JANUARY 2010

PARK GRANTS AWARDED - FUNDS WILL STRENGTHEN TRAIL AND PARK GROUPS IN COLUMBIA COUNTY

The Observer - ERIE CATTARAUGUS RAIL TRAIL RECIEVES FUNDING - Parks & Trails New York recently awarded nine grants to strengthen park and trail groups around the state. One of those nine was the Erie-Cattaraugus Rail Trail, Inc. in the amount of $1,359 for Web site updates and design, production and distribution of membership materials. The nine Capacity Building Grants awarded this past week by the park and trail advocacy group Parks & Trails New York will provide not-for-profit park and trail organizations with the tools and expertise they need to survive and thrive in these challenging economic times. Funds will be used to increase organizational visibility and generate community support, grow membership, and attract additional volunteers.

Jamestown Post Journal PARKS IN TROUBLE - GOV. PATERSON BUDGET PUTS STATE RECREATION AREAS ON THE LOOKOUT - Some state parks will have no option but to close if Gov. David Paterson's proposed budget is enacted without change. According to Parks & Trails New York, the not-for profit advocate for New York's parks system, the passage of Paterson's budget proposal will mean a total cut in funding of 40 percent by the governor in the last two years. As explained by Robin Dropkin, Parks & Trails New York's executive director, the decision as to how many parks will close and which ones will shut down is up to the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Regardless, Dropkin said, a cut in funding of the magnitude proposed by Paterson will certainly result in "significant" closings.

COLUMBIA COUNTY WINS PARKS AND TRAILS NEW YORK GRANTS - The advocacy group Parks and Trails New York is giving out thousands of dollars in grants. The grants are designed to help not-for-profit park and trail organizations generate community support, grow membership and attract more volunteers.

GUV: CUT SCHOOLS, HEALTH, STATE JOBS - ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS - The executive budget also called for a $69 million cut to the state’s Environmental Protection Fund as well as reductions in the number of staff members at the Department of Environmental Conservation and various park agencies, among other cuts. The Adirondack Council, an environmental research, education and advocacy organization, referred to Paterson’s plan as a declaration of war on the state’s environment.

PARKS & TRAILS NEW YORK AWARDS NINE GRANTS - The advocacy group Parks and Trails New York is giving out thousands of dollars in grants. The grants are designed to help not-for-profit park and trail organizations generate community support, grow membership and attract more volunteers.

STATE BUDGET: PATERSON PLAN COULD HIT PARKS HARD - Gov. Paterson’s proposed budget cuts are expected to force the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to close a number of parks across the state.

CONCERN FOR STATE PARKS CUTS IN 2010 - Parks and Trails New York voiced its discomfort over Gov. David A. Paterson not mentioning in his State of the State address a plan for protecting and creating jobs at New York state parks, and whether there would be any more cuts to funding for state parks in the 2010-2011 budget.

COUNTY COMPLETES PURCHASE OF ALBANY COUNTY RAIL TRAIL-
The County purchased the nine-mile stretch of the old Delaware & Hudson Railway between the Port of Albany and Voorheesville for $700,000 from Canadian Pacific Railway with a 2003 grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) of $350,000. Scenic Hudson, a Poughkeepsie-based non-profit land conservation organization, donated the matching funds of $350,000 to complete the purchase.

CANALWAY TRAFFIC MORE THAN 150,000 AT LOCATIONS IN CAPITAL DISTRICT - The New York State Canal Corporation and Parks and Trails New York today announced the availability of Who's on the Trail? The Erie Canalway Trail User Count 2009, a detailed report that found that annual traffic on the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail section of the Canalway Trail at several locations in the Capital District is as high as 174,000 people.

STATE SHOULD INVEST IN PUBLIC PARKS, TRAILS - Gov. David Paterson missed an opportunity in his State of the State address to set an environmental agenda that would create jobs and protect our state’s parks, trails and green spaces. An investment in public parks, trails and green spaces not only helps the environment, public well being and beauty of our state, but creates economic benefits as well. state parks.

IN ORDER TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR PARKS, THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE MUST MAINTAIN 2009-2010 LEVELS OF FUNDING TO STATE PARKS - Despite the importance of parks to New York, the state park system is currently teetering at the edge of park closures. Over the last 18 months, the state park department’s budget has been cut by 25 percent and the agency has lost nearly 1,000 permanent and seasonal staff.

