Bicyclists Bring Business
Parks & Trails New York and the New York State Canal Corporation are excited to hit the trail to Waterford and Cohoes on Monday, September 24 at 5:30 PM for the annual Bicyclists Bring Business roundtable! The discussion will bring together local cyclists, elected officials, tourism pros, and business owners from throughout the Capital Region to discuss how the area can further develop as cycling and outdoor recreation destination. There will also be time to network with business people and tourism professionals from other communities and enjoy some light refreshments. Attendees will receive a copy of Parks & Trails New York’s guidebook, Bicyclists Bring Business: A Guide for Attracting Bicyclists to New York’s Canal Communities.
As a follow-up to the discussion from the night before, a Community Bike-a-Round led by Parks & Trails New York staff will be held Tuesday, September 25. Participants will meet at Peebles Island State Park at 9:00 AM and will ride on parts of the Erie and Champlain Canalway Trails and experience Waterford's and Cohoes’ downtown business districts from a cyclist’s perspective. The ride will make numerous stops to discuss potential connections and opportunities for improved infrastructure, programming and promotion, and will look at amenities being developed as part of the NYS Canal Water Trail System.
According to a 2014 Economic Impact Study of the Erie Canalway Trail, nearly 1.6 million annual visitors to the trail generate over $250 million in annual impact. As part of the Empire State Trail vision laid out by Governor Cuomo, trails will extend from the Cohoes and Waterford area west to Buffalo, north to the Canadian border, and south to New York City. Taking advantage of the area’s location at this important junction will give these communities a unique opportunity to be a hub of cycling activity.
For more information and to RSVP to attend, visit the Bicyclists Bring Business page on Parks & Trails New York's website.