Wawayanda, Town of
Wawayanda focuses on community spirit
Wawayanda
is a town in the western part of Orange County, New York, and consists of eight
hamlets. The town is within a short drive of a wide range of parks, orchards,
lakes, shopping centers, restaurants and entertainment facilities.
Neighboring
Middletown offers the excitement and conveniences of a bigger city without
giving up the quiet living in Wawayanda. Middletown’s Galleria at Crystal
Run is a popular shopping center, as the mall’s stores feature household goods,
clothing for men, women and children, technology items and entertainment goods.
It also contains restaurants, food courts, bars, an indoor playground, a
trampoline park, escape rooms, bowling, karaoke, a movie theater, a day spa and
more.
Back
in 1974, Benjamin and Dorris Shannen donated 54 acres to the town to be used as
a park and wildlife area. Now Shannen Park has walking and jogging trails,
picnic pavilions with grills, basketball courts and ball fields. An ice-skating
rink is available in the park during the winter months and there’s a wonderful
playground with equipment designed to be accessible to children with
disabilities.
Nearby
Wawayanda State Park offers mountains and lakes for families to explore. The
park contains more than 40 miles of marked trails. Hiking, biking, swimming,
canoeing, boating, fishing, bird watching, hunting, camping, horseback riding,
picnic areas and playgrounds are all popular activities. Winter activities in the park include skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, ice
skating and ice fishing.
The
Slate Hill Pacers are a group of Wawayanda citizens age 55 and up. Lunches, a
quilting club, social events, trips, community outreach and recreational
activities are planned and hosted by the group. The senior center is located at
Shannen Park. Wawayanda is a quiet and close-knit community welcoming people of
all ages.