Grants will provide amenities for residents and visitors along Genesee Valley Greenway State Park and in nearby villages and towns.

ALBANY, NY – Parks & Trails New York today announced the recipients of $50,000 in grants to support communities participating in the Genesee Valley Trail Town initiative.

“The Genesee Valley is truly one of the most stunning regions of New York State,” said Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York. “This funding will not only help local communities showcase the unique attractions, services, and amenities available to both visitors and residents, but will also allow them to better promote the diverse experiences that this region has to offer.”

The grants will enable the ten 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 10 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 10 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 towns 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:

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.

About Parks & Trails New York

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. With thousands of members and supporters across the state, PTNY is a leading voice in the protection of New York’s magnificent state park system and the creation and promotion of more than 1,500 miles of greenways, bike paths, river walks, and trails. PTNY’s trail programs, which aim to transform unused transportation and other corridors into vibrant public places, have furthered dozens of trail projects and hundreds of miles of trail over the last 30 years. For more information, visit www.ptny.org.

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