Spring 2017 Want the ideal hike or bike ride? Season Begins

Plan one yourself! Sixth Annual I Love My Park Day

You pick the date, Celebration May 6 spot, and length, and perhaps even offer a I Love My Park Day T o register your theme according to (ILMPD) is the perfect attendance, use the your favorite interest, way to return to the special I Love My Park be it railroad history or Greenway after the site at www.ptny.org/ those short-lived winter, get some ilovemypark/; email spring blossoms on the exercise, meet other [email protected]; Greenway friends, and or leave a message at 585 forest floor. give back to the trail in -659- 2569. Send your offer of a the process. I Love My Park Day was guided trek to: From 9:00 a.m. until noon on initiated in 2012 by State Editor Irene Szabo Saturday, May 6, YOU and May 6 Parks (OPRHP) and Parks & [email protected] your family and friends are Trails (PTNY) to 9:00 a.m. invited to meet at Little Black organize volunteers to Next deadline is Creek Park on Scottsville improve and enhance New 1 June Little Black Road in the Monroe Creek Park York’s state parks and historic town of Chili to help pick up sites and bring visibility to the

Inside this Issue debris, remove tires, trim entire state park system. Since President’s Message 2 brush, and rake the area that ILMPD began, the Friends of Hike and Bike Ride 3 includes an historic canal culvert and waste the Genesee Valley Greenway have Schedule weir. Bring water, gloves and hand tools participated in events at 11 Greenway sites. Groveland Trail Section 4-5 (rakes, loppers, hand clippers). Snacks will Opened be provided.

Large Turnout for First 6 Day Hike Getting to Scottsville Road Parking Lot The Parking Lot is located on the west side of Scottsville Road in the town of Chili, directly north of An Appreciation for the 7 84 Lumber and south of the intersection with Paul Road. Trail

National Trails Day 7

Celebration Schumaker Joan

Visiting an Irish 8-9 Cemetery

Groveland-Sonyea Trail 10 Section Map ILMPD volunteers and Greenway staff at the Mt. Morris/Leicester Pocket Park at the bridge

Conservation Environmental NYS Genesee Valley Greenway Valley Genesee .

motorized recreational opportunities for the general public along the the along public general the for opportunities recreational motorized - non other promote

0645 - 372 - 716 - Rangers Forest DEC NYS

Preservation (OPRHP) Genesee Valley Greenway Management Plan and to support and and support to and Plan Management Greenway Valley Genesee (OPRHP) Preservation Police State York New the call hours, After Counties Allegany and Wyoming

2466 - 226 - 585 - Officers guidelines established in the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Historic and Recreation Parks, of Office State York New the in established guidelines

7000 - 851 - 716 Officers 2466 - 226 - 585 Officers

Conservation Environmental NYS

maintenance of New York’s Genesee Valley Greenway State Park in accordance with with accordance in Park State Greenway Valley Genesee York’s New of maintenance

Conservation Environmental NYS Conservation Environmental NYS

The mission of the Friends is to assist in the development, protection, promotion, and and promotion, protection, development, the in assist to is Friends the of mission The 4692 - 658 - 585 - NYS Park Police Police Park NYS The unlawful use

of motor vehicles,Greenway. 0645 - 372 - 716 Rangers Forest DEC NYS 4692 - 658 - 585 Police Park NYS

Counties Livingston and Monroe 7000 - 851 - 716 -

Officers Officers especially ATVs, is on the Genesee Valley Valley Genesee the on Counties Allegany and Wyoming Counties Livingston and Monroe 1993. in incorporated organization, membership profit - for - not 501(c)(3)

prohibited on the

CANNOT BE RIDDEN RIDDEN BE CANNOT

The Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway, Inc. (the Friends, or simply "FOGVG") is a a is "FOGVG") simply or Friends, (the Inc. Greenway, Valley Genesee the of Friends The

In an Emergency Call 911 Call Emergency an In Genesee Valley it snowmobile,

In an Emergency Call 911 Call Emergency an In

Greenway.

a isn’t and Officers Enforcement Law Greenway Contact To How

How to Contact Greenway Law Enforcement Officers Enforcement Law Greenway Contact to How Help spread the motor a has it If

you out on the trail listed on page 3, the opportunity to to opportunity the 3, page on word listed to thosetrail whothe on out you

officers, the better they can be in addressing an an addressing in be can they better the officers,

may not be aware. The more information that can be supplied to the the to supplied be can that information more The In addition, note Greenway activities scheduled to get get to scheduled activities Greenway note addition, In

may not be aware. be not may

” them. address to patrols detail ll ’ we

word to those who If itwho has those a motorto word

you have specific problems, let us know. Then Then know. us let problems, specific have you

the spread Help 7).

