Genesee Valley Trail Town Initiative

Thanks to support from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, PTNY is partnering with Letchworth Gateway Villages and the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway to provide programming, develop materials and supply seed grants to communities along the 90-mile Genesee Valley Greenway, that will help them become more welcoming to bicyclists and other trail visitors. Our work will provide villages and towns in the region with the tools to fully benefit from trail tourism.

Genesee Valley Trail Town Grants

In 2022 and 2023, PTNY awarded a total of $100,000 in funding to Genesee Valley Trail Towns to support initiatives to enhance outdoor recreation and increase connectivity between the Genesee Valley Greenway and neighboring communities. The grants allowed Genesee Valley Trail Towns to boost and take advantage of visitation to the Genesee Valley Greenway and other outdoor recreational resources in the area, foster place-making efforts, create safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians in Trail Town communities, and implement projects identified in the Genesee Valley Trail Town Initiative’s community action plans. The Genesee Valley Trail Town Grants were awarded by PTNY, and made possible by funding from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation.

Genesee Valley Trail Town Grant Awarded Projects

2022 Awarded Projects

Greater Wheatland Area Chamber of Commerce ($11,353) – The construction of a kiosk in Scottsville’s Canawaugus Park and Mumford’s Freeman Park, wayfinding signage, parking signs, crosswalk signage on Scottsville and Mumford’s Main Streets, historical interpretive signs, and a bike repair station and bike racks in Genesee Valley Greenway State Park.
Perry Main Street Association ($11,000) - Signage in multiple locations and a self-service tool kiosk for bike service along the Silver Lake Trail (SLT).
Town of York Trail Town Committee ($7,642) - Parking signs at the Piffard trailhead, a kiosk, bike rack, and bench at the Fowlerville trailhead, a bike rack and a bench at York Landing, signage on River Road, and promotional materials.
Village of Nunda ($5,098) – A trailhead kiosk, bike rack and benches along the Nunda Branch Trail of Genesee Valley Greenway State Park, and parking signs and a bike rack in the Village of Nunda.
Town of Hume ($5,000) – Demolition of former tennis court in town-owned park space directly adjacent to the greenway in preparation for the site to be used as a community gateway, and the purchase and installation of bicycle racks at three locations.
Village of Geneseo ($3,123) – Completion of the Geneseo Loop Trail, including drainage and trail maintenance, marking the trail with blazes and directional signage, and placing benches along the trail.
Town of Caneadea ($3,100) - Wayfinding and safety signage for public trails and disc golf courses in Houghton, and the installation of an informational kiosk at a river access site in Houghton, making the site a new pocket park and informational hub.
Letchworth Gateway Villages ($2,185) - Printing of Genesee Valley Trail Town marketing materials, including brochures, community customizable brochure inserts, rack cards and square cards.
Cuba Friends of Architecture ($1,500) - The purchase of three cloud-linked digital information displays and cloud-based digital signage devices that will allow the Cuba Trail Town committee to display general trail information, trail maps, trail history, local events, weather, town, charity, cultural and tourist information through digital feeds and locally created media.

Read our full press release announcing the grant awards.

2023 Awarded Projects

Congratulations to our 2023 Grant Award Recipients!

Town of Hume ($10,000) – Providing a designated rest area through the construction of an open-air pavilion on the site of the former tennis court just off the Greenway in the hamlet of Fillmore.
Town of York ($7,015) – Enhancing the user experience by installing wayfinding signage, ADA-compliant picnic tables, and a bicycle repair station.
Cuba Friends of Architecture ($6,026) – Improving the west end of the greenway by installing a picnic table, bench, bike rack and dog waste station, and properly sealing concrete abutments with graffiti-resistant sealant.
Town of Caneadea ($6,000) – Highlighting local heritage by contributing towards programming and event support for the first Caneadea Seneca Field Days event in July 2023.
Village of Scottsville ($5,853) – Improving access by creating five new ADA designated handicapped parking spaces at Canawaugus Park and a concrete pathway connecting the parking area to the Greenway.
Perry Main Street Association ($5,853) – Creating additional community connections to and activating the Silver Lake Trail by expanding a public art play structure.
Village of Geneseo ($5,835) – Installing wooden trail signs marking the Geneseo Loop Trail, and bicycle repair stations at Village Park and Highland Park in Geneseo.
Village of Avon ($3,417) –Driving foot, bicycle, horse, and snowmobile traffic to the downtown area with new wayfinding and directional signage.

