Kid Friendly in Chappaqua? (New York, Yorktown: rent, buying a house, buying)

[Lacrobat]

Hello all - just to add my $0.02 to the Larchmont vs. Chappaqua debate raging on this board, we rent in Larchmont currently and one of the best things about the town for parents of young children is the range of park and playground options available within walking distance.

We are currently looking at buying a house in Chappaqua (closer to downtown than Bill Clinton and Martha Stewart). Are there many public parks and playgrounds, jungle-gyms, swings, slides etc. in the area? Are there other options for kids activities?

Any suggestions or recommendations welcome!

[Viralmd]

Martha lives up in Bedford, not in Chappaqua.

[dma1250]

Actually, I believe Martha's house is officially in Katonah. Lovely spread, right near Caramoor Music Center.

[Viralmd]

It's on the border of the two...BIG, TALL fence around it.

But, back to the question: Yes, there are some parkgrouds: Gedney Park:http://www.newcastle-ny.org/Gedney%20Park.html

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by Lacrobat

Hello all - just to add my $0.02 to the Larchmont vs. Chappaqua debate raging on this board, we rent in Larchmont currently and one of the best things about the town for parents of young children is the range of park and playground options available within walking distance.

We are currently looking at buying a house in Chappaqua (closer to downtown than Bill Clinton and Martha Stewart). Are there many public parks and playgrounds, jungle-gyms, swings, slides etc. in the area? Are there other options for kids activities?

Any suggestions or recommendations welcome!

Google to the rescue: New Castle Town Parks

As for Martha Stewart, the folks in Katonah certainly wish she was in Bedford. But the hamlet of Katonah is actually within the Town Of Bedford anyway, so it's not wrong to say she's in Bedford. Also, in fairness, the last time I drove by, the "tall fence" was a transparent mesh deer barrier above a tastefully low stone wall. The whole compound is easily visible from the road.

Anyway, if it's parks you want, head to Pound Ridge, with by far the greatest parkland-to-resident ratio in the county. About 1/3 of the town in the Ward Pound Ridge reservation and it seems like half of the rest is conservancy land.
Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
Westchester Wilderness Walk | Westchester Land Trust - land preservation in Westchester County, New York
etc etc etc.

Additionally, the town park rivals most country clubs. Since that doesn't seem to be enough, a $4.5 mio recreation center is on the way.
http://www.townofpoundridge.com/uplo...2008%20_2_.pdf

More comprehensive insider information on Pound Ridge can be found here:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/westc...idge-info.html

[havoc315]

Chappaqua is family friendly, overall. Not quite as many parks as some other towns, but Gedney park is nice. There is a nice playground near the middle school.

The fields near the train station are well used. During the summer, they have evening concert/family picnic events. Halloween sees a very large children's parade and celebration.

There is no town pool, or such. But there is the nearby Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester (in Mount Kisco), with swim lessons and other activities.

[dma1250]

I believe the town of Katonah wanted to sue Martha to keep her from using the name "Katonah" for a line of furniture (which she was doing since her house is in Katonah). And the last time I drove by both the house and property were totally visible from the road.

On the park front, northern Westchester is awash in amazing parks, from playgrounds to ball fields to hiking trails through thousands of acres of natural terrain. Ward Pound Ridge is great, as is Teatown Lake Reservation, Turkey Mountain Preserve, Blue Mountain Reservation, Muscoot Farm, Westmoreland Sanctuary, Rockefeller Park, and many others. As long you don't mind a 10 to 20 minute trip, you'll have an almost infinite number of park options near Chappaqua.

[Viralmd]

Originally Posted by dma1250

I believe the town of Katonah wanted to sue Martha to keep her from using the name "Katonah" for a line of furniture (which she was doing since her house is in Katonah). And the last time I drove by both the house and property were totally visible from the road.

Maybe we got the wrong house...and I do remember the brouhaha in Katonah about her proposed use of the name.

[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by Lacrobat

. . . we rent in Larchmont currently and one of the best things about the town for parents of young children is the range of park and playground options available within walking distance. . . .

Nowhere in northern Westchester (and in general Chappaqua qualifies) will you be able to walk to much of anything. You'll drive everywhere, even if it's only a couple minutes. A 5 minute drive up here can take you several miles.

[dma1250]

Originally Posted by kletter1mann

Nowhere in northern Westchester (and in general Chappaqua qualifies) will you be able to walk to much of anything. You'll drive everywhere, even if it's only a couple minutes. A 5 minute drive up here can take you several miles.

I understand your big point--we do drive most places up here--but there are plenty of towns where one can live within a short walk of playgrounds, parks, libraries, stores, etc. I know people who live in Croton, Katonah, and Yorktown Heights who walk daily to all of those nearby places. (I live in a more rural area with no sidewalks well over a mile from the nearest amenity; we walk from our hosue all the time--in the woods behind the house and on the road--but just for the pleasure of walking.)