CAZENOVIA — On Saturday, Sept. 21, the Cazenovia Preservation Foundation (CPF) held a grand opening celebration for the newly constructed Gorge Trail Gateway near the Buyea’s True Value parking area on Albany Street.
“Nature on Main Street at the new Gorge Trail Gateway” will provide residents and visitors with a welcoming entrance to area trails in the heart of the village. The design also revitalizes the greenspace alongside Chittenango Creek on the eastern edge of the Buyea’s parking area.
The project involved streambank stabilization work, defining a parking area for trail users, creating a dedicated pedestrian/bike entrance from Albany Street, building an accessible picnic area, planting native trees and shrubs, and constructing wooden steps on the embankment to prevent erosion and make access to the creekside trail safer for pedestrians and fishermen. Other elements included constructing an informational kiosk, adding a bike rack and handicap-accessible picnic tables, erecting educational signage about the area’s history, and installing a crosswalk at Albany Street to improve safety.
“Work will continue into the fall with the reconfiguration of the guardrail and Albany Street crosswalk,” said CPF Executive Director Jen Wong.
CPF has secured a 20-year agreement with the property owner, Earl Buyea, Sr., for public access and use of the space.
According to Wong, the majority of project funding was made available through a Central New York Community Foundation grant, a private donation in memory of David Bennet and Barbara Settel, the Wetzel CACDA Fund at the Central New York Community Foundation, donations from current and former CPF board members, and a grant from the Finger Lakes – Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance. The remaining funds required for the construction and ongoing maintenance of the project were raised through a community campaign, which remains open until Sept. 30.
The grand opening featured an official ribbon cutting and trail opening, fly tying and fishing demos, a stream invertebrate workshop, a guided “Poetry on the Trail” walk, live music, food and beverages, a Lehigh Valley Depot & Caboose open house, and a trail tour highlighting industries along Chittenango Creek in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
“We had a fantastic turn-out for yesterday’s event, with best guesses putting attendance in the 300 range,” Wong said on Sept. 22.
The Gorge Trail Gateway is located at 131 Albany St. For more information, visit cazpreservation.org.
