rver group – Houghton STAR

The Genesee Valley Greenway trail, which runs between Rochester and Hinesdale, south of Cuba, is closed in the section that goes through Houghton. Though students and community members run, walk, and bike on the Houghton section of the Greenway daily the interruptions prevent them from connecting to the rest of the trail.

The Greenway is a park originating from the land formerly occupied by area canals and railroads. Described as “an open space corridor” by the New York State Park Service, it is intended to be used for walking, hiking, and biking, and other outdoor recreation. It also has a crucial role in conservation, allowing organisms to travel on an uninterrupted wild space throughout Western New York.

Kristina Shoepfer, park manager for the Greenway, said that the land passed through several hands before becoming a state park. “The Genesee Valley Greenway follows the old Genesee Valley Canal and later, the Rochester Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The railroad eventually sold the property to RG&E [Rochester Gas and Electric], who later sold the property to New York State for use as a recreational trail.” Because of the long history of the property, the Greenway runs past pieces of regional history, including ruins of stone locks, culverts, and historic inns such as the Yard of Ale and the National Hotel. One section near Black Creek, NY runs past areas of the canal which are still full of water, allowing trail users to imagine the canal in its heyday.

The Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway (FOGVG), a local nonprofit organization, in partnership with the state park system, attempts to promote and care for the Greenway to users of the trail. The Friends have brought more than $4 million in grants to the Greenway to develop it further, and often run events to promote and care for the trail. They also provide information about the length of the trail for potential users.

According to FOGVG there are several areas of the trail that are currently closed for use. One of the areas that is currently closed, according to the trail guide found on the FOGVG website, includes the section that goes through Houghton. Shoepfer pointed out that the trail nearest Houghton has a few obstacles that prevent it from connecting it to the rest of the trail. North of Houghton, “a bridge is needed to cross the creek adjacent to the Houghton soccer fields” while to the south, “there is a RG&E substation located on what used to be the old rail bed (and what would have been the path of the Greenway),” she said. Beyond these interruptions, the trail is maintained as it continues north to Rochester and south past Cuba.

“Having the Greenway connected in Houghton would be an asset to the college and community” for several reasons, Shoepfer said, as it would provide increased recreational opportunities over the length of the trail for activities including hiking, biking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback-riding. Shoepfer also suggested that for students who currently run along Route 19, having the Greenway connected would allow for a safer alternative to running along the road.

The RVER Group, or Regional Ventures in Economic Revitalization, stated that one of its goals for the near future is to refurbish the park in the town of Houghton. Helping to connect the section of the Genesee Valley Greenway that runs through Houghton to the rest of the path would be a related goal worth pursuing.

The Greenway is a feature of Houghton that deserves to be more well-known and utilized. With a few improvements, the Genesee Valley Greenway could “stimulate business and tourism for the local community and benefit the community as a whole,” Shoepfer said.

For more information, including trail maps and updates on events, visit the Friends of the Genesee Valley Greenway website at fogvg.org, or the New York State Park website at nysparks.com

Students want more to do in Houghton. Each class that has passed through these grounds has made the same complaint, year after year: “There’s nowhere to go, nothing to do.” The RVER Group knows this. They are working to change it.

Courtesy of Keystone Associates, Architects, Engineers and Surveyors, LLC, Binghamton, NY RVER, pronounced “river”, stands for Regional Ventures in Economic Revitalization. This board of community members started off as the Houghton Group, but soon expanded out of the college and into the whole of the town. Said Phyllis Gaerte, Chair of the Houghton Group, “Our concerted effort to include our local, county, and state elected officials in our discussions has been instrumental in us getting before the right people that can offer support and help us move forward. We have developed a great working relationship with our county development and planning team. In the past few months, we have had the opportunity to meet with our Congressman, Tom Reed, and Senator, Catherine Young, as well as our county legislators.”

The idea for a group that would facilitate economic growth in Houghton was spurred on by the construction of the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex (KPAC). The building is the largest of its kind in the Southern Tier. With a capacity of 6,000, it presents opportunities to host live artists, trade shows, and athletic events that Houghton never previously had the means to hold.

These opportunities create traffic. Where there is traffic, there needs to be businesses ready to feed, clothe, and entertain the people coming into town. This is where the RVER Group sees potential for commercial growth in Houghton. “The work of the RVER Group has the potential to transform both the look of Main Street in Houghton and at the same time increase access to retail services, products, and other conveniences in Houghton. Students, parents, children, and local residents all stand to benefit from our efforts,” said Professor Ken Bates. Bates is one member of the RVER Group who is also a part of the Houghton College faculty.

Having only been established a year ago, the Group has already made some progress in town. They brought Tracy’s Delights on board from Tracy’s original location in Rushford. They also supported her and her husband, John, to add a full floral service to their store. They met with Addie’s Ice Cream, when Addie came to them, interested in adding a location in Houghton. The Group helped them in locating a space, providing work teams to help with renovations, and advertising in Houghton. This past Summer, the Group also worked to bring the Genesee Rapids to town. Although students weren’t here to see the Rapids, the Group had a great success in drawing crowds and advertising through their presence.

While the RVER Group does have some long-term goals in mind, they are working to accomplish four in the short-term. Said Bates, “The four top priorities of the RVER Group today are funding and then building the new town park; designing, funding, and constructing a new streetscape look to Main Street; building a convenience store/gas station in town; and locating a national chain fast food store in Houghton”

The Group plans to build a town park behind the firehall parking lot. The park would be adjacent to the field of dreams and have access to the Genesee River. The plans came about from Caneadea’s desire to build a park in their town, but not having the land to facilitate it. Houghton has agreed to give a plot of land to the town if they get a grant from the state government to build it. The Group hopes to see the park become a year-round attraction. Connecting with the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail that stretches from Rochester to just south of Mt. Morris, the park shows potential for hiking, skiing, and snowshoe trails.

A key part of the revitalization of Houghton is making the area along Route 19 more attractive and easily accessible as a place to spend time. This involves improving several aspects of the streetscape. Plans have been drawn up by Keystone Associates that would replace current lighting with more and better lamp posts that use LED light bulbs, expand the sidewalk through the whole commercial area, install bike racks and flower plantings, and add stamped-concrete crosswalks. The crosswalks are being installed in hopes to encourage motorists to slow down and make the town safer to walk through. The Group has also looked into adorning the street with seasonal decorations to make the town more inviting.

The biggest public project the RVER Group is working on is bringing a gas station and convenience store into town. This is a very important part of the group’s overall plan to improve commerce. As people come into Houghton for big events, having a local gas station will be vital to facilitating traffic. While the gas station will be useful for students, the convenience store provides an opportunity to buy snacks and necessities at all times of the day unlike the Campus Store, and without the trip to Fillmore Dollar General.

There are two central obstacles to establishing a gas station in town. The first is that because of our close proximity to the Genesee River, there is a lot of regulation by the state on underground gas tanks. The second is finding a gas company whose convenience store is willing to forfeit its liquor license as is the will of the College. The Group has ideas on how to overcome both of these in time.

The fourth major project of the RVER Group is currently under lock and key. They are looking to bring a national fast food chain into the town, but are not currently saying with which franchise they are talking.

The future looks bright for the RVER Group’s work in Houghton. They have been impressed with the community’s willingness to lend a hand in all their endeavors. “I am encouraged by the growth we have seen in just over a year and want to thank our team of volunteers who are committed to seeing the momentum continue,” said Gaerte. Their investment of time and work has already begun to improve the community. That’s their one true goal: improve the community and everyone prospers – financially, as well as communally.