If If “

Conservation Officer Lieutenant Peter Barton, Barton, Peter Lieutenant Officer Conservation and it isn’t a

Greenway.

911.” call emergency, an In Environmental DEC to According help. s ’ public of trail between Paul and Ballantyne Roads. (See page page (See Roads. Ballantyne snowmobile,and Paul it between trail of

Genesee Valley Valley Genesee complaints directly to a law enforcement agency. agency. enforcement law a to directly complaints

issues or concerns, but cannot do so without the the without so do cannot but concerns, or issues CANNOT BE

mile paved section section paved mile - two new a of opening the marking

information regarding a violation and relay their their relay and violation a regarding information forces. These officers are eager to address any any address to eager are officers These forces.

prohibited on the RIDDENthe on on theprohibited

celebrate National Trails Day and a ribbon cutting cutting ribbon a and Day Trails National celebrate is ATV’s, especially encourage people to gather and record specific specific record and gather to people encourage

working together and with state and local police police local and state with and together working Genesee Valley

Conservation Officers and Forest Rangers, Rangers, Forest and Officers Conservation most appropriate and quick response, we we response, quick and appropriate most vehicles, motor

Join us again at Little Black Creek Park on June 3 to to 3 June on Park Creek Black Greenway. Little at again us Join

Park Police and State DEC Environmental Environmental DEC State and Police Park In order to assure the the assure to order In “ Police, Park State York

The unlawful use of of use unlawful The

See a problem on the Greenway? Let Enforcement Officers Know! Officers Enforcement Let Greenway? the on problem a See

Greenway law enforcement is provided by State State by provided is enforcement law Greenway issue. According to Major David Page of the New New the of Page David Major to According issue.

volunteers to help spruce up Little Black Creek Park. Park. Creek Black Little up spruce help to volunteers

us on May 6 for I Love My Park Day when we need need we when Day Park My Love I for 6 May on us

trail! the on you See

Greenway News Greenway of page front the on noted As June. , join join ,

Region 9 Real Property staff have already monumented the the monumented already have staff Property Real 9 Region

important events at Little Black Creek Park in May and and May in Park Creek Black Little at events important

threatening both the Greenway and Route 19 near Oramel. Oramel. near 19 Route and Greenway the both threatening

us. join please Friends, the

project to stabilize a section of Crawford Creek that is is that Creek Crawford of section a stabilize to project [email protected]

Now you are invited to return to Chili for two very very two for Chili to return to invited are you Now

DEC and New York State DOT will be working together on a a on together working be will DOT State York New and DEC

If you have yet to renew or become a new member of of member new a become or renew to yet have you If

Email Addr Email

ess

turnout for our New Years First Day Hike in Chili. Chili. in Hike Day First Years New our for turnout

cleared sections of the trail as well. well. as trail the of sections cleared

New Note

trimmed overhanging limbs and mowed along the previously previously the along mowed and limbs overhanging trimmed

The year got off to a great start with an impressive impressive an with start great a to off got year The

page. Facebook our maintains and

and Hughes Street, where the trail grade exceeded 5%. They They 5%. exceeded grade trail the where Street, Hughes and

currently being built. The crew installed ramps at Lake Road Road Lake at ramps installed crew The built. being currently

, , News Greenway to frequently contributes tier, southern

more pairs of gates have been installed, and additional gates are are gates additional and installed, been have gates of pairs more

line at two locations where encroachment issues existed. Eight Eight existed. issues encroachment where locations two at line since she has volunteered for years leading hikes in the the in hikes leading years for volunteered has she since

the vegetation. They installed wire fencing along the property property the along fencing wire installed They vegetation. the

trail between Belfast and Oramel, using a chipper to dispose of of dispose to chipper a using Oramel, and Belfast between trail on the FOGVG Board. Many of you know Marilee Marilee know you of Many Board. FOGVG the on

Caneadea: - Belfast The DEC Region 9 crew has cleared the the cleared has crew 9 Region DEC The

lives in Black Creek with her husband Joe who is also also is who Joe husband her with Creek Black in lives

Act. Disabilities

Dave’s replacement on the FOGVG Board. Marilee Marilee Board. FOGVG the on replacement Dave’s

exceeded the 5% maximum allowed under the Americans with with Americans the under allowed maximum 5% the exceeded

also installed a ramp at Dugway Road where the trail grade grade trail the where Road Dugway at ramp a installed also

