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Steve Williams As we turn our thoughts to ones of gratitude during the holiday season, ECRT feels especially grateful for the hard work and positive energy that so many of our volunteers have contributed this past year. And Steve Williams, a resident of Orchard Park, is one of them. You may have seen or spoken with him at the Orchard Fresh Farmer’s Markets this summer, enthusiastically engaging with the public on behalf of ECRT. “This past summer volunteering at the Orchard Park farmers market was a great experience to reach out to neighbors and share our mission to make ECRT a reality,” Steve reports. “The response was overwhelmingly positive with great anticipation by all.” Steve believes that joining the Orchard Park Friends of ECRT allows him to connect with nature and support his community. He wants to make his love for bike riding and the outdoors safer and better for everyone. Connecting with nature Steve boasts a lifelong enjoyment of the outdoors. As a young boy on Long Island, he would ride his bike to meet friends, play in the woods, travel to baseball games and deliver newspapers. And he’s still riding locally and in Florida, Boston and everywhere in between. Today every member of his family always had a bike—and they still do! Supporting the community Steve’s career in banking allowed him to work in NYC, Wilmington DE, and Buffalo. In 1988, he moved to Orchard Park, with his wife Theresa, and their two sons, Chris and Dan. While raising their family, Steve was also an Odyssey of the Mind coach and a Quaker Marching Band dad. Now that Steve is retired, he has more time to spend with family and friends. “As time flies by, my childhood, school, career, marriage, parenting, and now growing older, I want to be outside and enjoy nature even more,” says Steve. “OP is a beautiful place to raise a family and enjoy the outdoors. As a grandparent, I look forward to one day riding/walking the trail with my grandson, Lucas!” Thanks, Steve, for all you do for your family, the community, and for ECRT! More volunteers

Volunteers are Always Welcomed and Needed Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail (ECRT) is gaining momentum in our mission to create "A scenic Southtowns Rail-Trail for enjoying nature and connecting communities." Through months of pandemic and beyond, hundreds of people have walked, run, skied and snowshoed the beautiful tree-lined natural surface trail on the 2-mile Orchard Park town section as well as the newly completed and opened 1.3-mile section from the Orchard Park Depot to Jewett-Holmwood Road in the Orchard Park Village. Another 8 mil es of trail are open to the public in Springville and Concord NY, allowing hundreds access to picturesque land for winter sports and summer walks, runs and bike rides. Development of this scenic 27-mile recreational trail is well underway. To make the leap into major improvements, requires strategic planning, financing and qualified, dedicated individuals to join our energetic, creative, and talented team. Let us pool our talents to create the Southtowns community treasure we envision. Could this be your moment? If you are passionate about developing the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, and want to help build a legacy for years to come, we have several exciting opportunities to get involved with our volunteer organization: Development Leadership: Work to identify and cultivate relationships with institutional benefactors, corporate sponsors, and individual philanthropists Grants Writer: Identify and apply to relevant public and private funders Fundraising Leadership: Formulate community fundraising activities and annual campaign Event Planner: Assist in planning, logistics, and execution of local ECRT events Paralegal/Contracts Attorney: Assist in preparing contracts and formal correspondence to ECRT stakeholders Communication/Public Relations: Advocate for the trail, and keep our supporters informed through various media and events; p hotography, especially at events; Social media and newsletter content creation Community Engagement: Plan and execute meetings to update the public and to receive feedback Recruitment: Recruit enthusiastic trail supporters to join the team Trail Maintenance: Install signs, clean up fallen limbs, record/report trail maintenance problems, identify maintenance needs If you'd like to volunteer, we would like to meet you! Please fill out and complete our Volunteer Form below to start the conversation. Volunteer Sign-up First name Last name Email Phone Multi-line address Country/Region Address City Zip / Postal code Yes, I want to receive ECRT News and Updates via email. What volunteer areas would you like to assist with? Check all that apply: Multi choice Trail Maintenance Social Media Event Planner Event Volunteer Board Member Graphic Designer Marketing Public/Community Relations Grant Writer/Administrator Recruitment Communications Writer/Editor Legal/Paralegal Finance/Accounting Other Photographer/Videographer Please sign your name here to verify that you are 18 years of age or older. Drawing mode selected. Drawing requires a mouse or touchpad. For keyboard accessibility, select Type or Upload. Submit Meet Our Volunteers

