(WNY News Now) – CHERRY CREEK, NY – The Boutwell Hill Ski Club (BHSC), in partnership with the Chautauqua County Equestrian Trail System (CCETS), has been awarded a $239,564 Stewardship and Public Access Grant under the Park and Trail Partnership Grant, which is administered by Parks & Trails New York.
The purpose of the Park and Trail Partnership Grant is to assist non-profit clubs in their efforts to increase the sustainability of projects that are on public lands and that are affiliated with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). BHSC is required to provide a 10% match to secure the grant, part of which is coming from the Chautauqua County Partnership of Economic Growth (CCPEG). The remaining match will come from donations and in-kind volunteer labor.
The funding received by BHSC and CCETS will be used to provide environmentally friendly and sustainable trail rehabilitation of the “Homestead” cross-country ski trail in Boutwell Hill State Forest, located in the Towns of Charlotte and Cherry Creek, Chautauqua County. These improvements help keep the trail dry in the winter months and will open the trail to horse riders, horse carriages, hikers, and bikers during the summer months. In addition, the BHSC will work with the NYSDEC on installing a 40-inch culvert, which will replace a bridge that is currently in disrepair.
BHSC was founded in 2017 and currently maintains and grooms seven miles of trail for cross-country skiing during the winter months. BHSC is dedicated to promoting the sport of cross-country skiing and its health benefits while providing an extensive well-maintained system of trails for beginner skiers through experts.
Bill Scherman, BHSC President, said this grant represents a watershed moment for the club.
“The grant will make the ‘Homestead’ trail far more accessible to the public and for additional trail-users,” Sherman said. “Our goal is to share the trail with as many people as possible, to get people outside to enjoy nature, and to attract more people to our area. We are excited to see birders and hunters enjoy the trail as well. We encourage volunteers to get involved with our club so we can ensure the sustainability of our trails for years to come.”
The collaborative nature of this grant request realizes some of the major objectives of the Friends of Chautauqua County Greenways. Jacob Bodway, Trail Coordinator for CCPEG, is excited to see such cooperation between trail groups, the state, and the county.
“This grant is a team effort between the NYSDEC, BHSC, CCETS, the County Parks Department, and CCPEG. It is exciting to see that all the hard work and collaboration is paying off in such a big way,” Bodway said.
Scherman also notes that this was a community effort.
“CCETS played a pivotal role in the grant-writing process and in introducing BHSC to this grant opportunity. This grant goes a long way to building an even stronger relationship between the various trail-user groups in Chautauqua County,” Scherman said.
The timeline for construction on the “Homestead Trail” is June through August 2024.
The BHSC Homestead Trail DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) Expansion Project was supported with funding from the New York State Park and Trail Partnership Grants and New York’s Environmental Protection Fund. The Park and Trail Partnership Grants are administered by Parks & Trails New York, in partnership with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
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