We're all about the Trails -- Exciting news from FSP, the Cayuga Waterfront Trail and other Trail partners!

November 2, 2020

October at Coach’s Crossing on the Waterfront Trail in Cass Park

Dear Friends,

After a beautiful October, it’s now beginning to look a lot like winter as the bright fall colors fade to steely winter grays and browns. On the bright side, this month's enewsletter features one of my favorite things - trails!

We anticipate that Stewart Park and the Waterfront Trail will receive heavy use this winter as many of us spend time outdoors to stay active, healthy and safe during the shorter and colder days ahead. With that in mind, FSP and the City are posting a new generation of COVID-related trail etiquette signs to reinforce the importance of maintaining social distancing and wearing masks while on the Waterfront Trail. We want our city parks and trails to be safe, inviting and comfortable for ALL to use.

Read on to learn more about the new Cayuga Waterfront Trail’s home on the web, Finger Lakes Film Trail, Cayuga Lake Blueway Trail, Black Diamond Trail and more.

Friends of Stewart Park works with the Wharton Studio Museum, City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, NY State Parks, Historic Ithaca, businesses and other non-profit organizations, to enhance Stewart Park and the Waterfront Trail. Together we are building an outstanding network of parks and trails in Tompkins County. None of this would be possible without your support.

Thank you, stay safe, and, oh yes, vote (if you haven't already!).

Rick Manning, ASLA
Executive Director

Make a Gift to Friends of Stewart Park

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

As COVID cases are rising, these new signs will soon be raised along the Waterfront Trail -- visual reminders on how to keep yourself and others safe while enjoying our parks and trails. Wearing a mask and maintaining your distance is the least we can do make this special place safe and comfortable to all, including the most vulnerable in our community.

Check out this great locally produced video about the Ithaca Promise and the importance of wearing masks.

WATERFRONT TRAIL WEBSITE RETURNS

FSP has launched the new Cayuga Waterfront Trail website! Found at www.cayugawaterfronttrail.net and on the FSP site at www.friendsofstewartpark.org, the new Trail site is full of beautiful pictures, updated maps, and useful information.

You can find details about the Trail, Trail features and destinations, do's and don'ts of Trail use, opportunities for volunteering and more! We will continue to develop the new site over the next few months, and welcome your feedback.

Our friends at IthacaTrails.org recently resurveyed the Cayuga Waterfront Trail updating it's length to 8 miles! More than ever, this ADA compliant multi-use trail provides a safe place for our community to safely enjoy our waterfront.

FSP is pleased to work with the City of Ithaca to help support and enhance the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, which was initially developed through an initiative of the Chamber of Commerce. If you have come across places on the Trail that could use a little TLC, or if you'd like to volunteer to help keep our Trail clean and beautiful, email Rick!

Visit the New Website

OCTOBER ON THE WATERFRONT TRAIL

FINGER LAKES FILM TRAIL

New Digital Program on Race Films from Finger Lakes Film Trail

Finger Lakes Film Trail is proud to present Race Films/Race Matters: Starting Conversations About Race in America, an upcoming online series featuring five important race films; corresponding video presentations about each film by scholars from Cornell University, Ithaca College, University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill, the George Eastman Museum, and Ithaca High School; and other resource materials, with the aim of encouraging necessary conversations about race, racial tension and race discrimination in America today.

In the new year, stay tuned for details about Zoom discussion events related to the digital program.

Race Films/Race Matters debuts December 1, 2020 on FLFT's new website which is launching soon. In the time being, visit FLFT on Facebook or at whartonstudiomuseum.org.

The project is produced by Finger Lakes Film Trail, an inter-county initiative created in 2018 by Wharton Studio Museum, in partnership with George Eastman Museum in Rochester, and Cayuga Museum of History and Art & Case Research Lab in Auburn. Finger Lakes Film Trail is grateful to Humanities New York for supporting the FLFT and making Race Films/Race Matters possible.

CAYUGA LAKE BLUEWAY TRAIL

The Cayuga Lake Blueway Trail (CLBT) is a public water recreation trail launching in 2021. It will provide access for non-motorized watercrafts, including kayaks, standup paddleboards, and canoes, to a treasured natural resource--Cayuga Lake. CLBT includes publicly-accessible launch sites that are spread out along the entire shoreline of Cayuga Lake, including Stewart Park and Cass Park in Ithaca. The trail guides paddlers to enter and exit the lake at numerous public locations. It features both short and long Blueway Trail trips. Visit cayugalake.com/cayuga-lake-blueway-trail for more information.