Aerial tour of the future trail via drone! Enjoy this Virtual Tour of the ECRT Trail! The Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail is over 27 miles long and runs from Orchard Park to Ashford, crossing through five municipalities and joining two counties. While the ECRT Board is wo rking with key partners and funders to build the blueprint for the trail, we invite you to enjoy a virtual tour of the trail built from drone footage of the following sections: Springville E. Concord Colden West Falls Orchard Park Springville Section is Open Now is a great time to get outside and reconnect with nature, a constant throughout this COVID-19 crisis. And the perfect place to do that safely is on a trail. That includes the open section of the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, the Pop Warner trail in Springville. It’s a great resource for the whole family!

What’s Next for ECRT in Orchard Park Lots of ECRT supporters are asking “what’s next” as a result of the controversial Orchard Park Board meeting on October 7, 2020, so let’s bring you up to speed. In a nutshell, the Orchard Park Town Board voted on October 7 on a “Resolution of opposition to the conversion of the abandoned Buffalo & Pittsburgh rail bed for use as a recreational trail“, an agenda item that was added the day before without adequate notice. Despite the short notice and concerns about crowd safety, dozens of trail supporters came to the meeting, and many spoke passionately and eloquently on behalf of the trail, voicing concern over how this resolution was handled. Only two spoke in opposition, and yet Supervisor Patrick Keem, in his final meeting, and Councilman Gene Majchrzak voted in favor of the opposition resolution, stating that ECRT never shared a plan. ECRT provided the Town Board with an 86-page strategic plan in 2019, along with 241 letters of support. It’s important to note that Councilman Conor Flynn voted against the resolution and shared why in this FaceBook post . Read the full story in the Orchard Park Bee . What does this mean for the future of the trail in Orchard Park? Here are the facts: THANKS! First off, ECRT would like to thank all of our supporters who attended the meeting, spoke on our behalf, and sent letters to the Town Board both before and after this meeting. This vote, while disappointing, has galvanized our supporters, and increased awareness of trail and passion for this important community asset. We have overwhelming support in Orchard Park and your voice matters! ONWARD and UPWARD: The vote cannot and will not change our plans to build this trail. The 27-mile inactive rail line is privately owned by the railroad. This property has been federally designated for use as a recreational trail by the Surface Transportation Board. Its use as a trail is pre-empted by federal law and local regulations designed to frustrate the use of the corridor as a trail are also pre-empted. THE REAL DEAL: The only thing this vote could potentially do is discourage funding to provide further enhancements and mitigations to the trail. CHECK IT OUT! In August, in response to the public need for more access to safe outdoor spaces, ECRT opened a picturesque 2-mile section of the trail in Orchard Park from Ellicott to Jewett Holmwood Roads for local residents. That section is still open and can be accessed from either end of the trail. Today, this is a rough, unfinished trail that is best used for walking, hiking, and mountain bikes. EYES ON IT: We have patrollers and trail cameras in this section. We’re seeing about 100 people per week enjoying the trail. Many are adjacent homeowners who say they are loving it! HEADS UP: ECRT sent a letter to the Town Board in May notifying them of our intentions to open this section. We also notified local police and fire responders before we opened, and posted trail rules at both ends of the trail. PLAN ON IT: ECRT is working on a design plan with Alta Planning and Design, a national trail design company, and GoBike Buffalo is leading an effort to build the 80-mile Southern Tier Trail. A trail study by the two companies is expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. WHAT’s NEXT IN OP: Our first priority is to continue to improve the open 2-mile section. Now more than ever, we can use your help! Please consider donating at www.ecattrail.org/OPtrail Thank you for your support! The volunteer team at ECRT *For more information on the Orchard Park section that has opened, please select this link .

