L-R: Christine LaPorta, Deputy Director WPF; Seth Mandelbaum, Chair WPF, Walter Sedovic, Architect; Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Don and Carolyn Moriarity, Donors; Westchester County Parks Commissioner Kathy O’Connor

By Josefa PagJosefa Paganuzzi, Thompson & Bender for Westchester Parks

Dec. 8, 2021: The long-awaited Tibbetts Brook Park Gazebo Restoration project is about to become a reality. Westchester Parks Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides private support to preserve the County’s Park system and improve the quality of life in our communities, hosted a kickoff ceremony for the restoration of the beloved gazebo in Yonkers Thursday morning. The beautification project is made possible thanks to a generous gift from Carolyn and Don Moriarity of Bronxville, longtime supporters of Westchester County Parks.

The ceremony took place directly in front of the Romanesque structure, which boasts nine elegant arches and is 16 feet tall from the platform, 20 feet above the water. The project was identified as a priority by Westchester Parks Foundation during the last decade, as the project perfectly encompasses the organization’s mission to enhance and invest in the preservation of Westchester County Parks. Walter Sedovic Architects, based in Irvington, is the architecture firm chosen for the project.

Restoration sketch.  Courtesy of Ken Uhle, Westchester County Parks Department

Originally conceived during the roaring 20's as a lakeside pavilion and bandstand, fine detailing remains under layers of cement patches. Paint coatings and graffiti will be removed to help restore the original finish. The project will also re-establish its historic relationship to its setting, on a point projecting into the lake that has long eroded away. Enhanced plantings, lighting and sound will allow new staging for music, plays, opera, weddings & gatherings: A "Mini Tanglewood at Tibbetts".

Local leaders, elected officials and architects gathered at the site to kick off the project that is expected to be finished by Fall 2022, pending all permits and approvals.  Seth Mandelbaum, Chair of Westchester Parks Foundation stated “The historic gazebo is not only original to the park, but a key piece of Westchester Parks Foundation’s efforts at Tibbetts Brook Park, which also includes the removal of invasive plants from the Lake, to restore the lake area for recreational use. We are thrilled this project is finally happening.”

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “The restoration of the gazebo at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers is another example of how we can take what we already have and revitalize it so that current residents and visitors have the chance to properly utilize and enjoy all that Westchester County has to offer.”

Westchester County Parks Commissioner Kathy O’Connor said, “The Westchester Parks Foundation and its volunteers have been working diligently to update several sections of Tibbetts Brook Park. With generous funds from donors, that work is now expanding to the gazebo to help make Tibbetts one of Westchester County’s must-visit parks.”

Photo of the Gazebo taken recently. Photo courtesy of Westchester Parks Foundation

Tibbetts Brook Park is a 161-acre park located in the Lincoln Park section of Yonkers in Westchester County, New York. Opened in 1927, it was one of the first developed parks in Westchester County and currently serves residents with activities that include swimming, hiking, sports, nature watching and fishing. Tibbetts is bordered by the Cross County Parkway to the north, Saw Mill River Parkway to the west, McLean Avenue to the south and Midland Avenue to the East.

Photo of Gazebo in 1927. Courtesy of Westchester County Parks.

The park was named for George Tippet, a local pioneer settler during the colonial period. Because his descendants were royalists during the Revolution, the property was confiscated and sold by the state. The low grounds along the western branch of Tibbetts Brook had once been used by the city of Yonkers as a refuse dump, which polluted the water. The swimming pool at Tibbetts was constructed because children were swimming in the brook. The park is now seen as a refuge from urban living, an oasis of green surrounded by the city.

The Gazebo is believed to have been constructed around 1927, the same time the park was officially opened to the public.

Photos courtesy Westchester Parks Foundation