Planning a Visit

Our staff will greet you at the center, let you in and share important facility information with you. If arrival or departure times change after initially completing the online registration form, please contact contact the W. H. Parks Family Outdoor Center at 607-753-5488 or outdoor.edinfo@cortland.edu to make corrections. 

Driving Directions

560 Old Quarry Rd.
Selkirk, NY 12158 

From north and west: Via I-87 and/or I-90 proceed to Exit 22 on I-87 at Selkirk; at T-intersection, turn right onto Route 144 and proceed to junction with Route 396 (0.5 mile).

Turn right onto Route 396 and follow until intersection with Old Quarry Road, County Route 102 (5.8 miles). Turn right. Entrance to Brauer is on the right (east) side of Route 102 (0.7 miles), approximately 0.4 miles past Rupert Road, look for sign and gate to driveway.

From north and east: Via U.S. Route 4 and Route 32, or Route 7 — join and follow I-787 south; exit at South Pearl Street, turn left onto Route 32. After crossing Normanskill Creek near Albany City Line, turn right and proceed uphill to first traffic light at the T intersection.

Turn left onto U.S. Route 9 west, stay right picking up Route 32 west to T-intersection, turn left and continue to Feura Bush. Pass Houghtaling’s Store (left side), turn left. Proceed about 2.8 miles south to Brauer. The entrance is on the left side of the road.

After initial contact, the center office will send you an online registration form. Each group leader must fill out and return their registration form within three weeks of your receipt. Space is not confirmed until we receive the registration form. 

Please note that overnight accommodations are for SUNY and state agencies only at this time.

If your participants include children under age 17 (16 and under), a Revocable Permit and Child Protection Policy will be required. 

Cancellation policy: Cancellations that are received more than 21 days prior to your arrival date may be subject to a 20% cancellation fee. Within 21 days, you are responsible for 90% of the estimated charge based on the number of participants. Read carefully as we have recently made changes.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask for clarification before your arrival.

A. Revocable Permit 

The revocable permit will only be required for groups that have participants age 17 or under. 

An individualized revocable permit will be sent to you from our office. If you did not receive it, or would like the form sent again, contact our office at 607-753-5488 or outdoor.edinfo@cortland.edu. The revocable permit will need to be completed and returned to our office 30 days prior to your visit. Example of Revocable Permit

B. Child Protection Policy (CPP)

The Child Protection Policy is only required for groups that have participants age 17 or under. 

The CPP will need to be completed and returned to our office 30 days prior to your visit. The policy is specifically for groups with children age 17 and under. 

Exhibit D Permittee acknowledgment of Receipt of SUNY Cortland Child Protection Policies

State University of New York Child Protective Policy

SUNY Policy on Mandatory Reporting and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, Policy Document No. 6504

C. Program Itinerary

A program itinerary should be forwarded at least two weeks before your arrival. 

A Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI) must accompany all non-SUNY Cortland groups. All SUNY academic groups are covered under a SUNY policy. Any SUNY non-academic, non-Cortland program or club must have a COI. Minimum requirements include a $2 million additional insured policy. The COI include the additional insured language. 

If your group involves participants under the age of 17 (16 and under), additional requirements may be needed to fulfill the Revocable Permit and Child Protective Policy. Additional information is available on the Coordinator Forms webpage. 

The items you should bring will depend on the time of year you visit our facilities. Do not bring or use any colored plastic garbage bags that you intend to leave behind. Our local transfer station will not accept them.

Sleeping Gear

Each participant is responsible for bringing their own bedding. Sleeping facilities consist of a plastic-coated twin-sized mattress and a coated pillow. You may bring twin-sized sheets. Sleeping bags are preferred and may be required for your program.

Toiletries

Suggested toiletries include contacts, contact solutions, deodorant, glasses and sports strap, lip protection, prescription medications, shampoo, shaving cream, shaving implement, soap, sunscreen, toothbrush, toothpaste, towel, etc.