Learn more about membership and how you can help us build the trail. Become a Member! Join the movement! Become a member and help us build the trail for the benefit of the whole community. By becoming an ECRT Member you will: Show that you are a trail supporter, and you have a true desire to see all 27 miles completed. Help ECRT to have a reliable income stream to fund trail development. Improve development efforts by offering an enhanced connection to the trail for members. Provide ECRT with additional resources to educate the community and broaden our base of support. Create additional excitement about the trail and encourage use and participation. Demonstrate support of the development of the trail to funders and governmental entities. Enjoy additional benefits that are detailed under each membership level in the Member Registration Form below! A Message from our President Prefer to mail a check? Make your check payable to Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, Inc. Address to: ECRT, PO Box 584, Orchard Park, NY 14127. Thank you! NYS Charitable Donation Disclosures Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization registered with New York State and dedicated to building and maintaining a 27-mile multiuse recreational trail from Orchard Park to Ashford, NY on the railbanked Buffalo & Pittsburgh rail corridor. The latest financial report from ECRT may be obtained by request from ECRT at www.ecattrail.org or from the Attorney General's Charities Bureau's Website - www.charitiesnys.com . Information about charities may be obtained from the Attorney General at (212) 416-8686.

Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail has secured a rail banking agreement to develop the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad corridor into a multi-use recreational trail. For Immediate Release ECRT, Inc. Secures Long-Term Rail Banking Agreement with Buffalo Pittsburgh Railroad Lease approves construction of a 27-mile multiuse trail in Western New York (August 16, 2018) ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.: The Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, Inc. (ECRT) and Buffalo Pittsburgh Railroad (B&PRR) announced the signing of a 49-year rail banking agreement that allows the non-profit organization, by federal statue, to construct a multi-use recreational trail on the 27-mile former rail line in Western New York. The Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail begins in Erie County at the historic rail depot in the Village of Orchard Park, and follows the inactive rail line connecting the towns of Orchard Park, Aurora, Colden, Concord, and the Village of Springville. The trail ends in Cattaraugus County in the Town of Ashford. “We’re so pleased to reach an agreement with the Erie County Rail Trail organization,” stated B&PRR Marketing Director Kevin Bowser. “They value our railroad history, the natural attributes of the corridor, and the outstanding recreation and economic potential the trail will bring to the community. We fully support their efforts to create this trail.” The ECRT trail features historic rail depots, quaint villages, woodlands, marshes, farmlands, popular ski areas and a spectacular high-trestle bridge. The 1.7-mile Springville Pop Warner Trail is already open and is a model for trail development. The remaining trail will be built in sections as community meetings are held, funding is secured and a visioning plan is complete. “We’re thrilled to have a signed agreement so we can start building the trail,” said Deborah Fenn, ECRT’s co-chair. “Our goals are to protect and maintain the trail as a natural, cultural and historic resource while providing a safe, welcoming place for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy nature and outdoor recreation.” ECRT, Inc. is currently seeking funding for economic studies and plan design, and meeting with municipal, county and state leaders to inform them of the agreement and to discuss next steps. The group is also setting up local engagement meetings with adjacent landowners, community members and other stakeholders to discuss preferences for trail surfaces, activities, access points, and to address privacy and safety concerns. “Trails like these are quiet economic generators,” noted ECRT Co-chair, Gary Willert, who was instrumental in the negotiation process. “Research shows that homes and property values are likely to increase the closer they are to the trail. We hope the trail will promote economic growth and foster strong community connections while preserving the unique character of our quaint towns and villages.” ABOUT ECRT, INC. Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail, Inc. is a 501(c)3 volunteer organization formed in 2008 to support New York State Park’s effort to create a linear park along an inactive Buffalo Pittsburgh Railroad (B&PRR) rail line. In 2018, ECRT, Inc. and B&PRR reached a long-term rail banking agreement to begin construction of a 27-mile multiuse trail. Today, ECRT has over 6,000 friends and community supporters and is currently seeking funding from state and federal sources, foundations and individuals for economic impact studies and design plans. To volunteer, contribute or support the trail, contact ECRT, Inc. at www.ecattrail.org