BLACK DIAMOND TRAILHEAD ON CWT

New York State Parks and the City of Ithaca have made an agreement to develop a new Black Diamond Trailhead on the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, west of the Ithaca Children's Garden. The BDT opened a couple of years ago and now it's time to create a fitting gateway to link these two important multi-use trails. Bike Walk Tompkins has raised funding from Ithaca's bicycling community to support trailhead construction in honor of long-time bike advocate Andrejs Ozolins. Cayuga Ski & Cyclery is donating a bike tool and pump station and State Parks will provide additional funding and construction expertise. Waterfront Trail benches and bike racks will be provided by the Friends of Stewart Park. The kiosk was designed by Landscape Architect Peter Fry of State Parks inspired by the station architecture of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Construction will likely occur during the summer of 2021.

WORK STUDY STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:
Tristan Weise

Above: Tristan in front of the 2-man shell. Left: Tristan with volunteer Mary Zebell (right) after mulching the Cass Bird Garden.

FSP has been fortunate to have worked with some outstanding Cornell work study students during the past few years. This summer and fall we have had the pleasure of working with Tristan Weise. Tristan comes from Alaska where he was the state cross-country skiing champion. At Cornell he was a walk-on member of the CU Lightweight Crew with no rowing experience. Sadly his last two years of competitive rowing were cancelled due to the coronavirus. He spent his FSP time working with great energy and enthusiasm, pruning all along the Trail edge to maintain open views of the water and taking care of our many gardens along the trail.

"I really enjoyed working on the trail this summer. It was cool to see people who used the trail everyday. And it was very gratifying to see people appreciate the work I was doing."

Tristan graduates this fall and is applying for Veterinary School for the fall 2021. Thanks Dude! You will be missed.

MORE PARK & TRAIL NEWS

FACILITES
Bathrooms Closed for the Season
This past weekend was the last day the seasonal bathrooms were open in Stewart Park and Cass Park. Bathrooms closing tomorrow. Steps are in place for all-season bathrooms to be going into the Wharton Studio Building in Stewart Park right along the CWT. The Park and Trail are used year round, and we're looking forward having these facilities available year-round as well!

VOLUNTEERING
Playground Garden Cleanup, Bulb Planting, and Litter Pickup.
Saturday Nov 14, 10:00 am - Noon

FSP will host a volunteer workday in Stewart Park Saturday, November 14 from 10 to noon. We are teaming up with Zero-Waste Ithaca, a group interested in reducing waste in daily lives and moving towards the goal of zero waste. Volunteers will be planting spring-flowering bulbs at the new playground, doing some general fall cleanup and litter pickup throughout the park. Dress for the weather, bring gloves, and of course, wear and mask, COVID-19 protocols will be strictly followed. Questions? Email Rick for more information. Help spread the word! RSVP and share the event on Facebook.

COLLECTING MEMORIES
Send FSP your Stewart Park Pics

Do you have pictures of your family at Stewart Park over the years? Help FSP celebrate the park's 100th anniversary by sharing them with us! We'd especially love to find more pictures from 1921-1980. Send to memories@friendsofstewartpark.org
Thanks!

YOUR STORIES
Happiness and Healing on the Cayuga Waterfront Trail

In our last enews, we shared a beautiful story sent to us by a grateful mom. COVID protocols took a heavy toll on her son, who lives in a group home. One summer day, she introduced her son to biking, and sooner than she could imagine, a cyclist was born! The two can now be found cruising together along the CWT. Read the entire story here.

ICE SKATING

The Cass Park Ice Skating season started October 24. Visit their website for details on the skating season, including dates, times and COVID protocols.

Want to learn more about the effort to enclose the Cass Park rink? Read about it here.

VIDEOS

Have you been to the Friends of Stewart Park YouTube channel? There you can see this videos like this one from the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, "Stewart Park Minute" videos, families enjoying the Accessible Playground, and more.

Friends of Stewart Park is a non-profit organization with a mission to enhance, revitalize and maintain Stewart Park and the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, in partnership with the City of Ithaca and park stakeholders, for the enjoyment of Ithaca residents and visitors to our community.

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Heartwarming fall stories and sights from the Park and Trail

October 19, 2020

Friends of Stewart Park is pleased to be working with the City of Ithaca on the Cayuga Waterfront Trail-- helping manage and maintain this wonderful lakefront amenity! We will continue to keep you posted about all the exciting happenings on and related to the CWT via this newsletter, our website and social media. In this issue, we're happy to share heartwarming stories and pictures from the Trail, the Park and beyond.

See you on the Trail!

