Overview of the Friends
The Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway, Inc. (the Friends, or simply "FOGVG") is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership organization, incorporated in 1993.
Organization
The Friends is governed by a l4 member Board of Directors composed of individuals living within the Greenway region. The Directors offer a wealth of relevant practical knowledge gained through personal experience, as well as specialized expertise in areas related to their vocational, recreational, and intellectual pursuits. To ensure continued grass roots community involvement in decision making, all chairpersons of local committees are members of the board. A major function of the local committees is to conduct clearing and maintenance of sections of trail.
Mission
The mission of the Friends is to establish and maintain a public, multi-use trail and natural greenway corridor along the abandoned Genesee Valley Canal and its successor, the Pennsylvania Railroad, Rochester Division, from the Erie Canal Heritage Trail in Rochester, NY to Hinsdale, Cattaraugus County, NY.
Major goals
Public RecreationCommunity Resource Protectlon
- Provide opportunities for walking, hiking, jogging, bicycling, horseback riding, nature observation, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling along the abandoned canal towpath and rail bed
- Increase access to and encourage recreational use of the Genesee River
Economic Development
- Protect, promote, and link canal and other historic and cultural resources along the Greenway corridor
- Protect natural resources and maintain habitat linkages in the Greenway corridor
- Increase community knowledge of Greenway-related local and natural history
- Stimulate economic development through promotion of tourism and Greenway trail-related businesses
- Provide opportunities for jobs skills training
A Source of Prlde and Unity in the Region
The Genesee Valley Greenway is one of hundreds of greenways being developed across the nation along oId canals, abandoned rail beds, and riverbanks. It passes through scenic woodlands, river and stream valleys, rolling farmlands, steep gorges, and historic villages located in sixteen towns in Monroe, Livingston, Wyoming, Allegany, and Cattaraugus counties. As with most of these efforts, development of the Genesee Valley Greenway is being accomplished by local citizens, user groups, governments, and businesses working in partnership to create a resource that will:
- preserve a corridor of significant natural and historic features
- Iink local and state parks, cultural attractions, historic sites, quaint villages, and major educational institutions and state trail systems
- provide year-round educational, recreational, environmental, and economic benefits for the region
- complement regional efforts to improve water quality, increase tourism, and ensure natural, historic and cultural resource protection
Its Beginnings
The concept of a Genesee Valley Greenway was introduced to the region by the New York Parks and Conservation Association (NYPCA) in 1991 after Association personnel first established a positive level of interest among local government officials, user groups, environmentalists, and the business community. Under the direction of a 40-member steering committee and an NYPCA Local Coordinator, individual sections of the Greenway Trail were opened for public recreational use beginning in 1992. The Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway, Inc. grew out of the interest and enthusiasm for the project generated by the initial trail development efforts.
Overview | Membership Form | Tees and Sweats | Board of Directors
By-Laws | Annual Report | Top | About The Friends | Home
Questions about the FOGVG or the Trail? Email:
Fran Gotcsik, Executive Director - fogvg@aol.com
Trouble or questions about this website? Email:
Brian Managan - fogvg@netacc.net
The FOGVG gratefully acknowledges NetAccess,
New York State's premiere Internet Service Provider,
for hosting for this website.
See You on the Trail!