BR& P Trail Communities Each community overview includes information about population size, age, poverty, park land, the right-of-way length, location and condition, bridges, adjacent property and six health factors – transportation, education, community, health & lifestyle, environment and economic development. Select the images below to view the community overviews...

Jerry retired from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo at the end of 2019 after serving more than six years as the Foundation’s Chief Finance Office/Chief Administrative Officer. In that role Jerry had leadership of the following areas: Finance, Strategic Financial Management, Accounting, Investment/Asset Management, Business Analytics, Operations, Talent Management and Recruiting, Policies and Procedures, Enterprise Risk Management, Technology, Business Process Management, and Facilities. Before joining the Community Foundation, Jerry spent over 30 years in the field of public accounting, including 28 years with Dopkins and Company, LLP, where he was the Partner-in-charge of their Not-Profit-Industry Service Group. His primary focus was serving the not-for-profit and health care industries with a dedicated area of expertise in health and human services agencies. He provided audit, tax and consulting services to a majority of Buffalo’s largest not-for-profits entities and other large not-for-profits in Rochester and all across New York State. He is a retired member of the: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA); the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA); and the NYSSCPA’s Buffalo Chapter Not-for-Profit Committee. Jerry graduated from the University of Buffalo with a BS degree in Business Administration with concentrations in accounting and finance. Since March of 2013, Jerry has been providing consulting services to the WNY not-for-profit community as a sole practitioner. Jerry joined the ECRT Board in 2021 and serves on both the ECRT’s Finance and Development Committees. He joined the ECRT Board because he is passioned about having safe biking alternatives for the rural communities in WNY. In his free time Jerry enjoys hiking, biking, golf and guitar. < Back Gerald F. Reger Jerry retired from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo at the end of 2019 after serving more than six years as the Foundation’s Chief Finance Office/Chief Administrative Officer. In that role Jerry had leadership of the following areas: Finance, Strategic Financial Management, Accounting, Investment/Asset Management, Business Analytics, Operations, Talent Management and Recruiting, Policies and Procedures, Enterprise Risk Management, Technology, Business Process Management, and Facilities. Before joining the Community Foundation, Jerry spent over 30 years in the field of public accounting, including 28 years with Dopkins and Company, LLP, where he was the Partner-in-charge of their Not-Profit-Industry Service Group. His primary focus was serving the not-for-profit and health care industries with a dedicated area of expertise in health and human services agencies. He provided audit, tax and consulting services to a majority of Buffalo’s largest not-for-profits entities and other large not-for-profits in Rochester and all across New York State. He is a retired member of the: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA); the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA); and the NYSSCPA’s Buffalo Chapter Not-for-Profit Committee. Jerry graduated from the University of Buffalo with a BS degree in Business Administration with concentrations in accounting and finance. Since March of 2013, Jerry has been providing consulting services to the WNY not-for-profit community as a sole practitioner. Jerry joined the ECRT Board in 2021 and serves on both the ECRT’s Finance and Development Committees. He joined the ECRT Board because he is passioned about having safe biking alternatives for the rural communities in WNY. In his free time Jerry enjoys hiking, biking, golf and guitar. Previous Next