I am most pleased to welcome Marilee Patterer as as Patterer Marilee welcome to pleased most am I to aid DEC Forest Rangers in enforcing ATV laws. The crew crew The laws. ATV enforcing in Rangers Forest DEC aid to

Vehicles Prohibited Vehicles signs at several road crossings in Fillmore Fillmore in crossings road several at signs ”

occasional flooding upstream. They installed installed They upstream. flooding occasional Motorized Motorized “

him. miss will and year past

era stone box culvert that was plugged and causing causing and plugged was that culvert box stone era - railroad

The DEC Region 9 crew cleared the ends of a a of ends the cleared crew 9 Region DEC The Hume:

appreciated his willingness to serve on the board this this board the on serve to willingness his appreciated

Greenway. the of section that follows which Trail, Scenic

has contributed greatly to the organization. We We organization. the to greatly contributed has

were also of benefit to the Finger Lakes Trail / North Country Country North / Trail Lakes Finger the to benefit of also were

are are

had separated and developed a large sinkhole. These projects projects These sinkhole. large a developed and separated had Hinsdale section of the Greenway this fall. Once the boundaries boundaries the Once fall. this Greenway the of section Hinsdale a Charter member of the Friends who for many years years many for who Friends the of member Charter a

era culvert that that culvert era - railroad a repaired also crew The field. s ’ farmer

Region 9 Real Property staff will be surveying the the surveying be will staff Property Real 9 Region Hinsdale:

causing water to flow over the trail and into an adjacent adjacent an into and trail the over flow to water causing

of Directors. Having joined FOGVG in 1994, Dave is is Dave 1994, in FOGVG joined Having Directors. of storms. recent the by downed trees 100

excavator to clean a section of the canal prism that had silted in, in, silted had that prism canal the of section a clean to excavator Road.

necessary to resign his position on the FOGVG Board Board FOGVG the on position his resign to necessary than more the up clean to efforts efficient and fast their The DEC Region 9 crew used an an used crew 9 Region DEC The Falls: Genesee

where it borders the former Conrail bed north of Tibbetts Hill Hill Tibbetts of north bed Conrail former the borders it where

Tibbetts Hill Road. The crew also raked ballast out of the trail trail the of out ballast raked also crew The Road. Hill Tibbetts

In Board news, in February, Dave Wells found it it found Wells Dave February, in news, Board In for Riders Gully and Hill the as such Adopters Trail

Trades. Building in certificate a has Chris while Equipment,

several beaver flooding problems between Route 305 and and 305 Route between problems flooding beaver several

Roy and Josh have certificates in Conservation and Heavy Heavy and Conservation in certificates have Josh and Roy

The DEC Region 9 crew dealt with with dealt crew 9 Region DEC The Hudson: New

First, a big thank you to the State Parks crews and our our and crews Parks State the to you thank big a First,

All four are graduates of the Belmont BOCES center. Eric, Eric, center. BOCES Belmont the of graduates are four All

1: Eric Blitz, Roy Hale, Josh Nickerson and Chris Brunetto. Brunetto. Chris and Nickerson Josh Hale, Roy Blitz, Eric 1:

organization and we need your help. your need we and organization

a box culvert can be installed to carry the trail across the outlet. outlet. the across trail the carry to installed be can culvert box a

Greenway. The Region 9 Greenway crew began work on June June on work began crew Greenway 9 Region The Greenway. connection around the lake outlet until until outlet lake the around connection 101. and

Remember, the Friends are a completely volunteer volunteer completely a are Friends the Remember, participation. 21 work has begun on the Allegany County portion of the the of portion County Allegany the on begun has work 21 - TEA

north of Old Route 16, which contains the remains of Locks 100 100 Locks of remains the contains which 16, Route Old of north

Hinsdale volunteers can start working on the one the on working start can volunteers Hinsdale mile section section mile -

one), or volunteer in the many ways listed on page 11. 11. page on listed ways many the in volunteer or one), your for waiting just opportunities exciting with

dam and lake inlet, which provides a trail monumented, the the monumented, trail a provides which inlet, lake and dam completed. been have mowings Two trail. the

At Rockville Lake, cottage owners have cleared a path along the the along path a cleared have owners cottage Lake, Rockville At

create your own Greenway hike or bike ride (see page page (see ride bike or hike Greenway own your create filled News, Greenway of issue latest this to Welcome for mowing around trail head gates and mowing mowing and gates head trail around mowing for

.

