Grant-Funded Snowshoes Offer New Experiences
The Friends of Chenango Valley State Park, one of the many organizations working in partnership with our state parks and historic sites, identified a need among park users and devised a way to get more visitors during the slower winter months. Since 1992 the volunteer-led group has worked in collaboration with the state park, located just north of Binghamton, on stewardship, promotion, and beautification efforts.
In December 2016, the Friends applied for the 2nd round of grant funding through Parks & Trails New York’s Park and Trail Partnership Program (PTPP). PTPP provides funding for Friends groups at New York state parks and historic sites, and recently expanded to include groups supporting Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) properties. The 2017
Spring 2017 awards funded the purchase of fourteen pairs of kid’s snowshoes through the Redfeather Snowshoe School Fitness Program.
This winter Mother Nature provided the Binghamton area with abundant opportunities to break in the snowshoes on Chenango's network of trails. Families visiting the park on Sundays and during the January 20th Pond Hockey Festival were able to explore Chenango Valley's winter wonderland in a new way, floating on top of the snow instead of sinking in.
What a difference! A participant sent us photos from the events accompanied by an enthusiastic testimonial: “First timers! Loved it! A winter activity for all ages. Can't wait to do it again.”