Trail Users Here are some frequently asked questions from enthusiasts who would like to use the trail. 01 What is the proposed Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail? The former trail line travers es two counties (Erie and Cattaraugus) and connects five communities, starting in the Village of Orchard Park, going through towns of Orchard Park, Aurora, Colden, Concord, the Village of Springville and ending in Ashford. The trail features historic rail depots, quaint villages, woodlands, marshes, farmlands, popular ski areas and a spectacular high-trestle bridge. ECRT’s 27-mile trail will be the first safe, off-road bicycling trail in the south towns. This trail is included in the NYS trail and greenway long range plan. 02 When will it open and who gets to use it? ECRT is just beginning the design effort, which could take up to a year to complete. We are estimating the entire trail could take anywhere from 5-10 years to complete. The Springville Pop Warner Trail is currently in use and is a model for our ECRT trail development vision. The remaining trail will be built in sections as community funding and planning is completed. Announcements will be made as soon as other sections are ready for public use. ECRT will partner with the communities along the trail to fulfill our mission to develop a multi-use trail. Surface design will be up to each community to determine what is most desirable for their population. Outdoor enthusiasts, including bikers, hikers, horseback riders, cross-country skiers, bird-watchers, and snowmobilers are envisioned to have access. However, every use may not be allowed on every segment of the trail. 03 Can I explore the current rail-line? No, please do not. The current right-of-way is still owned by the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Rail Road, and walki ng on the trail is considered trespassing.   04 Where will the proposed trail go? Visit our Future Trai l page to se e a map of the proposed trail. 05 Where can I visit a local trail? In addition to the Springville Pop Warner trail section of ECRT, you can walk or bicycle on the trail from the Orchard Park Railway Historical Society Depot at 395 S. Lincoln Ave through to Ellicott Road in Aurora. O ther regional trails you can visit include: Chautauqua Rails to Trails, the Allegheny River Valley Trail, the Cattaraugus Pat McGee Trail, the Genesee Valley Greenway, the Tonawanda Rail Trail, Clarence-Akron-Newstead Bike Path, and Lancaster’s Heritage Trail.