MADISON COUNTY COURIER - COMMITTEE DEDICATES FISHING PLATFORM - Trout Unlimited, Creek Walk Volunteers Mark End of Phase I - Members of the Chittenango Creek Walk and Neighborhood Trail Committee joined with volunteers from Madison County Trout Unlimited Chapter 680 in dedicating the completed handicapped-accessible fishing platform built by TU volunteers.

GROUP FOSTERS NY TRAIL DEVELOPMENT - Five New York trail projects have been selected to receive assistance from Parks and Trails New York, a statewide organization dedicated to preserving and creating new parks throughout the state. The trails selected are the Black Walk Creek in the village of Mexico, Oswego County; the D&H Rail Trail in Salem and Granville, Washington County; the Erie-Cattaraugus Rail Trail in Orchard Park, the O&W Rail Trail in Fallsburg and the Upper Hudson Rail Trail in Tahawus.

BLACK CREEK WALK IN MEXICO TO RECEIVE ORGANIZATION'S HELP - The Black Creek Walk in Mexico is one of five trails statewide selected to receive help from the statewide nonprofit organization Parks & Trails New York as part of its Healthy Trails, Healthy People program. The program's goal is helping New Yorkers develop more active communities and an enhanced quality of life by creating new or increasing the usage of existing multi-use trails.

NOVEMBER 2009

PROPOSED THREE-COUNTY RAIL TRAIL GETS PLANNING AID - While Warren County supervisors wrestled over how to fix a section of railroad track in Riparius last summer after it was washed out, Curtis Austin dreamed up a plan to use 29 miles of rails from North Creek to Tahawus."It would be an awesome trail," he said. "This one goes into the heart of the Adirondacks." Austin, a Chestertown resident and former manager and engineer for General Electric, formed the Friends of the Upper Hudson Rail Trail, and is working toward building

OCTOBER 2009

N.Y., REINVEST IN STATE PARKS - Filmmaker Ken Burns' six-part series on the national parks airing this week on PBS is bringing lots of attention to America's "best idea" -- its national park system. However, here in New York, we also have a very special park system.

On-Hudson.com - NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF PARKS ANNOUNCES $3.3 MILLION FOR APPALACHIAN TRAIL RESTORATION @ BEAR MOUNTAIN - New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash announced $3.3 million in grants for 32 trail-related projects around the state as part of the Federal Recreational Trails Program. The on-going rehabilitation of the Appalachian Trail as it winds through Bear Mountain's State Park will be funded with support from two awards

  101 MILES ALONG THE ERIE CANAL - A BEGINNER PEDALS A PATH THROUGH NEW YORK HISTORY - Fifteen miles I could do. Four hundred though? I hadn't been on a bike for 15 years. I didn't even own a bike. But when my daughter suggested the Erie Canal bike ride last fall, it sounded like fun. Fun in the far distant future, that is, like the next July.

MADISON COUNTY COURIER HAMILTON OFFICIALLY OPENS NEW CHENANGO CANAL TRAIL - On Saturday, September 26, Senator David Valesky and Mayor Sue McVaugh stood at the entrance to the Chenango Canal Trail off Montgomery Street to officially open Hamilton’s new recreational walking/hiking trail and unveil a national marker. Joining them at the ribbon-cutting were Diane Van Slyke of the Chenango Canal Association (CCA), Harvey Kliman of the Southern Madison Heritage Trust (SMHT), and Wally Elton of Parks & Trail New York.

PARKS IN CRISIS - LOCAL CHAIRMAN ASKS FOR HELP KEEPING PARKS - New York's parks are in crisis, according to Dalton Burgett, chairman of the Allegany Parks Commission. Having been cut funding and staff in recent years, the state parks system has nowhere left to trim and may soon see closures as a result of the continued budget deficit. Hoping a grassroots campaign of e-mails, phone calls and letters will keep Gov. David Paterson from shuttering parks in 2010, Burgett said Friday that chairmen from each of the state's 10 other regions are similarly calling on residents to petition lawmakers.

SEPTEMBER 2009

PUTTING NEW YORK'S TRAILS ON THE MAP - New Yorkers are lucky to have one of the most extensive multi-use trail systems in the country. The trouble is, they may not know it, or know exactly where to find the trails, or know exactly what they are like or what they have to offer in the way of amenities. That problem has been solved by the nonprofi t group Parks & Trails New York, which has just come out with an on-line guide called Trailfinder (www.ptny.org/trailfinder).