Special thanks to the NYSDEC Operations Crew Crew Operations NYSDEC the to thanks Special Greenway boundary in the project area. project the in boundary Greenway

President’s Message President’s

2 Page

Page 3

Early Season Bike Rides and Walks Greenway Passport Hike Series

In addition to the Passport Hike Series, offered by All Hikes Begin at 10:00 a.m. Genesee Valley Greenway State Park personnel,

FOGVG members will be leading the following bike April 8th – Hike #1 rides and walks. Genesee Valley Park to Scottsville Rd. (Rte. 383) City of Rochester, Chili, Monroe County May 6th – 10:00 a.m. 2.5 miles Walk in the Black Creek Swamp Easy, gently rolling trail with paved surface. Greenway parking area off NY 305, southwest of Belfast, northeast of Cuba May 13th – Hike #2 Walk between miles 80 and 83, one way (we’ll spot cars) through Brook Rd to Black Creek, Chili, Monroe County one of the wildest sections of the trail, 3 miles of the wandering creek, 3.7 miles beaver activity, great variety of trees, on the route of the Pennsylvania Easy, flat trail with cinder surface. Includes historic double-arched Railroad with the ghost of the Erie railroad popping in and out of culvert. sight. Led by a railroad and tree enthusiast. Bring water, bug repellant, snacks. June 10th – Hike #3 Leader: Irene Szabo [email protected] Brook Rd. to Morgan Rd., Chili, Monroe County 585/658-4321 4.3 miles Easy, flat trail with cinder surfacing. Includes Canal Lock #2.

May 20th—10:00 a.m. July 8th – Hike #4 Bike Ride – Avon to York Landing Quaker Rd. (Rte. 251) to Lehigh Valley Trail Avon Erie-Attica Trailhead, Horseshoe Blvd. off Wheatland, Monroe County NY 5/US 20, east of the Genesee River 3.1 miles Easy-paced ride starts and ends in Avon at the Erie-Attica Easy, flat trail with a mixed surface. Includes bridge and abutments trailhead parking lot. Ride heads west to the Greenway and then for Lehigh Valley Black Diamond Railroad trestle. south to York Landing (milepost 24 on Greenway map). ~17 miles round trip. Bring hybrid or mountain bike, helmet, and water. Aug. 12th – Hike #5 Leader: Dave Shaw. Fowlerville Rd. to Lock #5, York

The Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway will hold their Annual meeting on Sunday, LivingstonNovember 7 at theCounty Conference Center in . To reach the Conference Center turn at the large veteran’s memorial monument2.7 miles where you will find Caro- line’s Cottage and signs for the South Maintenance Building. The leftEasy, fork willflat taketrail youwith to a themixed maintenance surface. Includes building stone and signsremaining for from the ConferenceJune Center which24th is— beyond9:00 that a.m. complex. Bike ride – Scottsville to Avon Genesee Valley Canal Lock #5. BeforeCanawaugus the meeting, Park Letchworth Parking State AreaPark Naturalist , Scottsville and Friends member Stephanie Spittal will be leading a walk to the Erie th RideReservoir past a large and oldswamp arboretum. and through The reservoirareas of large was trees,used asto waterthe new supply for the steam trainsSept. and the 9 arboretum – Hike was #6 a dream of Wil- liam Prior Letchworth. The walk starts from the Conference Center at 2 p.m.York Landing to Fowlerville Rd., York Erie -Attica Trail, and into the Village of Avon. After coffee at the VillageAt 4 p.m.,Restaurant Ray Minnick on the Avonwill present circle, we"Canyon will return Light" on, athe 45 same minute multimedia color slide presentationLivingston celebrating County the natural won- routeders to ofCanawaugus the "Grand CanyonPark for of a thetotal East," of 16 the miles. gorge of the Genesee River in Letchworth StatePark. 3.1 Part miles I, "Seasons," shows dynam- Leader:ic images Ned of forest, Holmes. water, wildflowers and wildlife. Part II. "Canyon,Easy, River flat and trail Light," with captures a mixed the surface. song Includesand spirit former of the canalLetch- turning worth canyon with award winning scenic photographs - Nature's art, painted with light. Accompanied by dramatic background music, "CANYON LIGHT" is a personal experience in nature appreciation. Ray is a selfbasins taught and Outdoor/Nature views of Genesee photographer River. who lives in Castile and photographs in the Genesee Valley. His photographs have appeared in and on covers of magazines such as Adirondack Life Country Journal, American Forest, New York State Conservationist, GeneseeOct. Country14th – andHike American #7 Agricultur- ist. His workQuestions has also been for published either in bike travel rideand corporate: brochures, catalogs and calendars. 585-658-2569 or [email protected]. Cuylerville to Piffard, Leicester and York After the program, FOGVG will hold a brief business meeting and election of Board ofLivingston Directors. At Countyabout 5:30 p.m. we will have our traditional delicious dish to pass supper. Please bring a dish to pass and your own table3.5 service. miles Beverages will be sup- plied. Easy, flat trail with a mixed surface. Includes canal-era tavern and Always bring The water! public is invited to attend all the day’s activities. large ponds popular with birders. Page 4

