The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy celebrated a ribbon cutting at its new location in the village of Lakewood Friday. The organization recently celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2020. CWC Board President Becky Nystrom said the new location is more accessible and energy efficient, “As a result of our asks to all of our board and donors, we were able to raise $112,850 for our down payment. So we can afford the mortgage and it’s not a whole lot different from what we were paying up on the third floor of our old home, so thank you!”
State Senator George Borrello said his involvement with the CWC went back to when he helped create the Lake Erie Management Commission as a County Legislator. He said the mission now with the Chautauqua Lake watershed is to ensure that we’re treating the disease and not just managing the symptoms, “The symptoms are what is in the water but the disease that needs to be cured is in the watershed around it. I appreciate that early education, it helped me as a County Legislator, as the chairman of the Lake Erie Management Commission, as County Executive and it continues to this day as a State Senator and that is the work the Conservancy has done for so many folks like myself.”
State Assemblyman Andy Goodell recognized CWC Executive Director John Jablonski‘s efforts in growing the organization, “To see the Watershed Conservancy go from your living room – a dream, an idea – to having two miles of protected shoreline and over a thousand acres of preserves, it’s an amazing accomplishment. But even more important than the progress that’s been made by the Conservancy is the long term impact the Conservancy will have on the future of Chautauqua County.”
County Executive PJ Wendel said we have to address issues of what is going into Chautauqua Lake, which is what the CWC is doing, and he added that the county’s memorandum of understanding on Chautauqua Lake is a vital part of this, “Because it’s not only what’s in the lake but what’s going into the lake. That’s the key. And we’ve said before that’s the most important piece. We could do whatever we want in the lake, but if we’re not taking care of what’s going into the lake we’re going to continue this problem year after year.”
The new location of the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy is 71 East Fairmount Avenue.
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