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Statewide Trails and Greenways Conference on Healthy Trails, Healthy Communities
Parks & Trails New York will hold its third Trails and Greenways Conference, September 28 and 29, at the R. Thomas Flynn Campus Center on the campus of Monroe Community College in Rochester. The conference, entitled Healthy Trails, Healthy Communities, recognizes the important contribution that trails can make to individual health, quality of life and the environmental and economic health of New York's communities.
Through workshops covering a variety of trail-related topics and field trips to four Rochester area trail projects, the conference will provide greenway and trail advocates with the tools to successfully promote, build, and maintain trails that promote active living, tourism, and economic development. The program will include ample time for networking so participants can share their experiences and learn from recognized leaders in the field. It is the only conference of its kind to be held in New York State.
"Because of the growing popularity of trails, the increasing numbers of trail projects statewide, and recent attention directed to the costs and health effects of inactive lifestyles, we anticipate a large and enthusiastic turnout," commented Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Robin Dropkin.
"Through the conference, we also want to strengthen and broaden the increasingly diverse trails constituency to foster greater understanding and new working relationships among the trails, planning, business, tourism, and health care communities."
Friday, September 28, NYS Canal Corporation Director Carmella Mantello will open the conference with an address on the Canalway Trail and presentation of the Canalway Trail Tender Award. Afternoon field trips will offer a variety of opportunities for participants to get out in the field and learn first-hand what others are doing to design terrific trails, raise funds, overcome challenges, and motivate volunteers.
Friday evening features a reception and dinner at the College's Campus Center that will feature an address by Carol Ash, Commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, and presentation of Parks & Trails New York's 2007 Greenway and Community Trails Awards.
Saturday, September 29, the daylong program will offer a dynamic mix of talks, workshops, and panel discussions featuring timely issues, interesting case studies, the latest research, and implementation tools and strategies. Well known New England trails advocate Craig Della Penna will present the keynote address.
The Healthy Heart Program of the NYS Department of Health and the NYS Canal Corporation, the agency charged with operating, maintaining and promoting New York's Canal System and the Canalway Trail, are Major Conference Partners.
The conference is an initiative of Healthy Trails, Healthy People, a program of Parks & Trails New York designed to help communities become more active through the creation of multi-use trails. Healthy Trails, Healthy People is funded in part by a grant from the Healthy Heart Program of the New York State Department of Health. To register for the Healthy Trails, Healthy Communities conference visit www.ptny.org or contact Parks & Trails New York at 518-434-1583 or ptny@ptny.org.
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