Closing the Gaps in the Genesee Valley Greenway: Correctional Facility and Sonyea State Forest Section Opened

Kristine Uribe, GVG Park Manager March brings on many things… sporadic intense Gates in and trail cleared weather, baseball, daffodils and crocus peeping through Last summer, inmates from the facility were given the the surface, wildlife becoming more active….and the tasks of clearing out a line of brush and prepping the GVG gets to complete another chapter in its book of areas for the installation of the official yellow trail gates. continuity by officially opening a section of trail south A park crew from the Genesee Region installed three of Mt. Morris in Livingston County that has been 20 sets, two at the northern end of the Correctional years in the making. Facility’s property (by the aforementioned detour sign) and another set in the Adjacent rivers and creeks have always A trail section southern end where the trail passes by a played havoc with the GVG and, for 20 years in the large water tower near the boundary this particular section, Keshequa with the Sonyea State Forest, Creek funneled through the bottom of making. administered by DEC. By the time fall a narrow gorge frequently flooded both arrived, crosswalks on Rte. 36 and canal and railroad. The beauty of this area accompanying vehicular signage were installed which includes the 922-acre Sonyea State Forest, comes and completed by the NYS Department of with a price, as the creek has taken out the trail at Transportation (DOT). OPRHP and DEC worked numerous locations along the original together to spread some material canal and railway path. Creating bank to fill holes along the dirt road the stability and trail crossings in such an Greenway will be utilizing as its ever-changing environment would be trail through the State Forest. In impossibly costly and has caused the the meantime, representatives pioneers of our Greenway corridor from OPRHP and DOCCS to think outside of that proverbial worked on the placement and box on how to close this gap in the installation of guideline and trail in other ways. (You’re right: it Irene Szabo Irene directional signage along the route was an insane place to build a canal through the prison property. and a railroad.)

Plan ahead for parking One way that has been in the works The Greenway follows a dirt road through Sonyea State Forest. There can be NO parking allowed is to bring the trail through the anywhere on the correctional facility Groveland Correctional Facility. Currently, the trail runs premises or at the newly installed gates at either end. on the former rail bed and canal path on the east side of Read the sidebar on page five about special rules for N.Y. 36 heading south out of Mt Morris and then crossing Groveland Correctional property. As the detours onto Rte. 36 itself to avoid traveling through prison property is more than two miles long, it is best to the correctional facility. What started 20 years ago as a plan your journey and establish your parking location creative solution turned into many years of discussions beforehand. The Connor Avenue parking lot is among NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic approximately two miles north of and closest to the Preservation (OPRHP), Department of Environmental prison’s north end; another two miles will cover the Conservation (DEC), and Department of Corrections prison property, and another two miles could bring you and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to ensure this to a good parking spot within the State Forest. Plan for venture could be done safely for everyone. Negotiations at least a six-mile walk or bike ride, just one way. led to some compromising by all parties, which is how it should work, and the results are what we have today. Continued on page 5

Page 5

Closing the Gaps continued from page 4 Groveland Facility section. As a good neighbor policy, it was agreed to give the Correctional Facility Other parking options advance notice of any organized group hikes along Mt. Morris is a huge supporter of the Greenway and the Greenway. Out of courtesy and respect, anyone offers quite a few established parking areas for the interested in doing a group hike should contact GVG trail along Rte. 36 in addition to the Connor Avenue park manager Kristine Uribe (585) 493-3614 at least a parking area. Trail parking lots closer to the village of week prior to gathering. Mt. Morris include the Mt. Morris Veterans Park which has a good sized lot and offers a great place to It took multiple agencies numerous years of reflect and honor our vets and the newly created conversation and cooperation to get us to this point. parking lot off State Street (Rte. 408 north) in the Let’s do the right thing so we can all move this trail middle of the village that was officially dedicated last forward. June on National Trails Day.

Accessing the Greenway from Sonyea State Forest If you wish to obtain access to the trail from the State Forest, drive or bike Union Corners Rd. north from N.Y. 258 east of Tuscarora. There is a good graveled parking area on the left, west, a little way into the

Forest. The Forest Road goes north, then turns east Kristine Uribe (right) downhill through a swampy area, then offers a 90 degree left turn.

