Village installs overlook on South Shore East Trail
By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
Visitors of the South Shore East Trail in Baldwinsville can take a load off and enjoy the view of the Seneca River thanks in part to a grant from Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli. The village has installed a viewing platform with benches on the trail off Meadow Street. Local officials gathered at the seating area Nov. 4 for a ribbon cutting.
The total cost of the project was about $8,400. Magnarelli secured a $6,000 state grant to cover much of the cost.
The Village of Baldwinsville Department of Public Works completed the installation at the end of October.
“We have talented people in our DPW, so our labor cost is zero,” said Village Engineer Steve Darcangelo.
The platform is wheelchair-accessible, with a brick path leading from the paved trail to the platform. The DPW crew used bricks leftover from the Baldwin Canal Square project.
“We made a point of making sure we came in flush with the trail so people could roll a wheelchair up,” Darcangelo said.
Baldwinsville has made many improvements to its sidewalks and parks in the last eight years, Darcangelo said, to make the village more walkable and expand access for people with mobility issues. Mercer Park has several accessible amenities.
“We’re trying to provide in the village an opportunity for people to recreate without leaving the community,” he said.
Darcangelo said users of the South Shore East Trail have been eagerly awaiting the overlook’s completion.
“When they were building it, people were stopping by and saying they were looking forward to it,” he said.
The South Shore East Trail runs from the parking lot at the north end of Grove Street to Community Park. Darcangelo said the trail is about 1.6 miles round-trip and is open to pedestrians and cyclists.
