For Immediate Release

December 12, 2006

City Awarded Funding For Trail Completion

The El Camino Butterhole-Seneca Park Trail, a 6 year project conceived by Genesee Land Trust in partnership with the City of Rochester and several neighborhood associations, is becoming a reality with the announcement of the grant awards and gifts totaling $2,200,000 to the City for the purpose of going forward with the two and one-quarter mile long trail extending from Seneca Park to Scantom/St. Paul Street just north of the Smith Street Bridge. Additionally, the City of Rochester used $395,000 of this land purchase for much of the required local 20% match for the federal funds. Funding breakdown consists of: $2,000,000, Federal TEP funds; $150,000, Eastman Kodak gift; and $50,000, State Multi-modal funds from Susan John. The Trail uses land from the City’s $1.3 million purchase of abandoned CSX railroad.

For Tom Frey, board member of Genesee Land Trust, a non-profit land conservation organization protecting 2500 acres in Greater Rochester, the Trail is a culmination of many years hard work, bringing together several organizations such as the Ibero Association, 14621, city schools, county parks and the City of Rochester. To use the railway bed, instead of abandoning it, and create a walking, biking greenway that would bring beauty and offer a place for healthy recreation running through many underserved neighborhoods, was his goal. Genesee Land Trust became a catalyst, enabling the parties directly involved to have a voice and a vision in this ambitious project. The Trust has brought together volunteers to work on the Trail each year at the Day of Caring. A community art project, led by local artist, Shawn Dunwoody was sponsored by Genesee Land Trust and the Arts and Cultural Council. Engagement of the community from the school children at Schools # 8 and 50, as well as adults of all ages, has fostered a sense of ownership by the people who live along it.

The El Camino Butterhole- Seneca Park Trail is proving to be a perfect example of public private partnership as well as an example of vision, persistence, and hard work. In addition to a December 18th press conference with Mayor Duffy’s announcement, community events will take place during 2007 as work on the trail progresses.

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