Suggested Clothing

Warm and cool clothing should be packed. Layering clothing is recommended. Both long and short-sleeved clothing will help protect you from the weather, sun and bugs. Remember that cotton fabrics absorb water and moisture and take a long time to dry. Be sure to pack appropriate undergarments such as underwear, long underwear and socks. A breathable waterproof outer layer will help protect you from environmental factors.

Footwear 

Footwear will be contingent upon the season. Sturdy footwear will be worn throughout camp, as bare feet are not permitted. Old sneakers, water socks or sandals work well for soggy areas. Bringing more than one pair of shoes will allow drying time in between uses. 

Other

Alarm clock, board games, camera, flashlight, insect repellant, notebook, rain gear, sunglasses, swimming suit, watch, water bottle, writing utensil and the like. 

Cellphones

Cellphone service at the Center can be sporadic. We encourage you to leave cellphones at home or in your vehicles. The center will not be responsible for lost or broken electronic equipment of any kind. We ask that you keep in mind the values you are trying to instill in your participants.

There are 911 services available at the Brauer Field Station; the call should be placed from a land line phone whenever possible. Cellphones may not be able to triangulate your location. You should know the physical address. Our staff will direct you to the specific area of camp you should go to if there is a fire and/or emergency. 

A small first aid kit is on hand for minor injuries. Each group is responsible for bringing their own first aid kits. We will not dispense or hand out any drugs or medicine, including aspirin. Be sure to have a plan and supplies in place.

Group Medical Coordinator:
The group's medical coordinator should check in with our staff upon arrival. Each group is responsible for keeping their own medical records. The center will not need medical records unless an injury occurs. All accidents and injuries must be reported to the director and an incident report filed with in 24 hours. The report will be forwarded to our University Police Department.

Each group is responsible for bringing one vehicle to use as an emergency vehicle. Center vehicles may not be driven by anyone except Raquette Lake staff. 

Automatic External Defibrillator Unit (AED)

There is an AED unit. Staff will show you where the AED unit is kept. If an emergency should arise, remember 911 services should be called from a landline, not a cellphone. A land line can be found in the office. 

Hospital Directions St. Peter's Hospital 315 South Manning Blvd. Albany NY 12208
The closest hospital is in Albany approximately 25 miles away.

The closest Urgent Care Center is located in Delmar, 250 Delaware Avenue Delmar, NY 12054 approximately 15 minutes away. 

Printable Driving Directions 

Expected Behavior
Expectations of each group include respect for the facilities, each other and your surroundings. SUNY Cortland has been a good neighbor and environmental steward for more than 30 years in the Fera Bush area. The university is known for its gentle use of the lands it visits and for teaching many people how to enjoy the out-of-doors. We ask that you instill in your groups the continued high expectations that have been set.

On-site behavior should include the respect of quiet hours 10 p.m. through 7 a.m. Careless actions causing destruction of center equipment, buildings and grounds will not be tolerated. Groups or individuals will be held responsible for broken equipment, defaced property and the like. 

In an effort to keep costs low there is no janitorial or maid staff. All participants are expected to clean their accommodations including sweeping, mopping and/or vacuuming, where applicable. Trash and recyclables should be emptied, bathrooms cleaned, beds straightened and any furniture that was moved should be placed in its original position. Each guest is responsible for leaving the facilities in as good or better condition than they found them. Cleaning supplies minus elbow grease are supplied. Be sure to have one of your staff members walk through each space or lodge before you leave checking for cleanliness and items left behind.

Recycling
We do recycle at our facilities. All items should be rinsed clean and the lids removed before being placed into the recycle bin.

Trash
Participants should bring trash from their rooms and any common areas that they used to the kitchen. 

Smoking Policy
As an extension of SUNY Cortland, we follow and abide by all policies described in the SUNY Cortland Handbook. Section 270.04 explains the smoking policy. SUNY Cortland is a smoke and tobacco-free environment.  

Alcohol and Drug Policy
The alcohol and drug policy may be found in Chapter 360 of the SUNY Cortland Handbook. Group leaders, professors or directors of the facilities at the W. H. Parks Family Outdoor Center may be contacted for further clarification.