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Celebrate Trails Day is an annual spring celebration of America’s trails < Back Celebrate Trails Day Rails to Trails Conservancy Apr 26, 2025 Celebrate Trails Day is an annual spring celebration of America’s trails It's Celebrate Trails day! Although ECRT doesn't have an event today, trail enthusiast groups all over the country do! Visit https://www.railstotrails.org/celebratetrailsday/ to learn more about it. Previous Next

Springville/Concord Friends group leader Mary Carol Dearing will lead this hike on a lovely but seldom explored section of trail. < Back Explore a Section of ECRT in Concord ECRT Oct 18, 2025 Springville/Concord Friends group leader Mary Carol Dearing will lead this hike on a lovely but seldom explored section of trail. We will meet at Kissing Bridge - Central parking lot and from there head south toward Genesee Road. The total distance we'll cover ( there and back) will depend upon the abilities of the walkers, but the total duration won't be longer than 2 hours. While enjoying our hike, we'll have the opportunity to identify a variety of plant species along the trail. Mary Carol will introduce you to several apps, including iNaturalist and iMapInvasives , that not only assist in identification but also serve as a tool for citizen science. While this section of the trail is sometimes a little overgrown, it will be mowed and tidied up beforehand. As the footing can be uneven at times, s turdy hiking shoes are recommended. Bring bug spray, water and a snack. Register here to let us know you're planning to attend. Hope to see you there! Previous Next

Beth Lasky Jason Engel Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail has enjoyed the benefits of partnering with a variety of community and regional organizations. Biking, hiking, scouting groups, snowmobile clubs, local businesses, Chambers of Commerce, and adjacent municipalities have supported the trail in a variety of ways and have, in turn, enjoyed positive community recognition and economic benefits. Most recently, a new, exciting partnership is in the works between ECRT and the Springville Community Trout Pond . Eight years ago, Jason Engel took on a leadership role with Springville Field and Stream . His background in landscape architecture, business ownership and special projects work with the Amherst Planning Department made him an ideal candidate for the position. The heart of the project required significant dredging from a 1997 “100-year flood” that overwhelmed the popular trout pond, which sits adjacent to the trail, and created major erosion issues. The fish hatchery located at the pond’s north end was rendered inoperable. As Engel explained, “We want to reclaim this popular and ecologically significant resource. To do so, we adopted a 3-phase project. Phase one includes dredging the pond, re-establishing the shoreline, and improving the fish habitat. Phase two , at the south end of the pond, will create an important connection to the adjacent ECRT trail. The new destination trail head is to include a pavilion, parking area, bike rack and an ingress and egress ramp for wheelchair accessibility to a fishing pier. In preparation for this phase, ECRT provided funds for a culvert which sits beneath the trail and connects the pond to Spring Brook, an important outlet for occasional flooding.” Spring Brook, he went on to explain, travels north to East Concord and is one of the few streams in Erie County that is home to native brook trout – a rare find. It also was once an important water source for Springville – ergo, the town’s name. “Phase three of the project includes reconstructing the trout hatchery at the north end of the Pond, with a small classroom where children and adults can learn more about aquaculture and fish habitat – a nice education stop for bikers and hikers along the trail. “It is such an important partnership, and we know so many people, locally and regionally, will enjoy and benefit from the trail, the trout pond, and the unique recreational opportunities our collaboration will bring.” March 1, 2022 Written by: Beth Lasky Previous Next < Back

Let's celebrate this latest trail opening together! < Back Grand Opening of New Trail Section in Aurora Communications Sep 20, 2025 Let's celebrate this latest trail opening together! ECRT will open the newest Aurora section to the public with a ribbon-cutting and a trail walk or ride. Join us to celebrate the completion of the latest section of the ECRT trail, from Ellicott Road to Old Glenwood Road. Saturday, September 20th, 10:00 a.m. - 12 noon. Our Opening Ceremony will be hosted by The Quarry, a wedding venue located adjacent to Ellicott Road in West Falls (Across the road from Five Star Equipment). Look for the ECRT volunteers wearing yellow vests at the Ellicott Road entrance to direct you to the parking area. There's plenty of parking and restrooms are available at the site. Previous Next

