Parks & Trails New York has announced the recipients of $50,000 in grants to support communities participating in the Genesee Valley Trail Town initiative.
“The Genesee Valley Region is truly a recreation destination and these unique communities serve as gateways for area residents and visitors seeking entertainment, art, architecture, and adventure,” said Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York. “This funding will not only spur investments to reinvigorate downtown districts, but it will continue the great work underway to unify local stakeholders and community groups dedicated to the promotion and sustainability of local culture, character, and outdoor recreation.”
The grants will enable the Genesee Valley Trail Towns to 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.
Grants will be awarded in conjunction with the Genesee Valley Trail Town Initiative, a collaborative effort between Letchworth Gateway Villages, Parks & Trails New York, the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway, Genesee Valley Greenway State Park, and ten communities along the 90-mile Genesee Valley Greenway in Western New York. The Trail Town Initiative aims to boost outdoor tourism, create more resilient communities and support the region’s post-COVID recovery.
The Genesee Valley Trail Town communities are: the towns of Caneadea, Cuba and Hume in Allegany County, the towns of Avon, Geneseo, Mount Morris, Nunda, and York in Livingston County, the town of Wheatland in Monroe County, and the town of Perry in Wyoming County.
The Genesee Valley Trail Town Grants are made possible by funding from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.
Awardees include:
•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.
Parks & Trails New York is New York’s leading statewide advocate for parks and trails, dedicated since 1985 to improving our health, economy, and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green space. For more information, visit http://www.ptny.org.
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