SCHOHARIE _ On Thursday, Assemblyman Pete Lopez, R-Schoharie, joined Schoharie Mayor John Borst and other project supporters to mark the official trail breaking for the Schoharie Gateway Rail To Trails Project.
The trail project will build a pedestrian/biking trail along a part of the abandoned route of the Middleburgh/Schoharie railroad in the area known as the Schoharie Gateway.
In a media release, Lopez called the project "an amazing grass-roots effort."
"We've learned many lessons in moving the project to this point, and are hopeful it can serve as a model for future efforts in Schoharie County, and across the region," Lopez said.
Lopez has been project coordinator for Rails to Trails for nearly five years, according to his release. The project has also been supported by Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, Schoharie Town Supervisor Martin Shrederis, village Mayor John Borst, the Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce, the Schoharie Main Street Committee, the Schoharie County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Open Space Advisory Committee of state Department of Environmental Conservation Region 4, and the Schoharie County Recreation Commission, as well as other volunteers and supporters.
The project began with a grant awarded on Dec. 30, 2004. It will include a 1Â1/2-mile pedestrian and biking trail running along the Schoharie Creek. A community garden is planned for land adjacent to the Schoharie Business Park. Lighting and sidewalk improvements to downtown Schoharie were completed last year. Both the trail, and the sidewalk and lighting project, were based on the Schoharie Comprehensive Plan.
Organizers said work is expected to continue during the winter as weather permits, and will pick up during the spring.
