|
Tuesday, March 3, 2009 7:11 PM EST
Project will link communities by ‘hike and bike’ trail
By Tyler Briggs
Olean Times Herald
BELMONT - Some people in Allegany County are hoping their latest project makes a big splash.
The Allegany County Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with the Allegany County Soil and Water Conservation District to spearhead the Genesee River Wilds Project.
The project coordinators hope to accomplish several goals, Sherry Grugel, executive director of the chamber, said, ultimately creating a trail system connecting Rochester to Williamsport, Pa.
Some goals will help the environment, like restoring the health of the Genesee River and reducing soil erosion, which the Soil and Water Conservation District will handle, Ms. Grugel said.
Other goals will help business, like the creation of small parks and increasing tourism, which the chamber will handle.
The series of small parks along the river will offer picnic tables, pavilions, camping areas and places from which to launch boats, Ms. Grugel said.
“That’s going to bolster economic development and encourage more hotels, tourist attractions and stores related to hiking supplies,” Ms. Grugel said. “It’ll bolster the tourism business and adventure business.”
Bill Hart, chairman of the Genesee River Wilds Project Committee working exclusively on the project under the chamber, said the trail system is important.
The project hopes to connect the Genesee Valley Greenway trail with the Wellsville-Addison-Galeton Trail and the Pine Creek Trail in Pennsylvania, providing a “hike and bike” trail from Rochester to Williamsport.
“It’s a long-term goal,” he said. “If we could tie up with that we’d see a lot of new people.”
Other goals for the project are the creation of a county park and possibly the creation of a state park that complements Letchworth State Park.
“It’s comprehensive. To get to this end there’s a lot of pieces to the puzzle,” Mr. Hart said. “It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight.”
The project will take 3 to 5 years to complete, Ms. Grugel said, but it’s crucial for the county.
“From the point of view of the chamber and the county itself, this is long past due,” she said. “It’s something we have to do. It will bring so much more to the county. People aren’t looking to travel a million miles anymore. They’re trying to vacation closer to home. This is the ideal time. We have so many things to offer in the county.”
Mr. Hart pointed to the revitalization of the Wellsboro, Pa., area with the development of the Pine Creek Gorge as a tourist destination. He said the portion of the Genesee River that runs through Allegany County is a great asset.
“We think it’s extremely important. The Genesee River is the most important untapped asset of the county,” he said. “There’s no doubt our county needs some economic help. The river is an asset we have. It would bring tourism money. It’s really an untapped resource. The river has a lot of potential value.”
For more information on the project, visit the Web site www.geneseeriverwilds.org.
(Contact reporter Tyler Briggs at tbriggs@oleantimesherald.com)
 printer friendly version
 e-mail this story
Reader Comments
There are No comments posted. comments to this story.
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of bradfordera.com.
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
|