Sign up today for EA2EVL Fondo 2024! 42-mile Charity Ride Supports ECRT Trail < Back Join us for the Fourth Annual EA2EVL Fondo Beth Lasky May 27, 2024 Sign up today for EA2EVL Fondo 2024! 42-mile Charity Ride Supports ECRT Trail Join us on October 5th for the 4th annual EA2EVL Fondo, a 42-mile epic road ride from East Aurora to Ellicottville. The ride will venture down Route 240 through the fall foliage and rolling hills of Western New York and end with a celebration at the beautiful Holiday Valley. The best part: 100% of the proceeds benefit ECRT! Register today! This event has SOLD OUT for three years and raised $150,000 to support the ECRT trail. We've used those funds to remove rails and ties, improve drainage and resurface the first 1.3 miles of the trail starting at the Orchard Park Village Depot. In June of 2023 this beautiful section opened to the public, connecting to the 2 miles of natural surface trail open at Jewett Holmwood Road. EA2EVL 2024 funds will be used to expand and improve the trail further south. Here's how YOU can help! RIDE ON: If you are a biker, register today ! YOU are the secret to the success of this major source of funds needed to build the rail trail - so we ask you to FUNDRAISE as well! If you raise a minimum of $100 in donations , you get an event t-shirt and tickets for food and drinks at the finish line party. If you raise $500 or more , you also get an event jersey. The top fundraiser gets to wear the coveted yellow jersey. So sign up, ask your friends, family and coworkers to donate ( here ), and enjoy a great fall ride! REGISTER HERE . VOLUNTEER: We will need volunteers for the start line at 42 North Brewing Company in East Aurora, three water stops (Colden, Concord and West Valley), course pointers and traffic control on the route, and at the finish line party at Holiday Valley. Volunteers sign up HERE . We’ll be in touch with more specific instructions for your role. DONATE: If you can't join us, you can still help by supporting one of the riders on our registration site here . SPREAD THE WORD! Invite others to join in the fun. Post this link to your social media: givesignup.org/Race/Volunteer/NY/EastAurora/EA2EVLFondo or share this QR code: See you on October 5th! Previous Next

Deb Fenn Howy Holmes Howy Holmes ( affectionately known as "Mr. Orchard Park") is a lifelong resident of Orchard Park. His home, built in 1861, was originally located along Quaker Field Stables and was owned by Harry Yates, who, among other accomplishments, was a principal with Buffalo & Pittsburgh RR and instrumental in the design and construction of the OP Depot. Howy’s parents bought about an acre or so of property from Yates and moved the historic house to its current location at Bridle Path and Freeman Rd. Howy and wife Dorothy later purchased the home from his mother in 1982 where they raised their family and continue to live today. “I went from sleeping in the kid’s bedroom to the master bedroom – about 30 feet down the hall,” he quipped. Howy attended OP HS and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in finance from Miami Florida. There he met his wife Dorothy, in the last few days of his college career and her master’s program. He then joined the Navy reserves and served from 1966 – 1968. He and Dorothy married in 1972. Together, they raised 2 children, now grown: a daughter Chandra who lives near St. Louis, and son Tyler, who lives nearby in Amherst. After college, Howy decided to join the family’s highway construction business, Holmes & Murphy, established in 1917 by his grandfather. His wealth of experience in design and construction has been invaluable to Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, and the board continues to rely on him and his considerable expertise. Throughout his adult life, Howy has been an active and avid community supporter. People often refer to Howy as ‘Mr. Orchard Park”, and rightly so! His affiliations and accolades include Orchard Park Citizen of the Year (2004), member and President of the Orchard Park Chamber of Commerce, Co-President of the Orchard Park Historical Society, President of the Quaker Friends Cemetery, board member of the Buffalo Ski Club and Hickory Hill Swim & Tennis Club, and a charter member of the Orchard Park Council of the Arts – the organization that built the Orchard Park Pavilion. “I was ‘Person of the Year’ in 2006 in Time Magazine,” he says, half-jokingly. “Just Google it.” [That was the year Time noted every citizen in that category!] Howy is also known to be a frequent attendee at Town board meetings. “I’m interested in what’s going on. You have to read the local paper and follow what’s happening in your hometown. It’s important. How else can you make good decisions? You need to support and sometimes question your local officials. That’s democracy.” Howy has been involved with Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail since its inception. “I mow, walk the trail in Orchard Park pretty frequently, take on maintenance jobs and participate in design and development. The new section [of the trail in Orchard Park] is so important. It links residents to the library, the depot and all the village has to offer. It’s such a great asset for the town and village. And this is just the beginning!” June 1, 2023 Written by: Deb Fenn Previous Next < Back