HEALING AND HAPPINESS ON THE CWT

Friends of Stewart Park is honored to share this wonderful story from a grateful mom. Her son was diagnosed with Autism at the age of two and is now a young adult living in a group home. COVID protocols took a heavy toll on him emotionally and physically, so once outdoor activities were able to safely resume, his mother introduced him to her bike. And sooner than she could imagine, a cyclist was born! The two can now regularly be found cruising along the Cayuga Waterfront Trail.

Read the entire story here.

Sights from the Park and Trail

A witch has been seen paddling the inlet again this October. Is she good or wicked? We're not sure, but she's certainly enchanting.

Cornell Outdoor Education has been running their tree climbing class. Students not only climb to great heights, but learn how to set up and sleep in tree hammocks, and get to zip line across the park. FSP was fortunate to have COE share their knowledge and equipment with us for last years' Pedal, Paddle and Play Festival. We look forward to partnering with them again in the future. Learn more about Cornell Outdoor Education at their website.

Phi Beta Sigma was in Stewart Park last Wednesday filming a special project. Visit our Instagram Page to see some of their moves and hear their soulful cheer.

FROM WHARTON STUDIO MUSEUM

Silent Movie Month 2020 -- its 9th year! -- continues with another exciting virtual event brought to you by Wharton Studio Museum, FSP's partner in park revitalization. In 2012, Mayor Myrick signed a proclamation to make every October in the City of Ithaca Silent Movie Month. It's a great way to celebrate Ithaca's movie making history.

Join us in making noise about silent film!

ITHAQA Comic Book Launch Party
Virtual Program
Saturday, October 24th 3pm-4pm

There’s a new comic book called ITHAQA — a Lovecratian horror comic set against the backdrop of the Wharton Studio era — and you’re invited to the virtual launch party! Meet ITHAQA's creator/ writer Michael Watson and illustrator Theresa Chiechi — both are IC alums — and hear how this creative project came to be! The panel and audience Q&A will be moderated by Bob Proehl, Ithaca-based author of The Nobody People and A Hundred Thousand Worlds, a Booklist "Best Book of the Year."

This online event is brought to you by Wharton Studio Museum and hosted
by Buffalo Street Books. Register here.

For more info about ITHAQA visit www.ithaqacomic.com.

FAVORITE FINGER LAKES MULTI-USE TRAILS

The Cayuga Seneca Canal Trail is one of many trails you can find in our region

Did you miss Rick's great article on his favorite multi-use trails of the Finger Lakes?

The Cayuga Waterfront Trail and Black Diamond Trail have been a lifeline for many Ithacans during this unusual year. As fortunate as we are here in Ithaca to have so many great biking and hiking opportunities, here are some other multi-use trails here in the Finger Lakes worth checking out. Go Finger Lakes website curated by the Finger Lakes Land Trust and IthacaTrails.org are both excellent sources of information about local and regional trails.

Cayuga Seneca Canal Trail

Start your trip on Geneva’s Lakefront Park and follow signs to the east through Seneca Lake State Park to the trail. This rail trail links Geneva to Waterloo with plans to link to Seneca Falls and the Erie Canal Trail in the future. It’s flat, wooded and lovely and follows the Cayuga Seneca Canal that links the northern ends of Seneca and Cayuga Lakes (photo above). https://www.gofingerlakes.org/locations/cayuga-seneca-canal-trail/

The Catherine Valley Trail

You can hop on the CVT in Watkins Glen or Montour Falls and head south through Queen Catharine Marsh and into the woods on this New York State Parks rail trail. The ride from Watkins Glen to Millport is a highlight, passing through the Queen Catharine Marsh. In Montour Falls, check out Shequaga Falls at ‘The Glorious T’. South of Montour Falls, you can see remnants of the Chemung Canal, which predated the railroad bed, then the trail passes through beautiful woodlands on the way to Millport. You can continue south towards Horseheads, or return (downhill!) to your starting point in Montour Falls or WatkinsGlen. Visit Go Finger Lakes to learn more.

Keuka Outlet Trail

Start your ride in Dresden on the west side of Seneca Lake and you can walk or bike at a leisurely pace to Penn Yan and back in just 3 hours or so. The Outlet Trail follows a beautiful and powerful waterway that connects Keuka and Seneca Lakes. The Outlet powered many 19th century mills and many charming ruins remain. The surface is mix of grass, gravel and stone dust, but easily manageable, best on a hybrid or mountain bike. https://www.gofingerlakes.org/locations/keuka-outlet-trail/

MORE PARK & TRAIL NEWS

ICE SKATING

The Cass Park Ice Skating season will begin October 24. Visit their website for details on the skating season, including dates, times and COVID protocols.

Want to learn more about the effort to enclose the Cass Park rink? Read about it here.

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