Westchester Children’s Museum to Start Construction at Playland Bathhouse
By Paige Leskin: The Westchester Children’s Museum (WCM) took part in an official lease signing ceremony last week to signify its rights to start construction on its new museum, at the Rye Playland North Bathhouse.
The lease states that the WCM must open within 24 months. It was signed by County Executive Robert Astorino, and comes after years of cooperation and planning between the WCM and the Westchester County government.
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with the county in bringing a vibrant children’s museum to [the Playland Bathhouse],” said Corinne Zola, President of the WCM’s Board of Directors. “This museum will be an economic driver for the county and an anchor for the redevelopment of Playland Park.”
The WCM has been a work in progress of 13 years, said WCM Executive Director Tracy Kay. “When families moved away from New York City and out to the suburbs, parents looked to recreate the things they had in the city,” Kay said. Without a nearby children’s museum, it was evident to families there was a heavy need for one close by, as traveling with little kids was not ideal.
Kay has only been on board with the WCM project for five years, but has learned its history through those who have been involved for its entirety. He has included many of these founding parents on the WCM Board today.
Once the families had formulated the idea for a children’s museum, they turned to the county government for help in finding a location. The idea of the Bathhouse, which at the time was time was old and run-down, came up.
“It was starting to deteriorate due to salt [ocean] damage,” Kay said. Up to that point, the Bathhouse had not been used since the 1920s, when the law in Rye stated that bathing suits could only be worn on the beach. “The county needed to repair or take down the structure, but the cost to tear it down would be very expensive.”
A partnership between the WCM and Playland ensued, and WCM received approval to use the Bathhouse. However, Kay soon realized that the road to a finished project would be a tough one. WCM became responsible for installing and paying for its own working plumbing, air conditioning and heating unit, and electricity—and that was all before the exhibits.
“It costs $7.3 million just to make the building an all-season appropriate space, and another $2.7 million for exhibits and opening costs,” said Kay. “The sooner we have money to finance this place, the sooner we can start.
But, despite the formidable looks of numbers, the WCM has already raised $9 million dollars. They have received money from various partners, foundations, businesses and families in the community to help fill the funding gap. The museum will also use the future admission costs, membership fees, and concessions to pay for any debt that is accumulated.
Kay is hopeful for the future, seeing how far the museum has come already. The WCM started the Museum Without Walls program, which provides educational experiences for kids and families at various community centers. “We’ve reached over 8,000 kids in Westchester in just a few years,” Kay said.
With the attendance for the WCM projected to be around 200,000 a year, that number of children affected by the WCM’s educational programs will rise significantly. Kay has put a lot into the museum, and is expecting a lot back from it.
“It has all been worth the investment of time and effort to build up the museum,” he said.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
