Rye Playland Opens After Extensive Damage From Sandy

Westchester's Rye Playland is opening this weekend after spending millions of dollars to repair damage from Superstorm Sandy.  Deputy Parks Commissioner Peter Tartaglia says the park sustained tens of millions of dollars in damage. 

"It's amazing how far we've come in 6 months.  Its not completely fixed its going to take a long time, but tomorrow all 50 of our rides will open.  Some of those rides sustained damage all of that has been repaired.  And the main boardwalk is now open."

Tartaglia says there will still be intermittent closures to the boardwalk for continued repair work, the ice casino is still closed and the ice rink might not re-open until 2014.

In order to ensure the future of the park, a change in ownership is being considered.  Right now the park is run by the county but Tartaglia says a non-profit called Sustainable Playland is in the process of signing a contract to take over operations.  

"That's due to happen in the fall, and they will be coming up with a capital plan, which they need to present to the county executive and the board of legislators of the changes they would want to make.  It's a partnership to keep Playland alive and ready to continue in the 21st century."

Playland has suffered from declining attendance and a few deadly accidents over the last several years.  The park has been in operation since 1928.