Trail Neighbors "Without this trail, my son would not have learned to inline skate at such an early age, nor bicycled on his own over to his grandmother's house, who lives near the other end of the trail. Without this trail my neighbor and I wouldn't have taken up our early morning walks. Without this trail people wouldn't be able to link up as quickly or easily or safely with other trails in communities next to ours." - Kristine Poelzer, Former Trail Opponent If you live adjacent to the proposed trail, chances are you have questions and concerns. Rest assured, trails make better neighbors than trains! Numerous studies have shown that trails do not negatively affect property values or safety. Here are just a few studies: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: Trail Benefits Report University of Nebraska at Omaha: Trail Neighbors Study Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: Safety Study of 372 Trails Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: Economic Impact Study Trail Neighbors: Before and After the Trail  As part of our community outreach initiative, it is our goal to address your questions and concerns. Many of you enthusiastically support the proposed trail conversion, including several property owners adjacent to the trail who are eager to begin using it. However, if you have concerns, here are answers to frequently asked questions: 01 Doesn't the railroad want to abandon the corridor? Why are you interfering? Can't we just let them abandon it? Abandonment is a technical term used by the Surface Transportation Board. It refers to abandonment of rail service fro m the line, not abandonment of the railroad's ownership of the line. If the Surface Transportation Board allows a rail line to be abandoned, the railroad still owns it until it officially liquidates the property through a real property sale. In 1983, Congress enacted legis lation aimed at preserving our nation's disappearing rail infrastructure through railbanking and interim trail use. This legislation allows railroads to transfer title and easements to a private or public organization to use the line as an interim trail. At the same time, the corridor is preserved should there ever need to reinstate rail traffic in the future. 02 Can't I buy the rail property behind my house or have the railroad deed it to me? A railroad's core business and primary source of revenue is moving goods from Point A to Point B. Railroads are not in the real estate business. Like any business though, a railroad will desire to liquidate and divest underutilized assets, however it is impractical and financially prohibitive for a railroad to engage in hundreds of real property transactions each time it wishes to divest a line. Additionally, Congressional enacted legislation is aimed at railbanking unused rail corridors to preserve our nation's valuable infrastructure for future use. If a railroad sells part of the line, the corridor is forever broken. Moreover, it is unrealistic to think that each of the hundreds of landowners bordering the line would be interested in purchasing it. Therefore, the railroad would still be left with ownership interests in an underutilized asset. Even if the railroad deeded the property to all adjacent landowners, some would not want it. Therefore, railroads often desire to divest a line via one transaction: either through railbanking or sale to a utility company. 03 What effect will a trail have on my property value? Numerous studies show that trails have neutral to positive effects on neighboring property values. Some realtors have reported that homes near trails sell faster and at a premium vs. those homes that are not located near the trail. You can read one such study here . Trails are among the top five amenities homebuyers look for when deciding where to move. Homes near trails sell faster, and home values increase the closer they are to the trail. 04 What about safety? Won't a trail invite criminals into my yard? Trails have excellent safety records. Statistics show that trails have significantly lower crime rates than the communities they are located in. In fact, a utilized trail is less of a "crime magnet" than an abandoned rail corridor. Consider that criminals and vandals are more likely to use an abandon rail corridor as a "dark alley" or escape route vs. a trail that is actively used by citizens with eyes, ears, and cell phones. You can read a study on the safety record of 372 trails here . The ECRT trail will be open from dawn to dusk. Signage with rules and a local telephone contact number will be posted along the trail. Besides employing a proven volunteer "neighborhood watch/patrol", the ECRT will coordinate with local police and first responders to ensure community safety is maintained and concerns are addressed. ECRT will work with adjacent property owners to ensure privacy and safety. Design, good trail management and regulation enforcement can mitigate privacy and safety concerns. Who will police the trail? Just as the local authorities would respond to an emergency on the corridor now, they will in the future as well. Moreover, the trail will also have the benefit of having more eyes, ears, and cellphones on the corridor than it does now. Besides employing a proven volunteer "neighborhood watch/patrol", the ECRT will coordinate with local police and first responders to ensure community safety is maintained and concerns are addressed. Trail surface conditions will allow access by first responders when necessary. 05 06 What about liability? The New York State General Obligations Law, Recreational Use Statute § 9-103, removes liability from use of the trail for recreational purposes. Moreover, homeowners are not liable to a trespasser or anyone who entered an adjacent property without permission. Additionally, ECRT has purchased our own comprehensive insurance program for the trail system. 07 What's this going to cost? Will my taxes go up? The trail may be funded by a combination of private endowments, and/or appropriated State and Federal grants. These grants are earmarked for trail development and recreation and will be spent elsewhere if not spent on this trail, therefore use of thes e grants will not add to your tax burden. Additionally, converting the rail corridor to a trail will not create a significant loss of tax revenue for the communities through which the trail passes. Due to the age of the rail corridor, tax assessments are very low. Most communities have their portion of the line assessed for only a few thousand dollars: the equivalent tax revenue from one single family home. Increases in home values and additional sales tax revenue from trail visitors will help offset any minor losses. 08 What about noise and snowmobiles? A trail is a much better neighbor than a train. While many neighbors can remember being awoken at 2 am by a passing freight train, a trail is much quieter than a train. In some areas, snowmobiles may only be permitted to use the trail under low power as a way for local residents to access connecting snowmobile trails, but not for through travel. Consider that if snowmobiles are allowed on portions of the trail, they are strictly regulated. NYS requires that snowmobiles adhere to specific decibel restrictions (often quieter than your neighbor's snowblower). Additionally, snowmobiles must have at least 6 inches of snow on top of frozen ground to travel. This limits the days in the year to which they can travel to only a dozen or so. Note, based on feedback from the Erie County Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, and community feedback, it has been determined that snowmobiling will not be a permitted trail activity in the Village and Town of Orchard Park. 09 Will ATVs and dirt bikes be allowed on the corridor? No. These types of motorized vehicles are prohibited.

National Trails Day 2024 It was a spectacular day to celebrate National Trails Day Year: 2024 Previous Next

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