peter j. smith & company, inc. Raquette River Corridor Blueway Trail Plan Acknowledgements Advisory Committee Members The following individuals provided guidance for this project by attending Advisory Committee meetings and by providing comments on draft products: Louise Bixby – Raquette River River Corridor Project, Advisory Committee Member Joann E. Ferris – Coordinator, Raquette River Corridor Project, Town of Colton Sally Gross – The Wild Center Fred Hanss – Village of Potsdam Sue Ellen Herne – Akwesasne Museum and Cultural Center Jon Kopp – Tupper Lake Historian Jim McFaddin – St. Lawrence County Legislator; Norwood Lake Association Ruth McWilliams – Catamount Lodge & Forest, LLC James Murphy – Department of Economic Development, Village of Potsdam Dan Parker – Brookfield Renewable Power Mike Prescott – Guide, Northern Forest Canoe Trail Bill Swafford – Supervisor, Town of Colton John Tenbusch – St. Lawrence County Planning Board Mary Jane Watson – Grantwriter; Raquette River Historian Special Thanks To: Andrew Labruzzo – NYS Department of State, Division of Coastal Resources Prepared by: peter j. smith & company, inc. This document was prepared for the Planners, Landscape Architects New York State Department of State Buffalo, New York with funds provided under Title 11 of Fort Erie, Ontario the Environmental Protection Fund. Raquette River Corridor Blueway Trail Plan peter j. smith & company, inc. Raquette River Corridor Blueway Trail Plan peter j. smith & company, inc. Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary ............................................................................................... 1 2. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 2 Previous Study .......................................................................................................................... 2 What is a Blueway .................................................................................................................... 2 Project Partners ....................................................................................................................... 3 3. Project Area .......................................................................................................... 4 Overview .................................................................................................................................. 4 Project Boundary ..................................................................................................................... 4 Regional Location ..................................................................................................................... 5 Corridor Profile ......................................................................................................................... 5 Geology ............................................................................................................................................. 5 History ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Water Quality .................................................................................................................................... 8 Climate .............................................................................................................................................. 9 Recreational Uses .............................................................................................................................. 9 Museums ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Scenic Resources ............................................................................................................................. 14 Scenic Byways ........................................................................................................................ 15 4. Market Analysis ................................................................................................... 19 Tourism .................................................................................................................................. 19 User Profile ............................................................................................................................. 21 Resident User Profile ....................................................................................................................... 21 Visitor User Profile .......................................................................................................................... 23 Marketing and Development Strategy ................................................................................... 25 5. The Vision, Opportunities, Issues and Strategies ................................................. 26 The Vision ............................................................................................................................... 26 Goals and Objectives .............................................................................................................. 26 Opportunities ......................................................................................................................... 27 Issues ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Strategies ............................................................................................................................... 28 6. Waterfront Concept ............................................................................................ 29 Proposed Projects Plan .......................................................................................................... 29 Range of Projects ................................................................................................................... 33 Enhancement of Village Riverside Parks ......................................................................................... 33 Boat Launches ................................................................................................................................. 35 River Access Points .......................................................................................................................... 36 Scenic Overlooks ............................................................................................................................. 38 Blueway Visitor Centers .................................................................................................................. 40 Blueway Kiosks ................................................................................................................................ 41 Community Gateways ..................................................................................................................... 41 Riverside Camping ........................................................................................................................... 42 Trails ................................................................................................................................................ 43 Signage ............................................................................................................................................ 46 Initiatives ................................................................................................................................ 48 River Stewardship ........................................................................................................................... 48 Website Promotions ....................................................................................................................... 49 Traveling Blueway Exhibit ............................................................................................................... 49 Raquette River Corridor Blueway Trail Plan peter j. smith & company, inc. Birding Promotions ......................................................................................................................... 49 Trip Packages .................................................................................................................................. 50 “Patch System” ............................................................................................................................... 50 River Maps ...................................................................................................................................... 50 Invasive Species Control .................................................................................................................. 51 Representative Projects ......................................................................................................... 52 Raymondville Park ........................................................................................................................... 52 Piercefield Beach ............................................................................................................................. 54 Gateway Sign – Blue Mountain Lake ............................................................................................... 56 7. Implementation Strategy .................................................................................... 57 8. The Process ........................................................................................................