Friday, September 28
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Registration
11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Welcome
Charles Reaves, City of Rochester Parks Commissioner
Robin Dropkin, Executive Director, Parks & Trails New York
11:15 – Noon Plenary Session
Carmella R. Mantello, Director, NYS Canal Corporation—Presentation of the NYS Canal Corporation Trail Tender Award.
Noon – 12:30 p.m. Transition Time – Participants will pick up a bag lunch and board buses and vans for the field workshops.
12:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Concurrent Field Workshops
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Networking reception – Exhibit Hall open
The pre-dinner reception will provide ample opportunity to stroll among the many vendor tables and trail group exhibits while networking with friends old and new.
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Dinner and Trails Photo Revue
Address: Carol Ash, Commissioner, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
Presentation of Parks & Trails New York’s 2007 Greenway and Community Trail Awards.
Throughout the dinner, images of New York’s many and varied trails will be projected on screens around the room. After dinner, hear from Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash followed by the presentation of Parks & Trails New York’s 2007 Greenway and Community Trail Awards.
Saturday, September 29
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Welcome
Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks (invited)
8:40 – 9:35 a.m. – Keynote Address
Trails and Greenways: Inspiring people to do things beyond their wildest dreams
Craig Della Penna, Executive Director, Northeast Greenway Solutions
9:35 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. – Transition, Exhibit Hall open
9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Concurrent Workshops – Concurrent Workshops: Session One
A. FORGING A NETWORK OF TRAILS - Creating a Statewide Network of Trails: How can it be done?
The future of the trails movement is trail networks. Hear what’s currently happening within the state to create federal, state, regional and local trail systems. Learn how to develop a trails plan for your town or county and coordinate your efforts with other organizations and levels of government
B. DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND OPERATION - Finding new corridors for trails
Undeveloped, unbroken rail corridors are becoming increasingly scarce causing communities to look to other ways and other places to get trails built. Learn what others have done and the costs and issues they’ve faced in using more challenging locations for trail development.
C. ENSURING THE FUTURE - Innovative Approaches that Reap Multiple Community Benefits
Learn what others are doing, often with very few resources, to develop and enhance trails to bring their communities added economic and quality of life benefits.
11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Break, Exhibit Hall open
11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent Workshops: Session Two
A. FORGING A NETWORK OF TRAILS - Finding the Money
Everyone is searching for funds for trail construction and maintenance and to sustain nonprofit trails organizations. Bring your questions for an interactive panel discussion with the experts. Gain concrete advice on what makes a good grant application, what steps to take long before application deadlines, whether to engage a grant writer, and how to ask for money from the Legislature as well as private sources – individual donors, foundations, and corporations.
B. DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND OPERATION - Getting Started: Lessons Learned
How do you turn a trail dream into reality? Learn how three Healthy Trails, Healthy People program projects have progressed well beyond a dream in just a few short years. Their varied experiences and lessons learned, both positive and negative, will provide a comprehensive picture of what it takes to get a trail project off the ground.
C. ENSURING THE FUTURE - Quantifying the benefits of trails with quality data
You just know great trails are, but the public, elected officials, grantors, or individual donors want you to back up your emotion with facts. Learn what you can do to gather the data you need to persuasively and objectively establish your trail’s benefits.
12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Buffet Lunch
Address: Astrid Glyn, Commissioner, NYS Department of Transportation (invited)
1:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Concurrent Workshops – Session Three
A. FORGING A NETWORK OF TRAILS - Securing a Corridor: Understanding the process and the players
Problems with obtaining right of way have ended or seriously delayed many trail projects. Knowing more about the process and understanding the motivations, culture, and operations of all parties involved is essential to successfully and efficiently negotiating and advocating for a corridor for trail use. Key players will share their concerns and requirements.
B. DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND OPERATION - Planning and Designing Creative and Inspiring Trails
What a trail looks and feels like can make a difference in determining the amount of trail use, especially by those who are not already physically active. Find out what you can do to make your trail an inspiring and vital resource in the life of the community. Get some creative planning and design ideas from outstanding projects that can make your trail an inviting destination for everyone.
C. ENSURING THE FUTURE - Staying viable long-term
What will happen once the initial enthusiasm for a trail wears off and the original supporters have moved on? Hear from those involved with well-established trails what you can do to ensure the long-term survival and growth of your trail and trail organization.
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Plenary, refreshments, and a special prize drawing
Adding Your Voice – The Statewide Trails Coalition – Setting an agenda for trails in New York State
Enjoy light refreshments while sharing your ideas and helping develop the agenda and strategies that will guide the work of the Statewide Trails Coalition being organized by Parks & Trails New York. You might be one of the lucky ones to take home a special prize, but you must be present to win!
