Trail heroes honored with 2007 Greenway and Trail Award
Parks & Trails New York recently honored the driving forces behind five of New York’s trails through presentation of its 2007 Greenway and Community Trail Awards. The five award categories are Volunteer Service, Public Leadership, Cyorporate Partnership, Healthy Trails, Healthy People, and Outside the Box. Winners were recognized at a special awards dinner in Rochester, held in conjunction with Parks & Trails New York’s two-day statewide trails and greenway conference.
Volunteer Service Award - Lisa Dyslin for the Northern Forest Canoe Trail
Lisa Dyslin of Wilmington was recognized for her strong leadership and long-standing commitment to visioning, planning, promotion, public outreach, partnership building, fundraising, construction, and maintenance on behalf of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, a 740-mile water trail tracing historic Native American travel routes across New York, Vermont, Québec, New Hampshire, and Maine. In nominating Lisa, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail Board stated, “Lisa Dyslin is the kind of volunteer that every trail organization dreams of finding. She is capable, flexible, reliable, and gives credit for the success of projects to every participant but herself.”
Public Leadership Award - Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus
County Executive William Steinhaus was recognized for his ability to build consensus, develop alliances, and create the necessary critical mass to build trails that have had a profound impact on the quality of life within Dutchess county. The County Executive has been a strong champion for trails throughout his 16-year career, especially two major rail trail projects -- the 11-mile Harlem Valley Rail Trail between Wassaic and Millerton which will soon be extended eight miles north from Millerton to Columbia County and the 12-mile Dutchess County Rail Trail soon to be built between Hopewell Junction and Poughkeepsie.
Corporate Partnership Award - Town of Penfield Recreation Department and Wegmans
The Monroe County Town of Penfield’s Recreation Department and Wegmans Supermarkets received the Corporate Partnership Award for the creation and promotion of the innovative “Wegmans Passport to Family Wellness” program. More than 1500 Penfield residents proceeded to hike the town’s 13 different trails and collect unique rubbings for their Passport from special trail markers at each trail, making them eligible for a $100 Wegmans gift card or a free catered party at the town’s new recreation facility.
Healthy Trails, Healthy People Award - Town of Clifton Park for the Northern Loop Trail System
Parks & Trails New York honored the Saratoga County Town of Clifton Park’s Open Space, Trails, and Riverfront Committee with its Healthy Trails, Healthy People Award for incorporating a vision of a comprehensive trails network in its plans for town development and for implementing the vision of a Northern Loop Trail steadily and creatively, so that thousands of local residents can now walk and bike throughout the town on safe and beautiful local trails.
Outside the Box Award - City of Rochester, Genesee Riverway Trail
The City of Rochester received the Outside the Box Award for the dedication, commitment, and focus of a city team that for more than 25 years has been dedicated to creating an 18-mile riverside trail from the shore of Lake Ontario to the heart of downtown and south to the Erie Canalway Trail. Recently, the City thought outside the box to address the design and environmental challenges posed by steep gorges, wetlands, mature trees, and natural view sheds to complete a 2/3-mile section of trail on a boardwalk built within the Genesee River.