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Public Engagement Sessions Scheduled for County’s
Non-Motorized Winter Recreation Plan for Commons Trail Area in Towns of
Greig and Lyonsdale
Published: June 10, 2025 at
11:15 a.m.
By: Press Release
from Lewis County Office of Communications and Public Relations
SHAPE THE FUTURE OF WINTER RECREATION: CONCEPT
DESIGNS AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW FOR LEWIS COUNTY
NON-MOTORIZED WINTER RECREATION PLAN
LOWVILLE, NY – Lewis County
Recreation, Forestry, and Parks, in collaboration with planning and design
firm SE Group, are currently working to create a plan for winter recreation
amenities at the Commons Trail Area. Previously in this process, the
project team held two community engagement sessions in March and received
input via a community survey. The input received in March has helped inform
the two working concepts for recreation improvements at
the Commons Trail Area.
Engagement
Opportunities
Public
participation is crucial to shaping the future of winter recreation at The
Commons. Community members are encouraged to attend the following events to
provide input and help guide the planning process:
·
Tuesday, June 17th | 6:30 PM-8:00 PM –
Open House & Presentation @ Pine Tree Inn (7796 Brantingham Road,
Grieg)
·
Wednesday, June 18th | 7:30 AM-11:00 AM
– Plan review & Office Hours with the Planners @ Brantingham Station
(5508 Partridgeville Rd, Brantingham NY 13312)
These engagement
sessions offer opportunities for residents, motorized & non-motorized
trail users, and stakeholders offer input on the concept designs, interact
with members of the project team, and shape the future of sustainable and
accessible non-motorized winter recreation in Lewis County.
Can’t make it to
the open house events? Take the survey by July 3rd instead:
·
Take the Survey: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8343771/New-Survey
About the
Concepts
The Open Houses
and Survey will present two concepts for new and existing recreation
amenities at the Commons:
·
Concept A: All-Out Activity includes rerouted
snowmobile access and includes several proposed elements, including new
snowshoeing/fat-biking trails, a new ice ribbon trail, and new
cross-country ski trails.
·
Concept B: Racing, Events, & Art Installations
preserves existing snowmobile access and includes designs for new
snowmobile trail connections, new cross-country ski trails and a race course, and art installations. There are also two
associated trailhead designs that feature amenities such as a warming hut,
restrooms, ski racks, seating areas, storage buildings, and food truck/tent
areas.
The Open Houses
and Survey are seeking input on which concept design the community prefers
overall as well as input on specific features of both concepts for the
trail systems and trailheads.
Project Overview
The Lewis
County Non-Motorized Winter Recreation Plan is underway, presenting a
unique opportunity to enhance the Commons Trail Area as a place to ski, fatbike, hike, or just enjoy some winter solitude in
the towns of Greig & Lyonsdale. Spearheaded by Lewis County Recreation,
Forestry, and Parks, and funded by an ADK Smart Growth grant, this
initiative will provide detailed, actionable recommendations for trail
development, winter operations, maintenance, and wayfinding within the
Commons Trail Area while serving as a framework for non-motorized winter
recreation improvements across the county.
While the area is
well known for its extensive snowmobile trail network, this plan will focus
on expanding non-motorized opportunities, ensuring that skiers, snowshoers,
and other winter trail users have improved access and enhanced experiences.
The plan aims to:
·
Identify winter-specific trail opportunities at the
commons
·
Assess trail uses and maintenance patterns
·
Support and expand non-motorized winter recreation
through:
o New & refined
trail alignments
o Wayfinding
improvements
o Access
enhancements
Learn more at the
project website:
https://lewiscountyny.gov/departments/recreation-forestry-and-parks/winter-recreation-master-plan/
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