BERNE — Switzkill Farm has become more accessible after Albany County, which took ownership of the property from Berne earlier this year, fixed up the main road leading into the park. 

That steep, gravel road had long been the subject of complaints, and was one of many areas that its Berne stewards had hoped to focus on in the 10 years the town had owned the 358-acre property. 

Albany County Spokeswoman Mary Rozak told The Enterprise this week that the improvements were made “to allow for contractors to access the main building,” and that Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy will have “more to say in the future about the property.” 

Albany County gained ownership of Switzkill Farm earlier this year after paying the town of Berne $150,000 for it. Republican administrations in the town had been eager to dump what they saw as a tax burden, and had been exploring options to do so soon after taking control of the town board in 2020. 

The county had made its offer late in 2023, but the negotiation process was long and uncertain, with town officials during that time claiming that a sale would be illegal and seemingly pulling back from the offer. 

McCoy had told The Enterprise in 2023 that the county had no plans beyond stabilizing the buildings on the property and getting it back into shape. The property has a lodge building, a residence, and several barns — one of which collapsed in 2022 during a snowstorm. 

The property was used as a Buddhist center before the Democratic town board, with help from the Open Space Institute and the county, purchased it in 2014. Previously, Switzkill Farm had been used for raising thousands of pheasants annually.

“We’ve just got to stop the damage to preserve it for the future, not just for residents of the county, but hopefully for the visitors that we’ll have come here and utilize this beautiful piece of property,” McCoy said.