Minutes
Niagara River Greenway
State Park Standing Committee Meeting
May 7, 2008
Attendees
Mark Thomas, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Robert Daly, NY Power Authority
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Mark Thomas began the meeting at 3:02p.m. The first order of business was to approve the minutes from the January 18, 2008 meeting. Rob Daly made a motion to approve the minutes, seconded by Mark Thomas. The minutes were accepted unanimously.
Al Nihill, Capital Facilities Manager of NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation presented a brief report on the following:
o Update of the 1st year’s projects
o Whirlpool/Devil’s Hole Trail Projects
o Whirlpool Rim Trail
o Three Sisters Islands Restoration
o Goat Island Restoration
o Restoration Plan of the whole island Step I
o Year 2 projects, ideas and projects will be developed, consistency application will be completed this summer and will go to the Greenway Commission for approval.
Should be in final design fall and winter and construction 2009.
o RFQ Consultant teams were selected to prepare plans and specs for the greenway projects
o Wendel Duscherer
o Watson Herring
o Bergman Associates
o Erdman Anthony
o Trowbridge & Wolf
o Overview of NYSOPRHP’s Greenway Planning Process
In the next 2-3 years there are plans for the following to be integrated with the Greenway Projects:
o Robert Moses Parkway North and South
o Restoration Plan for Goat Island South
o Trails Masterplan for the Niagara Gorge
o Resource Management Plan for the Niagara Gorge
o Environmental Inventory of the Gorge
o Rock Stabilization Program to be completed before any of the Greenway Trail Projects
o Ecology and Environment is conducting a rare plant inventory, each plant is photographed and located on a GPS.
Next Meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 21, 2008, 3:00 p.m. at the New York Power Authority.
Public Comment
Julie O’Neil – asked if there is a way to access information for the parks projects. Julie also commented that the Greenway map only shows Grand Island, Al Nihill responded it’s only a partial map. Julie asked for the status on the NFTA Property. Mark Thomas responded there is no movement, it’s under review in Albany. Julie asked if there are any other capital projects in the region. Mark Thomas responded no other Greenway projects, there will be design projects in the parks capital program for this fiscal year. They’re not active yet. Julie commented they will be watching.
Rob Daly motioned to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mark Thomas. The meeting adjourned at 3:20pm.