Ulster County Trail Conference 

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Please join  us for a day-long conference to discuss the future of trails in Ulster County and beyond. Presentations will demonstrate how trails can benefit your community, and showcase the work being done on trails throughout the region.  This will also be an excellent opportunity to connect with other those interested in increasing trail access for economic development.

CONFERENCE AGENDA

8:30 AM Networking
9:00  Welcome by County Executive Mike Hein
          Kathleen Tobin, Assistant Director, Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach (CRREO)
          Mark Castiglione, Acting Executive Director, Hudson River Valley Greenway

9:30 Panel Presentation and Q&A
Snapshot of Ulster County Trails: Trail Plans, Trail Opportunties, Current Projects
Speakers: Dennis Doyle, Ulster County Transportation Council and Ulster County Planning Board;  Aaron Bennett, Ulster County Department of the Environment;  Jeff Senterman, NYNJ Trail Conference

The panelists will discuss several, ongoing trail initiatives. Mr. Doyle will discuss regional, multi-use trail opportunities, particularly those from the Ulster County Transportation Council's Non-Motorized Transportation Plan.  Mr. Bennett and Mr. Senterman will discuss local efforts. Mr. Bennett will talk about opportunities in the Catskill Park and Forest Preserve, and other parts of western Ulster County, in addition to the County's new interactive website - Ulster County REConnect. Mr. Senterman will talk about projects both in the Catskills and in Minnewaska State Park, and the NY/NJ Trail Conference's efforts to improve trails through the their Community Trails Programs.  All three will discuss the role trails play in Ulster County's tourism economy, and its particular challenges to trail development.   

 10:45 Break

11:00 Session 2: Trails as a Community Spring Board
Presenters: Jeff Anzevino AICP, Scenic Hudson

Ted Kolankowski, LA, LEED, Barton & Loguidice; Ray Costantino, Supervisor, Town of Lloyd -  Hudson Valley Rail Trail, a Community-Driven Success Story…

12:15-1:10 PM Lunch Break
Keynote: Craig Della Pennawww.trailsiderealty.com – The Economic Impact of Trails

Craig is the owner of Sugar Maple Trailside Inn , the first B&B in New England next to a rail trail, and  Della Penna's Trailside Realty, a Northampton, MA trailside real estate and rental agency specializing in properties next to trails.

1:15 Session 3: Trail Connections and Regional Context
Gregg Swanzey – Kingston Land Trust projects

David Gilmour AICP, Gilmour Planning LLC – “Community Connections & Complete Streets” - This session will explore the importance of integrating trails into the local transportation system and how to structure planning to support intermodal transportation, including trails development, using a Complete Streets approach.

Mr. Gilmour's portion of this session will explore the importance of integrating trails into the local transportation network. It will examine ways to structure planning to support intermodalism, including linkage, using a Complete Streets approach. A Complete Streets case study will examine three different Ulster County communities in order to explore how policy assessment and community planning may be used to enhance non-motorized safety and connectivity and prepare for growth in people walking and biking as these modes become even more popular and receive greater emphasis.

2:30 Mobile workshop

            Visit the Walkill Valley Rail Trail then retire for networking to the Gilded Otter.  

Presentation Detail and Speaker Bios