Deb Fenn Harry James Over the past year or more, Harry James has played an integral role in ECRT’s successful bridge redecking and restoration efforts in the Town of Concord. He was named, he tells me, after his father, Harry James, and not in homage to the famous jazz trumpeter and big band leader, Harry James. Both Harrys, however — ours and the jazz legend — share a common key to their shared success on the job: They can improvise! According to ECRT Board member Kathleen McCrone, his improvisational skills and talent as an on-the-spot problem-solver came in handy more than once when critical adjustments in materials and measurements were needed to resolve unforeseen construction problems. “It was amazing watching Harry tackle a problem. First, his eyes would light up, he’d take a step or two back and we could almost see the gears turning in his brain. After a few moments of contemplation, he’d grab some tools, lumber, and a few volunteers and confidently get busy creating a perfect solution.” Harry grew up in Saranac Lake, where his mom ran the corner store and his selfemployed dad had both winter and summer jobs. “When you live in the Adirondacks year-round, you need to be versatile,” he noted, obviously an inherited skill. As a young man, Harry enjoyed venturing on foot or by bike to places not always on any map and sometimes considerable distances from home — “wherever a bike or my feet could take me” — Harry recalls. He loved to fish and was snowmobiling by the age of 14. “And I was always busy building or making things. To this day, I consider ‘creating’ my strongest interest and skill.” Harry attended SUNY@ Canton where he studied engineering. During the course of his career, he applied his skills working for Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Carrier Corporation, Corning Glass Company, and Budweiser. He retired in 2021 after 30 years with the West Valley Nuclear Demonstration Project. Harry is a 30-year member of the Western New York Snowmobile Club of Boston and the organization’s current vice president. Here he met fellow bridge-building partner John Baronich, a former principal and shop teacher. Together, with the able assistance of other retired regulars interested in construction, they were able to successfully redeck and restore a total of seven bridges. “The new decking is basically an even floor with no gaps. The goal was to make these bridges usable for everybody — not just snowmobiles.” Today, Harry remains an avid builder/creator and bicyclist. He owns bikes for every season and surface. To his credit and for pleasure, he participated in both the 2021 and 2022 EA2EVL Fondo events, the non-competitive fundraising bike ride from East Aurora to Ellicottville to benefit the ECRT trail. As far as the trail is concerned, Harry believes, “If you build it, they will come. There are lots of places to explore and enjoy here. It’s great when you see businesses interested and involved in the trial. I think you help communities grow by building and supporting cottage industries. You know, people will drive (or bike) to go to breakfast if the food is good!” February 1, 2023 Written by: Deb Fenn Previous Next < Back

Sign up today for EA2EVL Fondo 2025! < Back EA2EVL Fondo 2025 Deborah Stellrecht Oct 4, 2025 Sign up today for EA2EVL Fondo 2025! 42-mile charity ride supports ECRT Trail Join us on October 4th for the 5th annual EA2EVL Fondo, a 42-mile epic road ride from East Aurora to Ellicottville. The 42-mile route will venture down Route 240 through the fall foliage and rolling hills of Western New York and end with a celebration at the beautiful Holiday Valley. The best part: 100% of the proceeds benefit ECRT! Register today! This event has SOLD OUT for four years and raised $192,000 to support the ECRT trail. We've used those funds to remove rails and ties, improve drainage and resurface the first 1.3 miles of the trail starting at the Orchard Park Village Depot. In June of 2023 this beautiful section opened to the public, connecting to the 2 miles of natural surface trail open at Jewett Holmwood Road. EA2EVL 2024 funds will be used to expand and improve the trail further south. Here's how YOU can help! RIDE ON: If you are a biker, register today ! YOU are the secret to the success of this major source of funds needed to build the rail trail - so we ask you to FUNDRAISE as well! If you raise a minimum of $100 in donations , you get an event t-shirt and tickets for food and drinks at the finish line party. If you raise $500 or more , you also get an event jersey. The top fundraiser gets to wear the coveted yellow jersey. So sign up, ask your friends, family and coworkers to donate ( here ), and enjoy a great fall ride! Don't forget to register for the bus shuttle back if you and your bike need a lift back to East Aurora. (2:30 and 4:15 pm departures from Holiday Valley Resort.) REGISTER HERE . VOLUNTEER: We will need volunteers for the start line at 42 North Brewing Company in East Aurora, three water stops (Colden, Concord and West Valley), course pointers and traffic control on the route, and at the finish line party at Holiday Valley. Volunteers sign up HERE . We’ll be in touch with more specific instructions for your role. DONATE: If you can't join us, you can still help by supporting one of the riders on our registration site here . SPREAD THE WORD! Invite others to join in the fun. Post this link to your social media: givesignup.org/Race/NY/EastAurora/EA2EVLFondo , or share this QR code: https://www.givesignup.org/Race/NY/EastAurora/EA2EVLFondo See you on October 4th! Previous Next