JULY 2009

ASSISTANCE WITH TRAIL DEVELOPMENT AVAILABLE TO NYS COMMUNITIES - Parks & Trails New York, a statewide parks and trails advocacy organization, is offering assistance to communities wishing to develop a new multi-use trail or increase usage on an existing trail as part of its Healthy Trails, Healthy People Program. Five communities will be selected to receive help with technical issues, planning, public outreach, grant writing, fundraising, programming, organizational development and other activities critical to the long-term success of trail projects.

CROSS-STATE CYCLE TOUR BEGINS SUNDAY - More than 500 cyclists will participate in the 11th annual cross-state bike tour from Buffalo to Albany, which begins on Sunday. The 400-mile, eight-day bicycle tour is sponsored by Parks & Trails New York and New York State Canal Corp. This year's participants come from 39 states, as well as several foreign countries.

WIVB.COM PEDALING AROUND ERIE CANAL - This the 11th year of the bike tour - It was built for boats, but bicyclists will be taking a ride along one of New York State's historic treasures this week. More than 500 cyclists registered to "Cycle the Erie Canal." They'll pedal for 400 miles.

500 CYCLISTS TAKE WEEK-LONG TOUR OF ERIE CANAL - Hundreds of people are touring the Erie Canal this week - by bicycle. The 11th annual Cycling the Erie Canal tour began in Buffalo on Sunday and is making it's way 400 miles east to Albany.

TOURISTS BICYCLE THROUGH AREA ALONG ERIE CANAL - Just more than 500 bicyclists passed through the area as part of a tour along the Erie Canal Thursday. The riders spent the fifth day of their week-long trip from Buffalo to Albany biking from Syracuse to Rome, some taking rest stops in Chittenango, Canastota and Verona.

A MOTHER AND HER SON CONTINUE AN ERIE CANAL BIKE TREK TRADITION - Continuing a family tradition, Rita Grant and her 15-year-old son, Hanson, were two of more than 500 cyclists who took part in the 11th annual Cycling the Erie Canal bike tour, a 400-mile trip from Buffalo to Albany, from July 12 to 19. Riders average 40 to 60 miles a day with about two-thirds of the tour taking place on the Canalway Trail. This is Grant’s second trip; her first was two years earlier with her son, Garrison.

500 CYCLISTS TAKE WEEK-LONG TOUR OF ERIE CANAL - Hundreds of people are touring the Erie Canal this week - by bicycle. The 11th annual Cycling the Erie Canal tour began in Buffalo on Sunday and is making it's way 400 miles east to Albany.

ERIE CANAL TRAIL CYCLISTS STAY AT FORT - A SENTRY FOR CYCLISTS — Desmond Clay, portraying a soldier for the 3rd New York Regiment, serves sentry duty at Fort Stanwix National Monument, as 500 bicyclists pitch tents on the lawn in the background. The bikers in the Cycling the Erie Canal Bike Tour camped out on the fifth day of their eight-day tour that began in Buffalo and finishes in Albany. South James Street was closed next to the fort lawn, reportedly because last year some motorists were honking horns and throwing rocks at the sleepy visitors as they passed by. The campers sampled area restaurants and shops, before hitting the road again after showers and breakfast at the Rome Family Y this morning.

550 BIKE CANAL, GATHER FRIENDS - Eleanor Morris-Benedict, 5, and her sister Claire, 8, decorated a 24-speed Bianchi hybrid bike with turkey feathers and green leaves they gathered Saturday as their 400-mile bike journey ended. The sisters from Durham, N.C., were in a group of more than 550 bicyclists who began a tour along the Erie Canal from Buffalo that stopped in Scotia’s Collins Park Saturday for camping, food and entertainment.

CANAL CYCLING TRIP WINDS DOWN - Eleanor Morris-Benedict, 5, of Durham, N.C., above, who was riding with her father, John Morris, during Cycling the Erie Canal caravan, carries her luggage that was delivered to a camp site at Collins Park in Scotia by truck Saturday.

ERIE CANAL BIKE TOUR PEDALS ACROSS NEW YORK - Cyclists from across the country pedaled into the Capital Region this weekend. It was part of the 11th Annual "Cycling the Erie Canal" bike tour. The 400 mile bicycling tour started in Buffalo last weekend and ended at Albany's Corning Preserve Sunday.

550 BIKE CANAL, GATHER FRIENDS — Eleanor Morris-Benedict, 5, and her sister Claire, 8, decorated a 24-speed Bianchi hybrid bike with turkey feathers and green leaves they gathered Saturday as their 400-mile bike journey ended. The sisters from Durham, N.C., were in a group of more than 550 bicyclists who began a tour along the Erie Canal from Buffalo that stopped in Scotia’s Collins Park Saturday for camping, food and entertainment; it was part of the Eleventh Annual Parks and Trails New York Cycling the Erie Canal trip.