Straight ahead is a See page 10 for map with trail dead end. Once route and parking locations. you make that left, Orange signage with blue lettering advises of the the yellow gates special conditions for are not far beyond. crossing the premises. You cannot park at the gates here, either, for prison security reasons, of course, and RULES FOR CROSSING GROVELAND because there are some swampy areas to either side of CORRECTIONAL FACILITY PROPERTY the dirt road. There is no good reason to drive past that right turn mentioned above, where there is a sign 1. No photographs of any kind. about stopping invasive species. There are trails down 2. Do not deviate from the well-marked off the dirt road which lead to parts of the Keshequa path. Gorge, which we will explore during the FOGVG 3. No parking allowed anywhere on the annual meeting next November. premises or at the newly installed gates at either end. Signage and kiosk to come 4. No use during hours of darkness. Trail Discussions are already in the works with DEC to hours are sunup to sundown. build an informational kiosk at the Greenway gate 5. Snowmobiling is not allowed. Hiking, area bordering Sonyea State Forest near the hilltop biking, horseback riding, cross-country water towers. Signage establishing the GVG south skiing and snowshoeing are permitted through the Forest and beyond will be next. through the grounds. 6. Security personnel may approach you Advance notification need for group hikes and ask questions. As long as you are on OPRHP and the FOGVG are doing their best to the marked trail during proper hours, create and offer some interpretive hikes through the there should not be a problem. Page 6

Kristine Uribe

Off to a Great Start! Large Turnout for First Day Hike

A bright and sunny first day of 2017 drew more than woodlands of the Genesee Land Trust Brookdale 60 people to the Genesee Valley Greenway for an Preserve. Lorna Wright, the Land Trust’s Director of invigorating and informative First Day Hike along the Conservation Programs, was on hand to provide the trail in the Town of Chili. Participants came from as far walkers with more information about this 275 acres of away as Geneva and Belfast for this second annual meadows, woodland, and wetlands open to the public. event. “We were thrilled with the large number The second group, led by of people who came State Parks naturalist Elijah out – FOGVG Kruger, traveled about a mile members, interested Gotcsik Fran south to the c.1840 Genesee individuals, and Valley Canal Lock #2. members of ADK, According to FOGVG board

Genesee Land Trust, member Irene Szabo, Szabo Irene Genesee Valley Hiking Club, and the Rochester Area “Heading just barely west of Nature Photography Meet Up Group,” said FOGVG straight south, our walk was lit president Joan Schumaker. clearly by welcome sunshine from Brook Road down to Lock #2, bright sun that As an unexpected bonus, everyone received a green illuminated those patches of ice remaining on the fleece scarf with an embroidered snowflake, a welcome ground. Walkers milled around the lock's stone walls, gift from State the best preserved of the whole canal's structures, both Parks on a chilly along the top edges and down in the bottom. We could morning. look down the rounded grooves that held the lock

Gotcsik Fran doors' hinge posts and admire rectangular pockets in The numbers were the stone walls where the open doors could tuck into. I large so one group, was excited to see the lock in morning light as all my led by FOGVG previous visits had been in early evening during volunteer Fran Gotcsik, headed two miles north to the maintenance tours made with a group who had unique stone double-arched Genesee Valley Canal adopted this section some years ago.” culvert that now carries the trail over Black Creek. The group spent considerable time reading the interpretive “The First Day Hike program is a great way for signs and walking down the banks of the creek to patrons to begin the new year. It gives families an marvel at the massive stone structure, unbelievably opportunity to start a new tradition, make some great constructed c. 1840 without the machines of today. memories, and observe winter’s beauty,” added For much of the walk, the trail was bordered by the Greenway Park Manager Kristine Uribe. Page 7 An Appreciation for the Greenway Trail Story and Photos by Edwin Ortiz

Edwin Ortiz is the man wearing the helmet in the top photo One day I decided to ride from Rochester to on page 6. He arrived at the First Day hike riding his fat Letchworth State Park and I made it. The Genesee tire bike. In chatting with him, he agreed to share his Valley Greenway is amazing, the way it was built, its remarkable story of how the Greenway has changed his life. history, and the river. I like imagining those old days Edwin came to the Rochester area in 1989 from Puerto Rico we see hints of. when in high school.—Editor. Then this trail opened my mind to the idea of riding My life changed when I other rail trails in the state, so since then I have stopped playing explored lots of trails. It is so relaxing for me to ride basketball. Because that along, just me and my bike, while I imagine those sport had old days and just smile, looking at God’s caused creation. I love these beautiful an journeys. The Greenway changed my way of seeing life. I injury to my knee, I almost died from a started to ride and never blood clot because of lack stopped. of movement of my leg.

