Mountaintop awarded DEC funds for outdoor recreation

GREENE COUNTY―Two mountaintop communities are receiving nearly $250,000 in state funding to help bring visitors and residents on foot closer to nature.

This week, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the more than $677,000 Catskill Park Community Smart Growth Grant awards to seven smart growth projects benefiting the region.

Among the awardees are the Town of Prattsville and Village of Tannersville.

Prattsville will see $123,141 to capitalize on the recent improvements to its park trail system by extending the Main Street sidewalk to connect to a currently underutilized park entrance.

The sidewalk extension will connect three town attractions: Main Street, Pratt Rock Park, and the Schoharie Creek Barrier Dam. The existing trail within the park will be reseeded and enhanced with eastern hemlock tree plantings, which hold historical significance to the town.

New sidewalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will also enhance safe access to the park by relieving parking congestion at the primary entrance.

Tannersville is getting $125,000 as part of the Gooseberry Creek Revitalization Strategy Implementation Project to help design upgrades to the Gooseberry Creek watershed. This includes parklands owned by the Village of Tannersville around Rip Van Winkle Lake.

The proposed project features floating walking paths in two locations to connect Upper Lake Park to the Huckleberry Rail Trail, which is part of the Hunter Regional Trail Network. It also includes the installation of two fountains in Rip Van Winkle Lake to improve the water quality and circulation.

"The Catskill Park is home to vibrant communities that play a crucial role in protecting globally significant landscapes,” said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton.

“DEC’s Smart Growth grants represent a vital investment in our communities, fostering sustainable development, economic prosperity, and enhanced quality of life for all New Yorkers, while safeguarding the natural resources that make the Catskills such a special place to live, work, and visit,” she added.

Smart growth is an approach to community planning and development which promotes land use in a way that creates livable, sustainable, and equitable communities. DEC’s grant program supports capital projects and community development initiatives that link environmental protection, economic development, and community livability within the special protective conditions of the Catskill Park.