CYCLISTS ALONG THE ERIE CANAL - Around 500 cyclists from 39 states and two other countries are taking part in the 11th annual "Cycling the Erie Canal" tour. It's a 400-mile trek from Buffalo to Albany. Robin Dropkin is Executive Director of Parks and Trails, New York, a non-profit group that advocates for parks, greenways and trails statewide.

CROSS-STATE CYCLE TOUR BEGINS SUNDAY - More than 500 cyclists will participate in the 11th annual cross-state bike tour from Buffalo to Albany, which begins on Sunday. The 400-mile, eight-day bicycle tour is sponsored by Parks & Trails New York and New York State Canal Corp. This year's participants come from 39 states, as well as several foreign countries.

CNY LINK - COUNTY RECEIVES PARK AND RECREATIONAL GRANTNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Carol Ash announced $3.3 million in grant awards for 32 trail-related projects around the state as part of the federal Recreational Trails Program. The grant acquirements were announced June 23.

PARK ADVOCACTES: MOSES WOULDN'T OBJECT TO MOWING CUTS - In his 1974 biography of Robert Moses, "The Power Broker," Robert A. Caro wrote that the longtime state parks chief "wanted the parkways to be broader and more beautiful than any roads the world had ever seen, landscaped as private parks are landscaped so that they would be in themselves parks." Even so, park advocates don't think Moses would oppose the state's reduced roadside mowing - given Albany's financial woes - and they don't object, either.

JUNE 2009

 HELPERS ON CANALWAY TRAIL - Bikers and in-line skaters wearing orange vests on the Canalway Trail between Colonie and Rotterdam will offer assistance and information to trail users throughout the season. The Canalway Trail Ambassador project began last fall as a pilot program in Niskayuna and expanded this year after favorable reports from volunteers and trail users."It worked very well last year," said project director Wally Elton of Parks & Trails New York. "Volunteers helped with bike problems and monitored conditions, but we also had a case last year where a volunteer had to provide first aid."

BUSINESS CYCLE WITH PROFIT POTENTIAL - Long ago, I suggested a bicycle honeymoon to Husband, covering a route from central New York, where we then lived, to the Capital Region, where I had relatives. Since we planned an unconventional wedding anyway -- married in a favorite state park, by a female county court judge presiding over a murder trial (I loved the shock factor of both of those points) -- cycling and camping our way east seemed in character. Husband, though, saw it for the disaster it would have been -- our cheap tent regularly leaked and he had no bike -- and talked me into a trip to Toronto instead. Had he been open at all to my idea, I'm not sure how I would have proceeded.

TWO-WHEELED TOURISM FORUM HELD TO SPUR DISCUSSION ON BETTER TARGETING OF BIKERS - Tourists who ride into town on bicycles can have a bigger economic impact than their slight transportation lets on. The country has more bicyclists than golfers, skiers and tennis players combined, and riders can spend between $150 and $300 a day during overnight trips, according to statistics cited by Parks & Trails New York. The advocacy group held a forum on bicycle tourism Wednesday night at Crandall Public Library meant to catalyze discussion about growing and promoting bicycle tourism, which members of the group said deserves more attention than it's paid.

MAY 2009

CAUTION CAN KEEP JOGGERS SAFE - When a local teacher stood up before a judge earlier this month at the sentencing of one of his attackers, he described what has to be among any jogger’s worst nightmares. The man was jogging last summer on the trail near Schenectady County Community College when he was attacked by two men. He was stabbed in the shoulder as he sprinted away.

CHEAP SUMMER GETAWAYS MIGHT GO AWAY THIS SUMMER – Cash-strapped Americans looking for a cheap getaway at a state park or campground this summer are likely to find instead reduced hours, higher fees and closed beaches and pools.

CANAL BIKE TOUR SCHEDULED - An annual cross‐state bicycle tour along the Erie Canal will kick off July 12 from Buffalo, with riders embarking on an eight‐day, 400‐mile trip to Albany. The Cycling the Erie Canal event will bring riders through historic canal villages, scenery and rural countryside. Along the way, canal historians and local experts will introduce riders to the people and places important to the Erie Canal and the history of the state. About 75 percent of the ride is off‐road on the traffic‐free Canalway Trail. The rest of the trip is on rural roads. Last year’s event brought riders from 38 states, with one‐third of them from New York state. “New Yorkers were as amazed as out‐of‐staters at the beauty of the Erie Canal corridor, as well as its cultural and historic richness,” said Robin Dropkin, ride organizer and executive director of Parks and Trails New York, in a news release.

