Ulster group seeks input on plan to connect trails

By Dan Shapley Poughkeepsie Journal January 26, 2006

More than two years in the making, a plan to connect southern Ulster County towns with a network of trails is emerging.
The Southern Ulster Alliance will host two public meetings in February to gather more ideas on its map of and plan for new walking, biking, horseback riding and canoe/kayak trails. The trails will be in the town and village of New Paltz and the towns of Gardiner, Lloyd, Marlborough and Plattekill.
"This is an important time for the public to get their input into the plan," said Nadine Lemmon, Gardiner's representative on the Southern Ulster Alliance. "If people have ideas of other trails, this is the time to put it on the map."
One of the first priorities of the trail plan is to connect the Hudson Valley Rail Trail in Lloyd with the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail to the west and to the Hudson River bridges to the east, said Jim Snowden, senior civil engineer for Civil Technologies and Engineering in Wappingers Falls. The firm is working on the plan for the alliance with $15,000 from the Hudson River Valley Greenway.
"We have the opportunity to go out on the railroad bridge. Oh my goodness, that is such a great idea. I couldn't believe how fabulous it is out there," Snowden said.
Other ideas include the creation or expansion of canoe/kayak trails along the Wallkill and Hudson rivers and the Esopus Creek; designating horseback riding and bicycling trials; and connecting business districts to trails.
Group in eighth year
The Southern Ulster Al-liance formed in 1998 to promote the region's economic and environmental future.
After the public hearings, the alliance will produce a final report it will present to the four municipalities. The towns will then decide whether to adopt it. In the meantime, some projects, including expansion of the Hudson Valley Rail Trail, are under way.
"Ultimately, it will enable us to go out and find future funding, not just from the town's resources, but from the state and federal governments and from foundations," Lemmon said. "When you get towns together and pool their thoughts, it's a lot easier for us to secure funding."

Dan Shapley can be reached at dshapley@poughkeepsiejournal.com

AREA NEWSPAPER
CONTACT INFORMATION

ULSTER/ DUTCHESS

Poughkeepsie Journal
PO Box 1231
Poughkeepsie, NY 12602
(845) 454-2000
For an on line letter to the editor. Fill out this form

ULSTER COUNTY

Saugerties Times
Monday deadline
P.O.Box
Phone:334- 8200
FAX your letter 334-8202
saugertiestimes@ulsterpublishing
(Attention Erica Freudenberger, editor)
P.O.Box 3329
Kingston, NY 12402

Albany Times Union
Times Union
90 State Street
Albany, NY 12207
(518) 454-5091
For an on line letter to the editor. Fill out this form

COLUMBIA COUNTY
The Independent
Indenews (online)

P.O. Box 360
Hillsdale, NY 12529
Phone (518) 325-4400
FAX (518) 325-4497
Parry Teasdale, editor

letters to editor require form through website

***NOTE: Our websites make an effort to glean info for our readers from local papers. This is no way a substitute for subscribing or picking up a local paper. We gratefully acknowledge the efforts local newspapers and publications make to our community.