It took a village to save Patrick Raycraft's life < Back EA2EVL Fondo Rider Makes Comeback from Cardiac Arrest Deborah Stellrecht May 1, 2025 It took a village to save Patrick Raycraft's life Patrick Raycraft (Above center, in the red & white jersey) was an experienced rider enjoying ECRT’s EA2EVL Fondo charity bike ride on October 5, 2024, when, near the 32-mile mark, he knew he was experiencing symptoms of a heart attack. As luck would have it, he spotted a spectator and his pickup truck parked at the side of the road, and he asked to be driven back to the previous water stop, the Ashford Community Center in West Valley. Once there, emergency responders were called, while Fondo volunteers found some aspirin for Patrick, and a cardiac nurse who was also riding the Fondo tended to him until the ambulance arrived. Patrick was unconscious at this point and he now says, “The next thing I recall is waking up in a helicopter, banking to the left.” After he was stabilized at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital in Springville, Patrick was flown by Mercy Flight to Buffalo General Medical Center / Gates Vascular Institute , where he then received critical cardiac care. He had suffered a massive heart attack and cardiac arrest. Only 10% of patients survive heart events such as his. The Impella heart pump The world’s smallest heart pump, the Impella , was implanted. This tiny pump, developed by Abiomed (Johnson & Johnson), allows the heart to rest and recover by temporarily assisting the pumping function of the heart to efficiently deliver blood and oxygen to the entire body. Patrick spent 16 days in BGMC/GVI, before being transferred to a Hartford, CT, hospital near his home where he spent an additional 10 days. His health today is the result of countless hours of nursing care, physical therapy, yoga, acupuncture, mental health therapy and other therapies, and he’s extremely grateful to everyone who helped him, from the day of his health crisis to today. Patrick displays what's left of his riding jersey from that fateful day. 6 months later, on April 4th 2025, Patrick returned to the BGMC/GVI to be reunited with and thank many of the people of his care team, including Dr. Vijay Iyer and nursing staff; plus support teams from West Valley Volunteer Hose Company, Mercy Flight, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital and Jennie B. Richmond Nursing Home , and Johnson & Johnson MedTech Heart Recovery , the maker of his implanted heart pump. Patrick reunited with his care team All of us at ECRT are so thankful and thrilled that Patrick survived this medical crisis and has fully recovered. He is already planning to ride in the 2025 EA2EVL Fondo on October 4, 2025! Enjoy more photos of the reunion at BGMC/GVI on Flickr at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC7MYp . (Photos by Kaleida Health) Previous Next

400+ riders pedal 42 miles to support the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail < Back 2023 EA2EVL FONDO IS ANOTHER SELL OUT EVENT Beth Lasky Oct 2, 2023 400+ riders pedal 42 miles to support the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail On Saturday, September 30, over 400 bikers gathered at the start line of the EA2EVL Fondo, a charity bike ride that kicked off at 42 North Brewing Company in East Aurora. Under clear blue skies, the riders followed a police escort through the Village of East Aurora, winding their way south along the rolling hills and fall foliage on Route 240 into the Village of Ellicottville. The event ended with a lively finish-line celebration at Holiday Valley. Launched in 2021, the EA2EVL Fondo—or non-competitive ride—raises awareness and funds to help open, build and maintain the 27-mile multi-use, recreational Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail (ECRT) that runs along a former rail line from Orchard Park to Ashford, NY. For three consecutive years, this event has reached maximum capacity, this year selling out at 400+ riders and netting close to $50,000 for the rail trail. “We keep raising the bar for this event,“ said Mary Brummer, ECRT Board President, “and we keep exceeding all expectations! I’d like to thank everyone who participated in this epic ride, including our loyal riders and sponsors, along with our dedicated volunteers. Your support of the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail truly matters.” The 2021 and 2022 EA2EVL events raised over $100,000 in donations, which were used to clear and open the first 1.3 miles of the rail trail in Orchard Park. The funds raised from this year’s event will help to push the trail south, improving sections in the town of Aurora into West Falls. The 2023 event was sponsored by National Fuel, 42 North Brewing Company, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Phillips Lytle and Craig Small Law with tech support provided by Tom’s Pro Bikes. You can see all of the photos at https://photos.app.goo.gl/pFM2fTKVLw9oC4bh7 . Image of bicycle riders emerging through the Start gate of the EA2EVL Fondo, a fundraising bicycle ride. Previous Next