500 RIDERS EXPECTED TO BIKE ACROSS NEW YORK THIS JULY - Cyclists finish the eight‐day Erie Canal bike tour in 2006. The best way to see New York state may be from the saddle of a bicycle. The groups Parks & Trails New York has announced the date of this year’s annual bike ride from Buffalo to Albany: July 12 to 19. Last year, more than 500 riders from 38 states took part in Cycling the Erie Canal tour, which follows the Erie Canal Bike Path and also makes use of local roads. About 75 percent of the bike path is complete, with sections both paved and made from crushed limestone. The tour, now in its 11th year, takes eight days to ride the 400 miles, with stops along the way to see tourist sites. Participants camp overnight, although local hotels are also available.

SEE UPSTATE NEW YORK FROM A BICYCLE - GO BIKE THE ERIE CANAL ROUTE - The 11th annual cross-state bicycle tour along the Erie Canal - Cycling the Erie Canal - is scheduled for July 12-13. Cycling the Erie Canal is an eight-day, 400-mile, recreational bicycle tour from Buffalo to Albany along the legendary Erie Canal.

ERIE CANAL SWEEP - With rakes and chainsaw's in hand, this group of volunteers set out on a mission to cleanup the banks of Oneida Lake where it meets the Erie Canal. "A lot of debris and everything floats through the canal and off the lakes and it just clutters up the shoreline," said Assemblyman David Townsend.

APRIL 2009

CANAL BEING READIED FOR SUMMER SEASON - In preparation for the 184th navigation season on the Erie Canal, the New York State Canal Corp. and Parks and Trails New York are continuing their combined efforts to make the canal a growing tourist attraction in the state.

NYS HOLDING 4TH ANNUAL 'CANAL CLEAN SWEEP' THIS WEEKEND - The New York State Canal System is holding its fourth annual "Clean Sweep" event this weekend. Held in recognition of Earth Day, the statewide event kicking off today and running through Sunday is aimed at preparing the

CLEAN SWEEP TO GET WATERWAYS LOOKING GOOD - In recognition of Earth Day and in preparation for the upcoming 184th consecutive navigation season on the state canal system, the state Canal Corp. is partnering with Parks and Trails New York and the state Environmental Facilities Corp. and Consumer Protection Board to sponsor the fourth annual Canal Clean Sweep this weekend and next.

EARTH DAY: VOLUNTEERS PLANNING TO TIDY UP CANALWAY TRAIL First Presbyterian Church will host a canal cleanup event from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday in conjunction with Earth Day 2009 and the state Canal Corp.’s fourth annual “Canal Clean Sweep.”

BRIGHTON AND PITTSFORD SPRUCING UP FOR CANAL SEASON - It must be spring if Brighton and Pittsford are getting ready for the statewide Canal Clean Sweep. Local groups and residents will take part in a community cleanup of public spaces throughout the canal areas in Brighton and Pittsford.“I think we’ve seen for a long time that people have taken ownership in the canal and do a great job of cleaning it up,” said Pittsford Supervisor Bill Carpenter. Brighton and Pittsford are two of dozens of communities along the state’s four-canal system that will be participating in the fourth annual Canal Clean Sweep weekend on April

CANALWAY TRAIL CELEBRATION PLANNED - Plans are being made for the sixth annual Canalway Trail Celebration, Saturday, June 6, to coincide with National Trails Day. The annual event is designed to highlight the growing prominence of the Canalway Trail corridor as a world-class recreationway and tourist destination for visitors and residents, according to coorinator Parks & Trails New York.

WEB SITE ON ERIE CANAL TRAIL IS TOPS - Bicyclists, runners and walkers frequent the Erie Canalway Trail, but the trail's Web site may soon see increased traffic of its own. The site - www.ptny.org/bikecanal - has been named as "Best Travel and Tourism Site for Trails" by the national organization American Trails. The site, developed by the nonprofit Parks and Trails New York, was noted for how it helps people plan a trip along the historic canal. The "planning a visit" tab on the right-hand

STATE PARKS IMPACT IS $500 MILLION ANNUALLY, STUDY SAYS: LATEST STUDY SHOWS SYSTEM HAS HUGE IMPACT ON LOCAL ECONOMY - A study prepared for a parks advocacy organization says nearly 5,000 jobs and more than a half-billion dollars in annual economic output are tied to state parks in Erie and Niagara counties. The total economic impact statewide due to the spending of the state parks office and park visitors is nearly $2 billion and is tied to more than 20,000 jobs, according to the study prepared for Parks and Trails New York, an Albany-based nonprofit.