So about five years ago I asked myself what I could do next, which is when biking came to my mind. I started to ride and remember that I started on the Erie Canalway Trail and the Genesee Valley Greenway was next on my list.

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY June 3, 2017 10:00 a.m. Closing the Gaps Celebrating Trail Completion Little Black Creek Park, Chili Join the FOGVG, State Parks staff, and community leaders at Little Black Creek Pocket Park (north of 84 Lumber) on Scottsville Road in Chili at 10 AM to celebrate National Trails Day and the completion of two miles of Greenway adjacent to Scottville Road. The newly paved trail will close a long-standing gap between Paul and Ballantyne Roads. Ceremonies will be followed by refreshments and guided Greenway walks

National Trails Day, now in its 24th year, is a national event , organized by the American Hiking Society and designed to unite all muscle-powered trail activities with the goal of connecting more people to trails. Page 8

By Irene Szabo and Ron Abraham

There is a delightful mile-plus of the Greenway to walk down near Rockville, ten miles north of Cuba, that offers a journey along a mossy path under handsome maple and oak trees, above a tumbling rocky fast- Ron Abraham moving patch of Black Creek, and beside lots of historic leftovers, including an old Irish cemetery. It’s all very scenic and enjoyable, and in 2002 was saved

from an almost immediate end by the construction of a Lock 85. Never mind the painted “Lock 79” modern bridge at Rockville that connected the Greenway to this inside the lock, visible across from the Greenway. Lock 79 is actually north at area and its Belfast. historic resources. Locks #87-89 were built in the creek While Black bed. Half of Lock

Irene Szabo Irene 87 is visible from Creek is flowing across the creek. downhill toward Lock 89 is at the

the Genesee dead end of Lake River, the canal The Rockville Bridge was made Ron Abraham Road under the was still climbing possible by Seneca Trail Resource red foot bridge. Conservation and Development You can still see in this stretch the wooden Agency which donated the wooden Lock #87 between Belfast decking and Allegany County Public timbers in the and Black Creek, Works, which fabricated the creek at Lock 89. so locks were steelwork and poured new concrete plentiful. There on top of the abutments. There must have were ten of them, been a modest Locks 81-90, in the three-mile section of Greenway settlement here maintained by Ron Abraham. before the canal was dug, since However, few locks are evident here any longer, partly there is a house timbers because those useful big rocks went into numbers of hole just south of railroad culverts and barn foundations in the area. Lock 85, and it However, lock 85 is discernible, directly below the shows on maps wooden milepost near the so-called Irish Cemetery. that predate the Some of the lock wall is still visible, and if one pays canal, as does a attention, the change in canal prism level can be seen.

schoolhouse Ron Abraham foundation that This segment is best visited when leaves are gone for Ron Abraham has top visibility of changes in the canal’s course and levels, Lock #89

found in the and for sniffing out historic remnants. Sharp observers underbrush. And will even notice sawn off line poles which once carried then when you climb up a short side trail to the signed communications for the railroad. Irish Cemetery,

Page 9

Irish Cemetery continued from page 8 seeps. All that mild weather before this 19-degree day (the high on March 12th) brought their return in you’ll see that most of the graves mark deaths in the 1837-1855 period, so it was a cemetery of short duration AND was begun before the canal could even have reached here.

