tompkins County Tourism Program, local elected officials, and civic organizations providing essential financial and political support.
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Community groups including the Ithaca Garden Club, Cascadilla Boat Club, Dragon Boat Club, Bike Walk Tompkins, Community Beautification Program, and Zero Waste Ithaca.
Equity & Inclusion
Equity and inclusion are at the heart of FSP’s mission. From ADA pathways to adaptive playground equipment, every project is designed to welcome people of all abilities and backgrounds. Partnerships with local organizations and schools ensure that programming and improvements are co-created with the community, especially underserved populations.
The ongoing Wharton Studio & Café project will further expand cultural access, blending recreation, history, and education in a space designed for everyone.
Community Impact
Stewart Park has become a symbol of civic renewal and community connection. It hosts free carousel days, inclusive play opportunities, youth programs, and volunteer events. Its restored landscapes and historic structures offer beauty, heritage, and recreation for residents and visitors alike.
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Perhaps most moving are stories like that of Patrick Bohn, a local father who uses a wheelchair. In July 2024, just after the splash pad opened, he was able to play in the water with his children for the first time.
“Seeing Patrick wheel around the new splash pad with the kids squealing was a joyful reminder of why advocacy is so important, why inclusion is so important. All children deserve to play, and all adults with disabilities deserve to participate and play alongside them.”
- Patrick Bohan's co-parent Ashley
Challenges
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FSP has faced predictable hurdles: funding gaps, bureaucratic delays, rising costs, and the complexities of capital projects within a city-owned park. These challenges have required patience, persistence, and creative problem-solving.
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The organization also navigated a major leadership transition with the retirement of founding Executive Director Rick Manning and the appointment of Meloney McMurry. Manning now serves as Emeritus Executive Director, while McMurry has infused fresh energy, strengthened fundraising, streamlined operations, and launched initiatives like the Floodplain to Flowerbeds workforce training program.
Despite setbacks, the gratitude and enthusiasm expressed by park users have fueled ongoing commitment: daily reminders that “this place matters.”
Outcomes and Benefits
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Revitalized and preserved historic park structures.
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Created inclusive amenities such as adaptive carousel seating, accessible picnic tables, and adult changing tables.
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Strengthened civic pride and community ownership of Ithaca’s waterfront.
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Enhanced ecological sustainability through pollinator pathways and landscape improvements.
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Significantly expanded ADA accessibility across facilities, playgrounds, restrooms, and trails.
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Positioned the park as both a recreational and cultural hub, soon to be expanded with the Wharton Studio & Café project.
Reflections
For Executive Director Meloney McMurry, the project is both personal and professional:
“Stewart Park has always held a special place in my heart. It was here that I first felt the connection to nature and community that inspired my family to make Ithaca our home. To help steward this park into its next chapter is profoundly meaningful.”
Lessons Learned / Transferable Insights
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Friends groups can play a unique role in delivering capital projects when paired with strong municipal partnerships.
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Accessibility improvements transform not only facilities but also the lived experiences of families and individuals.
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Leadership transitions, when thoughtfully managed, can strengthen organizations and refresh their vision.
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Persistence and creativity are essential in navigating funding challenges and bureaucratic processes.
Friends of Stewart Park demonstrates how a community-driven vision can restore and reimagine a beloved public space. Once neglected, the park now flourishes as an inclusive, historic, and ecological gem on Cayuga Lake. Its story reminds us that persistence, partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to accessibility can transform a place into a vibrant commons for all.
The Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning is a project
of the Center for Transformative Action, a registered 501(c)3 organization.
Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning
Tompkins Center for History and Culture
110 North Tioga St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
© 2025 by Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning