Deb Fenn 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 last 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! December 1, 2019 Written by: Deb Fenn Previous Next < Back

Deb Fenn turns over rail trail Board leadership to Mary Brummer in 2023 after years of progress. < Back Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail Welcomes New President Beth Lasky Jan 17, 2023 Deb Fenn turns over rail trail Board leadership to Mary Brummer in 2023 after years of progress. Deb Fenn , one of the founding ECRT Board members, stepped down as Board President at the end of 2022, a role she has held since 2016. Ms. Fenn will continue to manage government relations and community engagement for the organization. On January 1, 2023, Orchard Park Village resident, Mary Brumme r, became the new ECRT Board President. Brummer joined the ECRT Board in 2018, shortly after she retired as a small animal veterinarian at the Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center. She previously served as ECRT Secretary and Governance chair. In her new role, Brummer’s first priority is to build funding and team capacity to ensure that ECRT can continue to improve and open more miles of trail. History of Progress In the 15 years since ECRT was incorporated, the organization has made tremendous progress. In 2018, ECRT, Inc. signed a long-term, federal railbanking lease with the Buffalo Pittsburgh Railroad to build and manage the trail. Since that time, ECRT has secured grants and public support to open 10+ miles of natural surface trail. During Fenn’s tenure, the ECRT Board: Expanded the Board of Directors to include strong leadership in design and construction, development, communications, maintenance and legal expertise. Launched ECRT Friends groups in Orchard Park, West Falls/Colden, and Springville/Concord along with an extensive trail support network with 4,500 members and nearly 600 volunteers. Gained support from national and regional trail organizations, and support from all levels of government for trail development, including resolutions of support from the Town of Aurora and from adjacent towns for major projects. Hosted trail events, including National Trail Day observances, winter walks and clean up events, and the highly successful EA2EVL 42-mile charity bike ride from East Aurora to Ellicottville held in 2021 and 2022, raising $100k in donations. Looking to the future In 2022, Brummer led the Board’s effort to upgrade and launch a new 3-year strategic plan for ECRT, which includes many critical projects and priorities that the Board will work to implement in the future." “It became clear during the pandemic just how important trails are to our communities, especially here in the southtowns where we have limited access,” Brummer explained. “Under Deb’s leadership, ECRT gained great momentum and made enormous strides. I’m excited to build on that momentum, to weave in local community flair and flavor, and to deepen our relationship with our Friends and supporters. "It has been a privilege and an honor to build and serve this dedicated volunteer organization,” said Fenn. “I’m incredibly proud of the amazing progress we’ve made, especially in the last 5 years, and I know Mary is the very best leader to take this trail and team into the future." Previous Next

Partnership will gather and analyze Community feedback < Back ECRT and UB invite Public input on trail plans Mary Brummer Sep 10, 2024 Partnership will gather and analyze Community feedback As part of its ongoing effort to develop a multiuse recreational trail in the Southtowns, ECRT is specifically targeting input from residents in Orchard Park and Colden for their viewpoints on trail development. “It has been some years since we sat down with residents and formally collected their thoughts on the project. As we consider developing the next sections of trail, we will be guided by the visions of each community”, said ECRT President Mary Brummer. State University of New York at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning has structured a fall semester graduate course around the process of community engagement. Two free workshop-style meetings will be facilitated by the UB Planning graduate students to gather ideas, dreams, visions, and concerns from residents. UB faculty, Dr. Kelly Gregg, advised, “Engaging community stakeholders will be a critical part of the design process and project development for the ECRT. The students are looking forward to meeting with residents and helping to understand all viewpoints and ultimately assist the ECRT in project development.“ Meetings will be held in two locations and will build on each other, so interested residents are asked to attend both sessions for the full duration. The first meeting will take place at the Orchard Park Community Activity Center on September 25 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm . The second meeting will take place at the Colden Fire Company on October 30 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm . Pre-registration is required and may be found below and at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094AA5A62CA5F9CE9-50690046-ecrt#/ . Following the two engagement meetings, the UB students will synthesize the community feedback into future visions for building the trail. These visions will be presented at a summary meeting and public celebration held on December 10 at 6:30 pm at the Orchard Park Community Activity Center . In addition to the community engagement sessions for Orchard Park and Colden a community wide survey is underway to better understand residents’ perspectives of existing and future use of the trail. The survey link is https://sunybuffalo.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6SDQzg4sOV2yB5I?Q_CHL=qr and the QR code is below. About State University of New York at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning: Embedded in our urban contexts here and around the world, we approach the study and practice of architecture, urban planning and real estate development hands on, full scale, and all in. The University at Buffalo's School of Architecture and Planning offers graduate and undergraduate paths of study in architecture, urban planning and real estate development, all within the most comprehensive public research university in the Northeast. Learn more about the life and programs of the school at https://archplan.buffalo.edu/ . Previous Next

