submitted by Richard Palmer...

Genesee Valley Greenway hikers rest at historic Lock 90
near Rockville.
                                                                               

Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway
PO Box 42, Mt. Morris, NY 14510
585) 658-2569 www.fogvg.org
fogvg@frontiernet.net


Contact: Karen Ash
kash@frontiernet.net
585-409-5918

Houghton Area Trails Under Discussion
 

Houghton, NY -- January 22, 2008 --- Representatives of the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway (FOGVG) met in early January with Dr. Paul Young, Professor of Psychology at Houghton College in Houghton, NY and Chair of the Houghton Forest Task Force. The purpose of the meeting was to explore possibilities for collaboration between the college, the FOGVG, and the Houghton community at large.

According to Dr. Young, Houghton College owns over 600 acres of forested land in this rural Allegany County town. Most of Houghton Forest is just above the campus, but some is also near the Genesee River and a trail system traverses much of it. Approximately half of these trail-covered acres are intended for equestrian use, with the remainder either in use, or under development, as nature, fitness, meditation, and poetry trails. Much of the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail in Houghton is adjacent to college-owned trails.

Discussions ranged from ways to connect and expand trails and trail amenities to preservation of historic buildings dating from the Genesee Valley Canal era, and developing interpretive materials depicting canal, railroad, and Seneca Indian history. The group is also exploring options for construction of a trail bridge over Houghton Creek southeast of State Route 19.

Dr. Young has agreed to work with the Friends in offering service learning opportunities to students who can take part in developing, administering, tabulating, and analyzing the results of surveys on awareness and use of the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail.

The next meeting is scheduled for the evening of February 4th. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Dr. Young at paul.young@houghton.edu, Karen Ash of FOGVG at kash@frontiernet.net, or call the Friends office at 585-658-2569 for further information.

The Genesee Valley Greenway is being developed and maintained by a partnership involving the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; and the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway. To learn more, contact the Friends at www.fogvg.org, 585-658-2569, or fogvg@frontiernet.net.

 

Annual Genesee Valley Greenway Event takes place in Belfast, NY

by Karen Ash

Belfast, NY - November 14, 2007... Dozens of trail enthusiasts from
Cuba to Rochester joined together on Sunday, November 11th for an
annual hike, potluck dinner, and program as part of the annual
meeting of the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway (FOGVG).

The Genesee Valley Greenway follows the path of the former Genesee
Valley Canal (1840-1878) and Pennsylvania Railroad, Rochester Branch
(1882-1963), passing through five counties (Monroe, Livingston,
Wyoming, Allegany, and Cattaraugus), seventeen townships, and
several villages. Presently, about 52 of its 90 miles are officially
open year-round for hiking, biking, birding, horseback riding,
snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling.

Ron Abraham of Rockville, NY, a trail adopter and FOGVG member since
1999, led a two and one-half hour hike along generally gentle
terrain that included sections of the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail.
The weather couldn't have been better, sunny, with temperatures in
the low fifties.

Participants spent time at Lock 90 of the Genesee Valley Canal
(1840-1878), which has much of its stonework still intact. The group
hiked around a section of Rockville Lake, which was built to supply
water to the Genesee Valley Canal, and observed the final stages of a
project there to install a new culvert and bridge that will open an
additional section of trail. The hikers also stopped in the hamlet of
Rockville (called Caseville during the canal era), and visited the
sites of two bridge projects near Route 305 that, when completed in
2008, will enable the opening of an additional four miles of trail.

The hikers returned to the Belfast United Methodist Church where they
were joined by other FOGVG members to enjoy a most delicious potluck
dinner. Old friends had time to visit, and new friendships were
established. Dinner was followed by a brief FOGVG meeting chaired by
President Ned Holmes.

At 6:00 p.m. the group enjoyed a lively, informative slide
presentation by Allegany County Historian Craig Braack. He could
have titled his talk "The Why & How of Early Canals and
Railroads". Using drawings, charts, and historic photos, Mr. Braack
instructed his audience on why and how early canals and railroads
were built, and noted some interesting information on their
operation. His goal was to provide Greenway trail users with an
understanding of the historic importance of the transportation
corridor they are using, and leave them with discussion topics or
answers to questions for use when meeting a fellow Greenway user.

The Genesee Valley Greenway is being developed and maintained by a
partnership involving the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation; New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation; and the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway. To
learn more, contact the Friends at www.fogvg.org , 585-658-2569 or
email at fogvg@frontiernet.net .
 

 

GREENWAY TRAIL USERS GROUP

HOLDS FIRST MEETING

BY Karen Ash

Caneadea, NY-November 28, 2007... Eighteen Genesee Valley Greenway trail enthusiasts met for the first time on November 27th at the Caneadea United Methodist Church, hosted by members of the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway (FOGVG).

The purpose of the gathering was to establish a local committee for the 12-mile section of trail that runs from Houghton south through Caneadea, Oramel, Belfast, and Rockville.

A local committee is a group of volunteers who enjoy trail-related recreational activities and who work together on trail-related projects of local interest. As committees are formed, they are mentored by volunteers from the FOGVG, but the committees themselves choose what they want to accomplish.

FOGVG Treasurer Joan Schumaker of Nunda narrated a slide presentation depicting the history of the transportation corridor, and outlined goals for future development. NYSDEC Senior Forester Ron Abraham of Rockville, NY, a trail adopter andFOGVG member since 1999, discussed pending infrastructure projects that will enable the opening of additional trail miles in the Houghton-to-Rockville section. He also suggested project ideas for this local committee.

Next, the group expressed individual trail-related goals. These include forming a hiking club; establishing a small park near the new bridge in Caneadea; routine trail clearing and maintenance; placing interpretive signs at key points of historical interest; and using the FOGVG website as a means to communicate with other trail users in the area. Work on these and other projects will begin in the near future.

For more information about this local committee, or to discuss establishing a similar group for another section of the Greenway, please contact Karen Ash at kash@frontiernet.net or 585-409-5918.

The Genesee Valley Greenway is being developed and maintained by a partnership involving the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; and the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway. To learn more, contact the Friends at www.fogvg.org, 585-658-2569, or fogvg@frontiernet.net.