Point Gratiot Park

Two Dunkirk area locations have been added to the New York State Birding Trail.

State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos said the addition seven new locations bring the total number of birding trail locations across the state to 332.
The two locations in Dunkirk include the Dunkirk Harbor and Point Gratiot Park.

The DEC said birdwatching has become one of New York’s fastest-growing recreation and tourism activities. They manage the New York State Birding Trail in collaboration with partners that include the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The statewide trail network includes promoted birding locations that can be accessed by car or public transportation.

The New York State Birding Trail map is available at www.ibirdny.org and provides valuable information on each site such as location, available amenities, species likely to be seen, directions, and more.

The Audubon Community Nature Center will hold a guided winter hike from 10:30 a.m. until noon on Saturday, December 31.

The hike will give people an opportunity to learn how creatures adapt to the changing weather while reflecting on the past year, preparing for the future, and getting a jump start on new year’s resolutions.
The hike will conclude with hot chocolate inside the nature center. While donations are welcomed, the walk is free of charge. Participation is limited to 15.

To reserve a spot, call the Nature Center at (716) 569-2345 or go to AudubonCNC.org and click through “Programs and Events.”

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation will hold First Day Hikes at state parks, historic sites, wildlife areas, trails, and public lands across the Empire State on Sunday, January 1, 2023.

The walks and hikes are family-friendly, and typically range from one to five miles depending on the location and conditions.

The link for the list of New York State First Day Hikes, location details, format, pre-registration requirements and additional information can be found at https://parks.ny.gov/events/first-day-hikes.aspx

List of First Day Hikes near Chautauqua County:
Allegany State Park – Quaker Area, Salamanca; 716.354.9101 x.232
Boutwell Hill State Forest, Charlotte; 716.363.2052
Clear Lake Wildlife Management Area, North Collins; 718.851.7019
Evangola State Park, Irving; 716.549.1050
Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area, Collins; 440.983.0023

Lily Dale Assembly

The Lily Dale Assembly Historic District in Cassadaga has been recognized with a 2022 New York State Historic Preservation Award.

Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement, “Preserving notable landmarks across New York allows us to celebrate our shared history and honor our collective past.”

The Lily Dale Assembly Historic District has been recognized for Excellence in Community Achievement. The effort to nominate this community for its historic contributions to Spiritualism and the women’s rights movement was spearheaded by community members whose advocacy and persistence successfully identified more than 200 historic resources for the district, which is now listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places.

Created in 1980, the State Historic Preservation Awards are presented by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation each year to honor excellence in the protection and revitalization of historic and cultural resources.

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said though there is no requirement for snowmobile trails to close during the Holiday Hunt period of December 26 through January 1, confirming trail openings is particularly important in the Southern Zone where hunting seasons are on-going during the last week of December. In addition to checking with local clubs, you can also check with your county Sheriff’s department to see if your local trail is open.

To find a club, you can visit the New York State Snowmobile Association (NYSSA) website at www.nysnowmobiler.com.

The Office said the two leading causes of injury are excessive speed and operator intoxication.

Top safety recommendations include that snowmobilers should slow down, stay on marked trails, never drink or use drugs and ride; wear a helmet and proper gear; ride with a buddy or a group; and avoid riding on ice.

Snowmobile safety certificates are required for youth ages 10 through 17 if they want to operate solo on a state trail.

Snowmobile safety courses can be found here: https://parks.ny.gov/recreation/snowmobiles/education.aspx.

Lucille Ball Memorial Park. Celoron, NY (Google Maps)

The Village of Celoron has received $165,000 from the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative toward a new playground at Lucille Ball Memorial Park.

The grants from the Environmental Protection Fund are administered by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Mayor Scott Schrencengost said the current play structure at the park is 25 years old and is unsafe.
He said at a public meeting in July that Consolidated Funding Grant from the state requires the village to come up with a 25% match.