Join fellow ECRT Members for a walk on the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail in Orchard Park as the sun sets and the full moon rises. < Back Members Sunset/Full Moon Trail Walk Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail Apr 13, 2025 Join fellow ECRT Members for a walk on the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail in Orchard Park as the sun sets and the full moon rises. As a benefit of ECRT membership, you are invited to enjoy new sensations on the trail in a totally different nighttime setting, and to celebrate at the Orchard Park Depot afterward with complimentary refreshments! Listen to the unusual sounds of the night, smell the crisp night air, see the shadows of the trail caused by the full moon and enjoy the trail in a totally different setting! Peer through our telescope for a closer look at the night sky. ECRT members: Check your inbox - you have already received a personal email invitation to this member event. Cost: This is a Free Event for registered ECRT Members Location: Starts and ends at Orchard Park Train Depot Check-in Time: 7:30pm - Orchard Park Train Depot Trail Talk: 7:40pm Walk Start Time: 8pm Light refreshments to follow: Approximately 8:45pm Walk distance: 2.6 miles – from Orchard Park train depot to Jewett Holmwood Rd and back Parking: Available on-street parking and in the Orchard Park Library parking lot adjacent to the OP Train Depot. Previous Next

Bring your friends & family to Community Night at 42 North Brewing Company! < Back ECRT and 42 North Community Night 2026 Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail Aug 13, 2026 Bring your friends & family to Community Night at 42 North Brewing Company! Join us for ECRT Community Night @42 North Brewing! Invite your friends, family & coworkers to eat, drink and support the trail You are invited to 42 North Brewing in East Aurora on Thursday, August 13 to raise a glass of your favorite beverage in support of the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail! 42 North will donate $1 for each beer purchased between 5-8 p.m. to ECRT to help extend and improve the multiuse recreational trail that runs from Orchard Park to Ashford, NY. Join in the fun! Take a chance to win our split club raffle. Register or volunteer for the EA2EVL Fondo 42-mile charity bike ride October 3 Wear your ECRT shirt or hat and receive a free gift! Join ECRT as a supporting Member. Buy a beverage & grab a bite to eat from Fat Bob’s! Donate to ECRT and receive an ECRT swag item FREE! (prior years swag only) Buy your tickets for our Mongoose Malus 26” Fat Tire Bike Raffle! Winner drawn October 3! ECRT Board members & volunteers can answer questions and share maps and plans for the trail. See you there! Location: 42 North Brewing Company: 25 Pine St., East Aurora, NY 14052 Previous Next

From Ellicott Road to the Orchard Park Depot < Back Orchard Park Trail Closure for Maintenance July 9th ECRT Maintenance Team Jul 6, 2025 From Ellicott Road to the Orchard Park Depot Notice: Temporary Orchard Park Trail Closure for Maintenance Wednesday, July 9th, 3:30 pm - Sunset Ellicott Road to the Orchard Park Depot Thanks in advance for your cooperation! Previous Next

Steve has over 32 years of banking industry experience as a Financial / Strategic Planning Consultant to the Banking Industry and previously served as Chief Operating Officer of FinPro Inc. Steve currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors at Country Bank in MA. Steve is an avid biker and trail rider and has ridden on a wide range of rail trails across 12 states. Steve believes the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail is a very valuable asset to the Western NY community and is excited by the opportunity to work with the talented and dedicated group at ECRT to complete and open the entire 27 miles of trail to public use. < Back Steve Musso Steve has over 32 years of banking industry experience as a Financial / Strategic Planning Consultant to the Banking Industry and previously served as Chief Operating Officer of FinPro Inc. Steve currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors at Country Bank in MA. Steve is an avid biker and trail rider and has ridden on a wide range of rail trails across 12 states. Steve believes the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail is a very valuable asset to the Western NY community and is excited by the opportunity to work with the talented and dedicated group at ECRT to complete and open the entire 27 miles of trail to public use. Previous Next

Browse more than 150 new products and save 15% on your purchases until August 21st. < Back New Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail Merchandise Deborah Stellrecht Aug 15, 2024 Browse more than 150 new products and save 15% on your purchases until August 21st. We're excited to announce our NEW online store today - the ECRT Shop. There you'll find ECRT branded clothing items to suit anyone's style, mugs, stickers, water bottles and more. When you buy, you'll also be giving to the trail, because ECRT receives a percentage of each purchase! ecrt-shop.myspreadshop.com Previous Next

Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail Events Events Oct 3, 2026 EA2EVL Fondo 2026 Register now for EA2EVL Fondo 2026! Read More Aug 13, 2026 ECRT and 42 North Community Night 2026 Bring your friends & family to Community Night at 42 North Brewing Company! Read More May 2, 2026 Celebrate Trails Day Fun Run & Walk Join Us for Celebrate Trails Day! Read More Mar 15, 2026 West Falls Easter Egg Hunt 2026 Here comes Peter Cottontail! Read More Feb 21, 2026 Join us on the trail with snowshoes or skis Let's get out and play in the snow! Read More Oct 18, 2025 Explore a Section of ECRT in Concord Springville/Concord Friends group leader Mary Carol Dearing will lead this hike on a lovely but seldom explored section of trail. Read More Oct 4, 2025 EA2EVL Fondo 2025 Sign up today for EA2EVL Fondo 2025! Read More Sep 23, 2025 EA2EVL Fondo Friendraiser 2025 Join us for a friendraiser at 42 North Brewing Company! Read More Sep 20, 2025 Grand Opening of New Trail Section in Aurora Let's celebrate this latest trail opening together! Read More Jul 20, 2025 Come see us at Skyride 190 We'd love to see you - stop by the ECRT table at the after party! Read More May 20, 2025 Springville Trail Clean Up Volunteers needed for Springville trail clean-up Read More Apr 26, 2025 Stay tuned! We're busy planning our next event. Check back soon! Read More Apr 13, 2025 Members Sunset/Full Moon Trail Walk Join fellow ECRT Members for a walk on the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail in Orchard Park as the sun sets and the full moon rises. Read More Apr 12, 2025 West Falls Easter Egg Hunt 2025 Walk the Trail! Prizes & Candy! Photo-Op with the Easter Bunny Read More Oct 5, 2024 EA2EVL Fondo 2024! Sign up today for EA2EVL Fondo 2024! Read More Sep 26, 2024 ECRT Friendraiser at 42 North Brewing Support our EA2EVL riders – Learn more about the trail Read More Jun 1, 2024 Orchard Park Trail Walk Celebrate National Trails Day with a walk on the Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail! Read More Apr 13, 2024 Spring Trail Walk in East Concord Explore the Rail Trail in East Concord Read More Mar 23, 2024 West Falls Easter Egg Hunt 2024 The Easter bunny is coming to visit the rail trail in West Falls on Saturday, March 23rd! Read More Mar 16, 2024 Come and see us at WNY Equifest 2024! Meet other riders and learn more about the equestrian-friendly parts of the trail. Read More

The Easter bunny is coming to visit the rail trail in West Falls on Saturday, March 23rd! < Back West Falls Easter Egg Hunt 2024 Lisa Rood Mar 23, 2024 The Easter bunny is coming to visit the rail trail in West Falls on Saturday, March 23rd! Register your little ones to have fun on the trail, collect Easter eggs, and have their photo taken with the Easter bunny! Egg supplies are limited, so please sign up at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/easter-egg-hunt-tickets-842837679187 . Previous Next

ECRT will have an information table at the International Fly Fishing Film Festival in Springville, NY on Tuesday, March 5th. < Back Visit us at IF4 2024 in Springville Mar 5, 2024 ECRT will have an information table at the International Fly Fishing Film Festival in Springville, NY on Tuesday, March 5th. IF4™ is the world’s leading fly-fishing film event, consisting of coveted fly-fishing films produced by filmmakers from all corners of the globe and showcases the passion, lifestyle, and culture of fly fishing. It is the gathering place of the fly-fishing community and a celebration of friendship, stories and stoke. Stop by and say hello! The Film Festival is hosted by Springville Field and Stream. Films begin showing at 6:30 pm. Tickets available at https://www.flyfilmfest.com/springvilleny/ . Previous Next

Board of Directors Mary Brummer President Orchard Park mbrummer@ecattrail.org Veterinarian, Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center (Retired) Read more Gary Koeppel Vice-President Orchard Park gkoeppel@ecattrail.org Praxair, Associate Director of Pipeline Engineering (Retired) Read more Steve Musso Treasurer East Aurora smusso@ecattrail.org FinPro- COO (retired) Past Board Member and Treasurer of The Graycliff Conservancy (Retired) Read more Gerald F. Reger Secretary Hamburg jreger@ecattrail.org Sole Proprietor – Professional Accounting and Consulting Services Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo – Chief Financial Officer/ Chief Administrative Officer (Retired) Dopkins & Company, LLP – Partner (Retired) Read more Michael R. Conway Director Orchard Park mconway@ecattrail.org Past Executive Director: Mahoning Valley and Adirondack Economic Development Corporations Read more Dale Morris Director East Aurora dmorris@ecattrail.org Director of Geographic Information Services (Retired) Erie County Department of Environmental Planning Read more Murray Covello Director Orchard Park mcovello@ecattrail.org Praxair – Global Supply Systems Leader (Retired) Past Board Member and Board Chair of Greater Buffalo Chapter of American Red Cross (Retired) Read more Deb Stellrecht Director West Falls dstellrecht@ecattrail.org Website content, Communications/IT Support Read more Lisa Rood Director Boston lrood@ecattrail.org Former Town of Boston Supervisor Current Chair of Boston Zoning Board Consultant for Older Adult Programs – Hamburg United Methodist Church Read more Howy Holmes Director Orchard Park hholmes@ecattrail.org President, Friends of Birdsong Highway Contractor (Retired) 716-983-3605 Read more Kathleen McCrone Director Orchard Park kmccrone@ecattrail.org Marketing and Account Management (Retired) Read more Dorothea Wattles Director Colden dwattles@ecattrail.org Educator – Orchard Park Schools (Retired) Read more John Landi Director Orchard Park jlandi@ecattrail.org Business Data and Analytics Manager at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner LLP Read more Lauren Weber Director Orchard Park lweber@ecattrail.org Attorney, Phillips Lytle, LLP Read more Marc Romanowski Director Orchard Park mromanowski@ecattrail.org Partner, Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham LLC Environmental/Brownfields, Land/Use Zoning, Energy, Municipal, Administrative and Litigation Attorney Read more Francis Hogenkamp Director Orchard Park fhogenkamp@ecattrail.org Optician, Owner & Administrator of Hogenkamp Optics in Orchard Park Orchard Park Village Board member for 20+ years Major fundraiser for restoration of the Orchard Park BR & P Train Depot Read more Dan Barone Director West Seneca dbarone@ecattrail.org Computer/Data Analysis Read more Nicole Avitahl-Curtis Director Orchard Park navitahl-curtis@ecattrail.org Microbiology, Community Engagement Read more Michael Bowen Director Hamburg, NY mbowen@ecattrail.org Retired Senior VP, Enterprise Data & Analytics Operations, M& T Bank Read more Deb Fenn Past President, Director Emeritus Aurora dfenn@ecattrail.org Former communications executive, history teacher and ECRT president. Read more