Read the full press release announcing the grant awards.

Genesee Valley Grants are now Trail Town Grants

The Genesee Valley Trail Town Grants program has expanded to include Trail Towns along the Empire State Trail in Western New York.

Learn More About Trail Town Grants

Genesee Valley Trail Town Handbook

The Genesee Valley Trail Town handbook (also available in print layout design) provides an overview of the three-year Genesee Valley Trail Town initiative. In coordination and partnership with Letchworth Gateway Villages, Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway, and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, this handbook distills best practices and offers guidance on developing a comprehensive outdoor recreation tourism strategy. The handbook includes marketing and promotion materials, opportunities and methods for collaboration, and steps to create community and region-wide community branding to leverage outdoor resources for economic development

Data Collection

Trail user counts serve as a valuable promotion and advocacy engagement tool. Trail user data can help decision makers understand the demand for maintaining and enhancing trails, justify current and future levels of support for the trail, and provide a base from which to evaluate the impact of the trail on surrounding towns, villages, cities, and counties.

PTNY took the data gathered from trail user counts between 2021 and 2023 to develop the Who's on the Trail: Genesee Valley Greenway report.

Companion document: Who’s on the Trail: GVG Methodology

Promotion

PTNY helped get the the Genesee Valley Greenway Instagram account off the ground, growing the account to 1K followers before transferring ownership to NYS OPRHP. The page provides trail status and condition updates, and seeks to highlight locations, events and opportunities along the trail as a complement to Explore Genesee Valley, with the goal of boosting the visibility of the Greenway and the Trail Towns. Follow and share this account with those who want to stay up to date on Greenway happenings.

Genesee Valley Trail Town Initiative Partners

Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway

Interactive Map of the Genesee Valley Greenway

Letchworth Gateway Villages

Genesee Valley Greenway State Park (NYS OPRHP)

GVGSP Action Plan

About the Genesee Valley Greenway

The Genesee Valley Greenway is a 90-mile former canal towpath and railway bed that runs from Rochester south to Hinsdale in Western New York, passing through Monroe, Livingston, Wyoming, Allegany and Cattaraugus Counties. The Genesee Valley Greenway trail includes gravel, packed cinder, and mowed surfaces. The only paved surface runs for a short distance in Rochester's Genesee Valley Park and the trail is stone dust between Avon and Scottsville. The trail is approximately 12 feet wide. Some sections are still under development or closed due to current trail conditions, and require on-road detours.

View an interactive map of the Genesee Valley Greenway at map.fogvg.org.

PTNY’s History with the Greenway

PTNY was instrumental in establishing the greenway, beginning in 1990 when we approached landowner Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) about initiating efforts to develop 50 miles of its former canal and railroad corridor as the Genesee Valley River and Canal Greenway.

In 1991, PTNY announced the formation of a 40-member steering committee that would guide the project. Staff organized numerous steering committee meetings, town meetings, inventories of the corridor, trail clearings, and local donations of labor and materials. Based on public input, PTNY also designed a logo for the trail, prepared and distributed a multi-page trail plan, and engaged in broad-based promotional efforts.

In 1993, PTNY initiated the formation of the nonprofit Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway, Inc. (FOGVG) to help ensure the Greenway’s continued development and maintenance and provided funds for the organization to hire a part-time director.

In 1994, thanks to these early efforts, New York State was awarded federal funds to purchase the entire 90-mile former rail and canal corridor from RG&E and develop it as the Genesee Valley Greenway.

In 2017, PTNY awarded FOGVG a grant from our Park and Trail Partnership Program for a new website, promotional materials, and interactive map. For more than 25 years, PTNY has served as a resource for FOGVG as it works to ensure the miles of Greenway continue to grow, are well maintained, and attract an increasing number of visitors and trailside residents.