NEW STUDY COULD HELP WITH FUNDING FOR NEW YORK STATE PARKS - A new study conducted by the Political Economy Research Institute of the University of Massachusetts found that the New York State Park System carries a benefit-to-cost ratio of more than five to one. The study concentrated on the public spending on parks for general operations and money spent by visitors in parks and the surrounding areas because these are

DELTA, OTHER PARKS BOOST STATE ECONOMY - About 175,000 people visit Delta Lake State Park every year, and they bring in an average of $240,000-$250,000 in revenue to the park every year. They also spend money at local restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and elsewhere.

THE PIPER COMES CALLING FOR OUR GREAT PARKS SYSTEM - Of all the recreational services and venues the state provides, the one that touches more of us than any other is our terrific park system. Last year, our 178 state parks and 35 historic sites had 55.7 million visitors. Most of those visitors were New Yorkers loving New York.

STATE PARKS: ALBANY MUST SUPPORT VALUED SYSTEM - A recent study of New York's state parks system verified what many people already know: the parks are a tremendous asset to the state.

BONDS FOR STATE PARKS: LI JEWELS NEED THIS FUNDING AUTHORIZED - Time is wearing away at Long Island's state parks. The state has dealt with the problem of grass poking through parking lots at Sunken Meadow. But such items as the water tower at Jones Beach and a bridge at Belmont Lake still need work. So a squeeze on the money for maintaining and improving parks is worrisome. The legislature has to help.

GROUP: PARKS SYSTEM FUNDING CAN HELP STATE'S ECONOMY - Increased investment this year in New York's park system can help lead the state out of the recession, according to an economic analysis prepared for a parks advocacy group.

STUDY: STATE PARKS ARE SUBSTANTIAL ASSET. ECONOMIC IMPACT: THOUSLAND ISLANDS REGION SPURS $63M IN SPENDING, EMPLOYS 882 PEOPLE - A new study prepared for a park advocacy group calls New York's state park system "a valuable economic asset to the Empire State."

ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF STATE PARK SYSTEM IS CLOSE TO $2 BILLION, 20,000 JOBS, STUDY FINDS - A new economic analysis released by Parks & Trails New York shows that the New York State Park System is a valuable economic asset to the Empire State. It supports

FEBRUARY 2009

REILLY DONATES SALARY FOR 4TH YEAR - Assemblyman Bob Reilly, D-Loudonville, Wednesday donated his 2008 legislative salary to 15 nonprofits, saying the money gives people access to places and experiences they might otherwise miss. This year’s list of recipients include the Albany Institute of History and Art, Historic St. Agnes Cemetery, the Legal Project, and Parks and Trails New York. Recipients do not have to be based in Reilly’s district but must be able to show how the district residents will benefit from the funding.

PROMOTING THE PATH

JANUARY 2009

GRANT HELPS WAYNE COUNTY TRAILS GROW, INCREASE MEMBERSHIP - A small grant given to Trail Works Inc. may help the Wayne County organization increase its membership. The group is a not-for-profit association founded by trail users who advocate for trail development and expansion.

TRAIL MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE - Henry Miller's recent call ("Recognizing New York's finest," Perspective, Jan. 11) to refocus statewide economic development efforts around demonstrated strengths with unrealized potential, including tourism, is most welcome. His mention of the historic Erie Canal as perhaps our most "wasted tourism resource" is absolutely right. A key element of the canal's promise is a proven public investment: the Erie Canalway Trail.

FRIENDS GETS GRANT OF $2,700 - ROBERT MOSES PARK: MONEY TO HELP UPDATE NATURE CENTER'S WEB SITE - The Nature Center at Robert Moses State Park is giving itself a face-lift — online and in reality. The Friends of the Nature Center have been awarded a $2,700 grant from Parks & Trails New York to improve the center's Web site, put its newsletter online and determine what types of programs the public wants through surveys.

GREAT BEAR AREA TO BE SHOWCASED IN BROCHURE - The Friends of Great Bear will use a $360 grant from Parks & Trails New York to print a brochure highlighting the various trails and other information regarding the large natural habitat located along the Oswego River and Route 57 in the Town of Volney.

