Meeting Summary - November 19, 2001

Mohawk-Hudson Regional Canalway Trail Group (RCTG) 

A. John DiMura from the Canal Corporation facilitated the meeting. Introductions were made. A list of attendees is attached.

B. Purpose of the meeting was to continue formation of a Mohawk-Hudson RCTG and identify projects for the group to work on. 

C. Brief overviews of the statewide Canalway Trail Program and the Canalway Trails Association were provided. The goal of the Canalway Trail program is to develop a continuous trail along the NYS Canal System – over 500 miles long. It will be the longest trail in the United States.  Approximately 230 miles of trail are in use, primarily in three longer segments. One of the longer existing segments is the 35-mile Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway in the Capital District. The Canalway Trail Program will focus on connecting existing segments and resurfacing the trail where needed. An overview of the Canalway Trails Association is attached.  

D. Strategies for completing the gap segments were discussed. The group agreed that it would make most sense to be involved in the Trail Planning Study being conducted by the Greenway, CDTC and Albany County. The study will examine issues such as the trail gaps in Watervliet and Cohoes. Updates on the status of the study will be provided at future Regional Canalway Trail group meetings.  

Adopt-a-Trail opportunities were discussed. Howard Halstead noted that the Friends of the Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway have in the past conducted trail cleanup events in Niskayuna on National Trails Day in June. It was suggested that the Mohawk-Hudson RCTG organize a region-wide trail cleanup for National Trails Day in 2002. 

Involving constituency groups such as the Hudson-Mohawk Cycling Club, local municipal officials and trail users in the promotion of, and advocacy for, the Mohawk-Hudson Trail was also discussed. It was agreed that advocacy would be an important activity for the group to be involved with.  Petitions and surveys were mentioned as ways for trail users the opportunity to express their opinions. Meeting with local officials would help in obtaining their support for the trail. These ideas will be pursued at the next meeting in January.

Howard Halstead suggested the Friends of the Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway internet list serve would be an effective way to communicate with trail users and clubs. He offered to include the RCTG meeting attendees on the distribution list. John DiMura will provide a list of the RCTG members to Howard. 

E. Linking the Mohawk-Hudson Trail to historic Canal features was discussed briefly. It was agreed that a plan showing the historic canal  route would be helpful. John DiMura said he would look for such a    map. Ralph Pascale will provide the group with a plan that has not implemented for developing a park and greenway along the historic flight of locks in Cohoes. A representative from the Mohawk Towpath Trail Byway, which is currently involved in liking historic and cultural resources along roadways in the corridor, will be invited to the January meeting. This item will be discussed further at the January meeting.

F. Next meeting at Waterford Visitors Center, Monday, January 14, 2002 at 2 pm.

G.   Please call John DiMura at (518) 436-3034 If you have any comments or corrections to this summary.

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Last modified: May 07, 2003