Irene Szabo Irene

Irene Szabo Irene There would have been no reason for this wall across the canal’s water near Lock #85, so it was likely built using old lock stones after the canal closed as a way to cross the ditch. A local guy heard the railroad filled across the lock, and Beyond the cemetery the ground rises sharply to what parked a handcar or motor car there on a couple was the embankment of the paralleling Erie railroad of short pieces of rail. Ron has mowed a after 1911, so it never could have grown anyway, and footpath that crosses on that fill and then in fact, when that Erie embankment was built, some follows the towpath for a few hundred feet, graves were moved to Belfast. It also features oddly parallel to the Greenway. rocky soil for a graveyard. droves. Wish there was something to feed them, but it Apparently the cemetery was informally adopted by was good to hear their summery voices, along with the Ben Lyons, a retired Conrail engineer from Olean who pileated woodpecker that flew just overhead from had seen it below his tracks in the 1970s (Conrail Rockville Lake. replaced the Erie-Lackawanna which replaced the Erie). He probably was also responsible for the tidbits of “improvement” there, a little paint, a metal pipe fence, and what must be termed over fixing the Getting There milepost. Ben died in 2014 so some mystery person Travel southbound in Allegany County on NY 305 has been maintaining the spot ever since. State Parks below Belfast. Take the second signed Lake Rd. that wishes they knew who that is. heads north away from the highway to Rockville Lake. (The lake was created to store water to run The clearly signed cemetery side trail, which wasn’t the canal locks.) After a turn to the left, the road there at all when this Greenway section was opened to ends, where you can park and access the Greenway. the public with that 2002 bridge installation, heads Walkers turn right onto the Greenway, away from north of the Pennsylvania railbed, where we walk the the stop sign and experience one of the prettiest Greenway currently, crossing an unexplained pieces of this trail. depression. A turning basin? A place where the railroad dug for fill? There is a short steep drop down Don’t put off walking this segment too long, since State Parks to the bottom of the unexplained lower area on the continues to try to buy the southern section of old Conrail (ex-Erie way to the cemetery, then a very small stream to be Railroad “” that ran from Dalton to Cuba) that crossed, and another short steep climb up out of the parallels our Pennsylvania Railroad line in the Black Creek swamp to the south. Should the other railbed become public wide ditch and onto the plane of the cemetery. property, this trail section may not be the Greenway in the future But the woods were full of robins, searching rather as the Conrail line will be used to avoid some of the erosion desperately for something to eat at the edges of wet problems of the former Pennsylvania railbed.– Editor Page 10

Sonyea– Groveland Greenway Section

Thanks to Jo Taylor, FOGVG member and Finger Lakes Trail mapmaker, for creating this helpful map.

See a PROBLEM on the Greenway?

IF IT’S AN EMERGENCY Greenway law enforcement is provided by State Park Police, working together and with state and Dial 911 or call local police forces. Monroe Wyoming, Allegany For non emergency issues call: and and Park Police Dispatch Livingston Counties Cattaraugus Counties 1-800– 255-3577 Greenway Park Manager 585-658-4692 Call 911 585-493-3614 Page 11 Membership News TIME TO RENEW The FOGVG membership year is from September 1 through August 31. If you are not presently a member please join us. For those receiving this newsletter electronically, download and return the membership form attached to the email or use the form on our web site at www.fogvg.org.

A BIG THANK YOU to all our members for their generous support.

Additional Membership Renewals

Ron & Mary Abraham Michele McCall and Amy Stanley Stuart & Yu Chin Allen James McCarthy Sybil Baldwin* Davies Nagel Hal Bauer Wilfred & Maria Olive George & Cindy Briggs* Fred & Gerry Sauter* Jeanne Chesanow Larry & Joy Seaman Roger Easton Steph Spittal Dwight Folts R.W.W. & J.H. Taylor Paul & Gay Frame Mary Innes Wagner Lynn Hamilton Greg Wysocki Myra Herlihy* Kevin Yost Peter & Sally Humphrey John Yunker Keith & Judy Kroon *Membership/Donations of $100 or more HELP WANTED A Very Special Welcome to

FOGVG activities or events don’t happen by our newest members magic. Consider volunteering for one of these jobs. For information and to volunteer: Jim DeVinney (Rochester) Contact Joan Schumaker Elaine Enfonde (Rochester) [email protected] or 585/476-2354 Peter Gradoni (Alfred)

Hike Leaders: National Trails Day, June 3rd

Trail Adopters: Help with trail mowing, pruning, and cleanup. Several trail sections ready for adoption.

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Board of Directors

Joan Schumaker President

Davies Nagel Vice-President Joe Patterer Vice-President

Coleridge Gill Secretary Fran Gotcsik Long Before the Greenway … Treasurer There was a railroad Crystal Abers Jeff Goodyear In 1949, the Buffalo and Ned Holmes Paul MacLean Rochester chapters of the Marilee Patterer National Railway Historical James Maxim Society held an excursion on Steph Spittal Irene Szabo the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) branch that was the Irene Szabo final transportation offering Newsletter Editor along the Genesee Valley

Send your photos and Canal. (Passenger service stories to Irene at had ceased, but the line still [email protected] carried freight until the mid- 1960s). Here the PRR excursion train passes beneath the Erie Railroad's Portageville Viaduct on a www.facebook.com/ Greenway trail section FOGVG/ within Letchworth State www.facebook.com/ Genesee-Valley- Park, currently closed while Greenway-State-Park a replacement bridge is Photo by John M. Prophet, Patrick Connors collection being built.