PARK IS AWARDED GRANT - The Friends of Glimmerglass State Park have been awarded a $2,400 Parks and Trails New York grant. The grant will provide the group with consultant assistance with development of a marketing strategic plan and outreach materials to establish organizational identity and partner relationships within the community for the newly‐formed group dedicated to increasing visitation and participation in programs in the park overlooking Otsego Lake.

GLIMMERGLASS TO GET $2,500M - A Cooperstown‐area state park was one of eight recipients of grants announced Thursday by a park and trails advocacy group. Friends of Glimmerglass State Park will receive $2,500 from Park & Trails New York to buy materials and hire a consultant to help develop the organization that was formed in April.

RAIL GROUPS RECEIVE FUNDING - Efforts to develop new trails in Albany and Rensselaer counties got a boost recently from the advocacy group Parks & Trails New York.

DELMAR, HOOSICK FALLS RECEIVED GRANTS TO HELP WITH RAIL-TRAIL EFFORTS - The nonprofit group Parks & Trails New York recently issued eight grants to help increase trails around New York, including several local grants. Locally, the Friends of the Rail Trail in Delmar received $2,000 for printing and mailing of a membership/ project information brochure. The group hopes to build a nine-mile Albany County Rail Trail between Albany and Voorheesville.

WEB FEATURE GIVE MOHAWK VALLEY TOURISTS NEW TOOL - People considering a visit to areas of upstate New York can now explore hundreds of options through a new Internet feature developed by the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor Commission.

STATE PARK OPENS - With baby Jeremy riding comfortably in his papoose, resident Terry Field said Sunday that he is thrilled to be able to walk in the park with his family. Ten weeks after Schodack Island State Park was closed due to state budget cuts, the park on Route 9J reopened Tuesday, December 30.

JANUARY 2010

STATE PARKS TO CLOSE - GOVERNOR PATERSON'S 2010-2011 BUDGET PROPOSAL SLASHES STATE PARK FUNDING, INESCAPABLY FORCING PARK CLOSINGS - If the Governor’s budget proposal is enacted, State Parks’ operating budget will have been slashed 40 percent over the last two years, resulting in the closing of many state parks, asserts Parks & Trails New York, the not-for profit advocate for New York’s state park system. 

PARKS & TRAILS NEW YORK AWARDS NINE GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN PARK AND TRAILS GROUPS AROUND THE STATE - Nine Capacity Building Grants awarded today by the park and trail advocacy group Parks & Trails New York will provide not-for-profit park and trail organizations with the tools and expertise they need to survive and thrive in these challenging economic times.  Funds will be used to increase organizational visibility and generate community support, grow membership, and attract additional volunteers. 

PARKS & TRAILS NEW YORK REACTS TO GOVERNOR PATERSON'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS - Governor Paterson missed an opportunity in his State of the State address to set an environmental agenda that would create jobs and protect our state’s parks, trails, and green spaces. “An investment in public parks, trails, and green spaces not only helps the environment, public well being, and beauty of our state, but creates economic benefits as well,” said Shawn McConnell, Park Campaign Director for New York Trails & Parks. New York’s State Park system generates $1.9 billion

PARKS & TRAILS NEW YORK SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR 2010 GREENWAY AND COMMUNITY TRAIL AWARDS- Parks & Trails New York, a statewide parks and trails advocacy organization, is seeking nominations for its 2010 Greenway and Community Trail Awards.  The awards recognize the leadership, creativity, and donation of time, talent, and materials behind many of New York’s trails.

NOVEMBER 2009

FIVE NEW TRAIL PROJECTS TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE FROM PARKS & TRAILS NEW YORK - Five New York trail projects have been selected to receive assistance from the statewide nonprofit organization Parks & Trails New York as part of its Healthy Trails, Healthy People program.  The program is aimed at helping New Yorkers develop more active communities and an enhanced quality of life by creating new or increasing the usage of existing multi-use trails.  As part of the program, selected communities will receive help with technical issues, planning, public outreach, grant writing, fundraising, programming, organizational development and other activities critical to the long-term success of trail projects.

OCTOBER 2009

PARKS & TRAILS NEW YORK OFFERS GRANTS FOR PARKS AND TRAIL GROUPS- Grants aim to boost organizational capacity - Parks & Trails New York is launching the next round of its Capacity Building Grants for park and trail groups in New York State.  The grants, of up to $3,000, will strengthen not-for-profit organizations that are working to build and protect parks and trails in communities across the state. 

