Playland Park, one of the nation's first amusement parks, abuts Long Island Sound and another county-owned facility, Manursing Lake and the Edith G. Read Natural Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. The lake is a former salt marsh and tidal creek that had been dredged to create a lake during the construction of Playland in the 1920s. Although the substantial habitat value of the salt marsh has been lost, Manursing Lake also has become a valuable fish and wildlife habitat and is a state-designated Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat. It is critical summer and, especially, winter habitat for migrating waterfowl.
Playland Park is served by a paved parking lot covering approximately 12 acres of land. Stormwater runoff from the parking lot drains directly into Manursing Lake. The runoff carries sand and sediment, oils and grease, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, metals, and other pollutants that build up on the parking lot surface directly into Manursing Lake during rainstorms. To combat this threat to the lake, the county installed an underground water quality improvement structure manufactured by Vortechnics. This structure has been hooked up to existing drainage pipes, allowing it to filter the stormwater coming through the pipes before it is discharged into the lake. It treats stormwater runoff from the northern end of the parking lot as well as runoff from nearby local roads. This structure serves as a model for future infrastructure improvements to the parking lot.
To View The Site: The site is at Playland Park in the City of Rye. To get to the park, take Playland Parkway, which is accessed from Interstate 95 and Boston Post Road, directly into the park. The structure has been installed at the end of the parking lot opposite the entrance booths.