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New Park Honoring Roy McDonald and Veterans Opens in Wilton 

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in Featured, News.

McDonald (in the sweater vest) was joined by local officials and his family as his grandson cut the ribbon marking the opening of the new park.
The dock sits at the bend of the Snook Kill River, which is stocked yearly with Trout (Aidan Cahill)
The Park, seen here from above, consists of a half mile long multi use loop and fishing dock. (Aidan Cahill)

Driving through northern Wilton, it’s easy to get lost in the natural beauty of the area. 

The area is filled with nature preserves, forests and parks which allow residents to escape the cities and enjoy the southern end of the Adirondacks. 

This already beautiful area just got an upgrade as a new park honoring longtime supervisor Roy McDonald and Veterans who served in the US military officially opened this week in the Town of Wilton, giving residents a new place to fish and relax in nature. 

The new park is located on Northern Pines Road, just next to Wilton Developmental Center Cemetery and south of the Ace Hardware Warehouse. It features a half mile long multi use trail and a deck overlooking the Snook Kill River, allowing anglers of all ages to fish for trout from the river. 

The new park, called the Roy McDonald Veterans Fishing Park, is named in honor of longtime Wilton Supervisor and former legislator Roy McDonald as well as U.S. military veterans. 

The new park was officially opened on August 25 with the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce holding a ribbon cutting ceremony. 

“The town of Wilton is proud to dedicate this new park to all who have served in the military,” Wilton Town Board Councilman Ray O’Conor said “However, we want to specifically honor former town supervisor Roy McDonald today.” 

McDonald had a long career serving Saratoga County. Born and raised just over the river in the Lansingburgh neighborhood of Troy, McDonald’s service to the country began back in 1969 when he served in the US Army’s 1st Cavalry Division. That service saw McDonald being sent to Vietnam in 1970 and 71 as a forward observer, seeing action along the Cambodian border and in Cambodia itself. 

After his service in the Army, he served as the Wilton Town Supervisor for 23 years and at one point chaired the Saratoga Board of Supervisors. In 2003, McDonald was elected to the New York State Assembly and later served in the New York State Assembly from 2009 to 2013. Recently, the Friends of the New York State Military Museum named him their 2025 Veteran of the Year. 

“It was during Roy’s tenure that Gavin Park and the Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park were created,” O’Conor said. “Many important economic development projects, critical to our town’s success and creating 1000s of Wilton jobs, were undertaken under Roy’s leadership.” 

McDonald was on hand during the ceremony and was seen smiling throughout the event.

The new park is open year-round, dawn to dusk and offers access to a bend in Snook Kill River which is stocked with trout yearly by the Department of Environmental Conservation. 

O’Conor said the placement of the park was intentional as it is within easy reach of many of Wilton’s residential subdivisions, something made evident by several families who were seen biking the newly installed path. 

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