The Nature Conservancy is asking for volunteers to help maintain trails within the West Hill Preserve.  Springwater Trails is maintaining the portion of the Bristol Branch of the Finger Lakes Trail through this preserve.

Directions are on the Nature Conservancy website.

The Western Finger Lakes chapter of the NY Forest Owners Association is holding their Spring General Meeting on May 18.

A panel of leaders from local business, non-profit and government will talk about the tourism industry in the area and how forest landowners can participate in the economic benefits of attracting people to the area.  

Please join us for the historic opening of Rob’s Trail—Hemlock Lake

Rob’s Trail links Hemlock and Canadice Lakes, the last two undeveloped Finger Lakes

9:30 AM Refreshments available
10:00 AM—Dedication & Ribbon Cutting
10:30 AM—Inaugural Hikes

Parking available at intersection of South Old Bald Hill Road and Rt-15A

Please RSVP or call 585-546-8030 ext. 7927

PLEASE DONATE! Your donation will support trail development work! Visit nature.org/cwny

The Town of Springwater is pleased to announce a Community Open House for the Town’s 2016 Comprehensive Plan entitled SUSTAINABLE|Springwater. This event will be held on Tuesday, September 27, 2016, 6:00 to 8:00 PM, in the Springwater Fire Hall located at 8145 South Main Street. There will be no formal programs or presentations during the Open House, as the intent is to provide all attendees with an opportunity to speak one-on-one with members of the Steering Committee and consultant team. Attendees are free to arrive anytime between 6:00 and 8:00 PM, and will be able to review the Draft Plan and provide their own thoughts and comments on the Plan elements.

SUSTAINABLE|Springwater is the Town’s first Comprehensive Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to guide future decision-making and investment in our community, to preserve our natural environment and small town charm and character, while supporting economic growth. By articulating an overall community vision for the Town, and guidance for achieving that vision, the Comprehensive Plan provides an overall framework for future public and private investment within Springwater over the next decade. The proposed Comprehensive Plan can be viewed online at: https://springwatertrails.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/SW-DRAFT-Comp-PLAN-Sept-2016.pdf.

The planning process is under the guidance of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee with assistance from the Steinmetz Planning Group and Ingalls Planning & Design, and funding from the NYSERDA Cleaner, Greener Communities Grant and cost share with Livingston County.  Several opportunities for public input have been provided during the planning process, including a community survey conducted in 2013, and a Community Workshop held in May 2015. The upcoming Open House is your opportunity to review the results of our Town’s collective efforts in drafting the proposed Comprehensive Plan and to provide additional input.

All residents, business owners, community leaders, and individuals with an interest in the future of Springwater are welcome and urged to attend this important event,  to  hear about the Plan, and share your thoughts in this effort to help shape the direction of our community for the next decade.

For further information contact:

Carolyn Tinney, Chair
Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee
clerk@townofspringwaterny.org
(585) 669-2545

You can download the Draft Plan and Appendix or view them at the Town Hall.

Katherine J. T. Humphrey will present a discussion on what is new or current in home food preservation – like increased interest in fermentation, using less energy, using what is available locally and seasonally, deciding on what method of preservation would be best for a single person or for a household of many people, where to begin if a novice or an experienced home preserver, and the place to go for research based answers to questions, especially when it comes to safety and quality considerations.

Katherine was a full time Cornell Cooperative Extension Educator 1969-1991, and a CCE Livingston County Home Economics Program Leader. She has been a CCE Home Food Preservation Instructor since 1989.

A Through-Hike of the Colorado Trail

The Little Lakes Sustainability Network and Springwater Trails are pleased to co-host a program on the magnificent Colorado Trail on Thursday, October 27, 7:00 PM at the Jack Evans Community Center (old Hemlock school) on Main Street in Hemlock. Light refreshments will be provided and everyone is welcome, free of charge. Donations to defray costs are encouraged.

Hemlock resident Bill Cooke will present information about the trail followed by a 25 minute slide show with music showing photos from his 2011 “through-hike.” He will share his deep appreciation of the natural environment fostered from many years of experience in long-distance hiking.  Bill will also have copies of his book narrating the hike – Shades of Gray, Splashes of Color – A Thru-hike of The Colorado Trail – available for your perusal and purchase.

The 486-mile Colorado Trail wends its way through the Rocky Mountains of the Centennial State, traversing a landscape as changing and diverse as the swirling afternoon clouds presaging the daily summer thunderstorms.  A common expression among long distance backpackers is “no pain equals no gain.”  In this program, you’ll hear of the “pain” manifested in the struggle of acclimating to high elevations, of hiking long and steep ascents, of coping with a wide range of climatic conditions from freezing cold mornings to hot baking afternoons, to near daily thunderstorms and to long stretches of limited water.  And you’ll see the “gains,” the triumphs as Bill and his hiking companion Keith “Northern Harrier” Bance savor the many rewards of this enchanting trail:  alpine meadows whose wildflowers cover every range of the spectrum, bewitching groves of aspen trees resplendent with the morning glow of the sun, the glistening of snowy peaks, stately conifers including the massive Douglas firs, high mountain passes, dry foothills, sparkling mountain streams, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets where both the skies and the rocks shine like beacons from the low sun alpenglow, and much more.

Along the way, you’ll hear of the delight bestowed by such simple pleasures as a refreshing swig of Rocky Mountain water or a wildlife spotting.  You’ll hear of fascinating near-daily cloud formations with their myriad shades of gray and ever-changing patterns.  You’ll meet “Trail Angels” who emerge at the right place and time, unplanned and unexpected, to assist hikers with their basic needs, such as rides into towns for re-supplying or offers of water and snacks.  And you’ll visit communities along the trail corridor, meeting the people in them, and enjoying the amenities that we all take for granted, such a hot shower, bed with linens, and meals of “real” food, all of which are especially appreciated by hot, dusty hikers.

Bill Cooke recently moved to Hemlock after living for seven years in Lexington, KY.  He has backpacked for nearly 40 years.  In addition to the Colorado Trail, he has hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, Vermont’s Long Trail, the Black Forest and Susquehannock Trails of nearby Northern Pennsylvania, and other trails around the country.

You need not be an experienced hiker to enjoy this program, as Bill explains much of the terminology and peculiar habits of long-distance backpackers.  Even those whose experience is confined to short strolls in the park will sense the challenges and the rewards of a trek in the Rocky Mountains.  Come and take a trip to the summertime Rockies!

The event is co-sponsored by the Little Lakes Sustainability Network and the Springwater Hiking Group, and is free and open to the public.

This public hearing has been rescheduled for June 19.

The Spirngwater Town Board will hold a Public Hearing for the adoption of its first Comprehensive Plan.

TOWN OF SPRINGWATER
OPEN HOUSE
For NEW
TOWN HIGHWAY BARN

8319 Hudson Road, Springwater, NY

November 4, 2017
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Fun for the whole family – food and beverages will be provided.
Come on down and help us CELEBRATE!