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Changes could be coming for parts of Knox Farm State Park

Posted at 11:36 PM, Aug 24, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-25 15:06:49-04

Knox Farm State Park is a sanctuary for many. The beauty of the park draws people from, East Aurora and all over western New York.

Now the over 600 acre state park is looking for a license concession agreement for 80 of those acres.

The State Parks Department recently received one bid in their request for a proposal. That proposal is from Julie Ceolek. She’s a western New Yorker hoping to do a lot for the park including: bring an equestrian feel back, add a frisbee golf course, and have a small brewery where all the ingredients are grown at the park.

Ceolek's bid is still being evaluated.

Some in East Aurora do not like this plan. They've started a petition on Change.org called “Save Knox Farm State Park from Private Industrialization.” It says they are "concerned of the stability of this ‘fad’ of craft breweries." They worry the business could fail.

Some using the dog park in Knox Farm on Wednesday said they were fine with the idea of a brewery or a winery in the park, just as long as the park remains a park.

“The grounds are beautiful. So, I can see a lot of people wanting to come here and enjoy that,” said Cathy from Orchard Park.

The future of the state park is unknown, right now. Some want it to remain untouched. Others, think if the buildings in the park are left untouched would fall into disrepair. 

The State Parks Department wouldn’t say when they plan on making a decision on Ceolek’s proposal.