Multiuse trail now open from the Depot to Jewett-Holmwood Road. < Back New section of Rail Trail Opened in Orchard Park Village! Debbie Stellrecht Jun 17, 2023 Multiuse trail now open from the Depot to Jewett-Holmwood Road. Thank you to ECRT volunteers and supporters who made it possible to open another 1.3 miles of multiuse recreational trail in the Village of Orchard Park on June 17th! What a gratifying day with so many incredible, supportive, positive people who loved being able to enjoy a sunny walk or ride on a beautifully surfaced, safe trail! The trail is now open from dawn until dusk daily for pedestrians and bicycles. Let's keep the trail safe for everyone A reminder that the trail is off limits to motorized vehicles. Violators will be prosecuted. If you see a motorized vehicle on the trail, please contact your local non-emergency police or sheriff office and provide a description of the vehicle and driver, the location and the direction of travel. With your help, we can keep the trail safe and pleasant for everyone's use. Thank you! Report other trail issues to our maintenance volunteers using this online form . Previous Next

Deb Fenn Ellen Januszkiewicz The love of railroads runs deep for Ellen Januszkiewicz, a regular, enthusiastic ECRT volunteer from Orchard Park. Her father, Leon, was a track maintenance mechanic whose career brought Ellen’s family from Scranton, PA to rail yards of Lackawanna, NY. Ellen was born in Scranton, once an active, vital railroad hub. Today it is home to Steamtown , a national industrial heritage site, dedicated to preserving the history of the steam railroad and the role its workforce played during the Industrial Revolution and beyond. Leon began what would be his lifelong career there, learning the skills needed to maintain the machinery that in turn was used to maintain the integrity of the tracks. Recognizing an intelligent, skilled mechanic, the railroad paid for Leon‘s further training in Chicago. He then earned a promotion that moved the family to Lackawanna and a job on the William Street train yard with the Erie Lackawanna Railroad. His work made it possible for the family to travel frequently by train for family visits and for pleasure. Later, Leon would continue to advance his career back in Scranton as the regional maintenance manager for Conrail. “Getting to travel by train was always exciting for my brother, Frank, and I as kids,” Ellen recalls. “The most exciting, thrilling rides always involved being allowed to dine in the Phoebe Snow Club Car.” (‘Phoebe’ was a fictitious, high society character the railroad used to advertise this exclusive dining amenity, along with this catchy motto, ‘A cozy seat, a dainty treat, makes Phoebe’s happiness complete; with linen white and silver bright, upon the road of anthracite .’) “Everyone, including us kids, had to really dress for the occasion. I know we learned our table manners in the Phoebe.” Ellen and Frank were the first in their family to graduate from college. Ellen attended UB and earned a Masters in Nursing. She enjoyed a successful career as a public health nurse, working for the Erie County Health Department and for Roswell Park Memorial Institute. She eventually became a professor of nursing at Erie Community College. She married husband Martin in 1972. The couple lived for a time in Syracuse where Martin attended SU and played for the Syracuse University Orange Men. Drafted by the Baltimore Colts, Martin never got to play professionally, but used his education to achieve is MS in Special Education. Upon returning to Buffalo, he pursued his career at the WNY Children’s Psychiatric Center. Ellen got interested in volunteering for ECRT when she saw the organization’s efforts to maintain and preserve the corridor. She walks the Orchard Park section frequently and happily offers her help at tabling events in Orchard Park and Springville. “I see people on the trail all the time. My son Jason and his wife Amy walk here pretty regularly as well, with their dog, Asoka. My grandsons Jonas and Myles bike here and really enjoy it.” “When I’m on the trail, I think of my dad and how hard he worked. He loved being a ‘railroader’. He would be thrilled to see how the rail beds are being used now as a trail for the community to use and enjoy.” June 1, 2024 Written by: Deb Fenn Previous Next < Back