The village will use the funding from the state to building an accessible playground with inclusive equipment. They also will use the monies to further improve the park with site work and plantings, including new trees and benches

The town of Sheridan also is receiving EDC funds in the amount o $421,725 to upgrade the Sheridan Bay Campground located on Lake Erie. A new accessible bathhouse will be constructed, campsite electrical hook-ups upgraded, and the pavilion and check-in office will be replaced.

In addition to those upgrades, the town will be preserving lakefront green space while ensuring the continued use of needed campsites.

Hotel Lenhart

The Hotel Lenhart in Bemus Point and Neckers Company General Store in Clymer have been added to the New York State’s Historic Business Preservation Registry.

State Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Andy Goodell recently presented the historic business awards to the two businesses.

The Historic Business Registry was established in 2020 and newly launched this spring. It includes businesses that have been in operation for at least 50 years and have contributed to their communities’ history.

The Hotel Lenhart was built in 1881 by Dr. J.J. Lenhart and his wife, Dora Baldwin overlooking Bemus Bay on Chautauqua Lake.

The current hotel, rebuilt following a fire in 1891, has a main floor and three upper sleeping floors, with a total of fifty-three rooms. It also has a 185-foot wrap-around veranda. Up until the end of this summer season, the hotel had been in the same family for four generations.

Neckers Company General Store

Neckers Company General Store was founded by John H. Neckers and Ed Neckers. The store opened at its current location in 1910. Groceries, dry goods, boots, shoes, kerosene and wallpaper were some of the items for sale. The fourth generation of Neckers, Barry and his wife, Kathy, continue to run the store.

Today the business sells groceries, fresh cut meats, made-to-order pizzas and subs, home decor, shoes, boots, apparel, and more.

The honorary program, which provides educational and promotional assistance to help ensure businesses in the state remain viable, is coordinated through the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP).

An interactive storyboard map, which provides information about the location and history of each business, can be found on the agency website at https://parks.ny.gov/historic-preservation/business-registry/default.aspx.

The Welch Trail in Westfield

New recreational trail, The Welch Trail, is nearing completion in the Village of Westfield.

The non-motorized, shared-use trail is approximately 1.25 miles long. It’s being developed along a former historic trolley bed and will provide the public with an access point to Chautauqua Creek, which was previously inaccessible.

Once completed, the trail will include an overlook area and other amenities along the trail such as benches and picnic tables. The primary uses for the trail include: walking, jogging, cycling, inline skating, snowshoeing, and cross-county skiing.

The project cost is $312,250 with the Town of Westfield receiving a $200,000 grant in 2015 from the State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Office. Additionally, they received financial assistance from the Westfield Development Corporation and the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development.

The Chautauqua County Land Bank also assisted by leveraging the cost of demolishing the dilapidated Portage Inn as the local match. The Village of Westfield was also able to provide in-kind contributions to assist with the demolition of the Portage Inn.

The Town of Westfield was able to provide the property for this joint venture as well as the expertise of the Highway Department to construct the scenic walkway

The State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced its Parks Explorer mobile app has been updated to better orient visitors and provide helpful wayfinding information when in the parks and on the trails. The multiple new enhancements are in addition to the app’s information about the destinations and activities available throughout the Empire State’s parks and historic sites.

The new features just introduced include upgrades to trail mapping functionality such as planning hike distance using the new trail mileage tool, offline maps for use when connectivity is a challenge, and live maps for use on Wi-Fi or with good connectivity.

Interactive map elements now provide visitors:
– Easier wayfinding: When the user’s mobile device’s location services are turned “on”, visitors can easily follow along with where they are on the map;
– The ability to zoom in on and around each map to learn more about the facility;
– Information about trails, park features and amenities by simply tapping on a trail or icon;
– Trail segment distance; and
– The ability to change base layers in live maps from satellite view, simple street view or topography.

The app also includes a link to a brief video to demonstrate the new mapping features.

To download the app, visit https://parks.ny.gov/explorer-app/