West NY News

Sections of the Fred J. Cusimano Westside Overland Trail in Chautauqua County are set to undergo significant upgrades and improvements, facilitated by a series of grants from local and regional foundations.

The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) has been awarded $65,000 from various foundations to enhance the trail in Brokenstraw and Panama State Forests. The funding will also support improvements on sections of private properties south of Titus Road in Sherman. These efforts are part of Phase IV of the Chautauqua County Overland Trails Revitalization Project.

The Fred J. Cusimano Westside Overland Trail is a 24-mile-long nature trail that spans four towns and six state forests within Chautauqua County. Located near Mayville, Sherman, and Panama, this scenic trail is popular among hikers and mountain bikers in western New York.

The foundations contributing to CCPEG's Phase IV fundraising goal include the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, the Jesse Smith Darrah Fund, the Lenna Foundation, and the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation. To secure these grants, CCPEG collaborated with the Chautauqua County Parks Department, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and private landowners.

“Phase IV represents the first instance where we will be working with private landowners to improve sections of the Overland Trail that run through their properties,” explained Jacob Bodway, CCPEG Trail Coordinator. “I can’t express how lucky we are to have our local foundations believe in this project and how indebted we are to have private landowners who understand that the Overland Trails are an important recreational asset.”

As with previous phases, Trail Construction Associates from Forestville, NY will handle the upgrades for Phase IV. Work is scheduled to begin by late July and conclude by late September.

“I am thrilled to see all of the work that is being undertaken on our county’s extensive trail system,” said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development and Co-Chair of the CCPEG Advisory Board. “Maintaining our existing trails was one of the top ten recommendations put forth in the Chautauqua County Greenways Plan we developed back in April 2012.”

Geise emphasized that trails are a key asset promoted in their recent branding campaign and serve as a basis for their trails mapping initiative launched last month.

The Chautauqua County Overland Trails project relies on support from various entities including the Chautauqua County Parks Department, Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and local landowners.

CCPEG serves as a central entity for economic development partners aiming to advance projects that achieve economic prosperity in Chautauqua County. It operates under the umbrella of the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC).

For more information visit CHQPartnership.org.