SEPTEMBER 2009

NEW ON-LINE GUIDE TO MULTI-USE TRAILS IN NYS - VISIT TRAIL FINDER AT WWW.PTNY.ORG/TRAILFINDER -
Parks & Trails New York has launched a new on-line guide to multi-use trails in New York State, just in time for the best outdoor season of the year--fall. Called TrailFinder, the site focuses on trails and greenways that allow multiple uses—such as walking, bicycling, in-line skating, cross-country skiing and, in some cases, horseback riding and snowmobiling. TraiFinder includes 11 trails, totaling more than 1200 miles.

AUGUST 2009

GREAT HUDSON VALLEY PEDAL DAYS 1-3 - Albany → Hudson → Hyde Park - 150 cyclists take six-day tour through Hudson Valley - 5th annual Great Hudson Valley Pedal tour starts August 11 in Albany - ALBANY, N.Y. – Some 150 bicyclists from 25 states and Canada are participating in the 5th annual Great Hudson Valley Pedal event, organized by Parks & Trails New York, a statewide not-for-profit organization.  The 200-mile bicycle tour ends on Sunday, August 16 in New York City.

Great Hudson Valley Pedal - Days 4-6:  Hyde Park → Garrison → Nyack → NYC150 cyclists take six-day tour through Hudson Valley -5th annual Great Hudson Valley Pedal tour ends in NYC August 16 - ALBANY, N.Y. – Some 150 bicyclists from 25 states and Canada are participating in the 5th annual Great Hudson Valley Pedal event, organized by Parks & Trails New York, a statewide not-for-profit organization.  The 200-mile bicycle tour ends on Sunday, August 16 in New York City.

JULY 2009

MAY 2009

BICYCLISTS BRING BUSINESS! FREE ROUNDTABLE - Free Roundtable will Discuss How to Attract and Profit from the Growing Trail Tourist Market The New York State Canal Corporation is partnering with Parks & Trails New York to present a free roundtable on taking advantage of the growing bicycle tourist market. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Crandall Public Library, 251 Glen Street, Glens Falls.

CROSS-STATE BICYCLE TOUR ALONG ERIE CANAL 400-MILE BICYCLE TOUR FROM BUFFALO TO ALBANY SCHEDULED FOR JULY 12-19, 2009 - The 11th annual cross-state bicycle tour along the Erie Canal – Cycling the Erie Canal – is scheduled for July 12-19, 2009. Cycling the Erie Canal is an eight-day, 400-mile, recreational bicycle tour from Buffalo to Albany along the legendary Erie Canal.

MARCH 2009

ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NYS PARK SYSTEM CLOSE TO $2 BILLION, PLUS 20,000 JOBS, NEW STUDY FINDS - Analysis reveals Park System gives back more than five times state investment - A new economic analysis released by Parks & Trails New York, the leading statewide park and trail advocacy organization, shows that the New York State Park System is a valuable economic asset to the Empire State. It supports up to $1.94 billion in output and sales for private businesses, plus 20,000 jobs.

ERIE CANALWAY TRAIL WEBSITE WINS NATIONAL AWARD - Parks & Trails New York interactive website (ptny.org/bikecanal) named “Best Travel and Tourist Site for Trails” by American Trails. A website about the Erie Canalway Trail, developed by Parks & Trails New York, the leading statewide advocate for parks and trails, has been named the “Best Travel and Tourism Site for Trails” by American  Trails, the foremost national trails organization.

JANUARY 2009

• PARKS & TRAILS NEW YORK AWARDS EIGHT GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN PARK AND TRAIL GROUPS AROUND THE STATE - Eight Capacity Building Grants awarded today by the park and trail advocacy group Parks & Trails New York will provide not-for-profit park and trail organizations with the tools and expertise they need to survive and thrive in these challenging economic times. Funds will be used to increase organizational

JANUARY 2009

BUILD IT AND THEY WILL BIKE - Bicycling may still not be taken seriously by many motorists, but, fortunately, public officials are starting to — and at the highest levels. The Congressional Bicycle Caucus is now 180 strong, with most of its members commuting to work in the U.S. Capitol on their human-powered machines.

NOVEMBER2008

ASSISTING STATE PARKS -PRIVATE FUNDING WILL HELP ADVANCE PROJECTS - New York has many wonderful state parks that provide sites for recreation and appreciation of natural beauty.

TRAILS CONNECT WITH NATURE - Recent Times Union articles have addressed ideas for creating recreational trails in our region. In Rensselaer County, efforts to develop a trail network began two years ago and are showing significant progress.