Springwater Trails hikers have opportunity to hike with other hikers at the Finger Lakes Trail Conference (FLTC) 2015 annual Howard Beye hike to be held Saturday, January 10th 2015, 10:00AM start time.  Finish time best guess is perhaps around 1:00PM or so.  (Participation in the Howard Beye Winter Hike by Springwater Trails has become a tradition, an auxiliary Springwater Trails event.)   This year the hike is an approximately 6 mile hike on the Letchworth Branch Trail of the Finger Lakes Trail; between access point C at Hogsback Overlook and Access point E on River Rd; located in the north end of Letchworth State Park on the eastern side.   Meet at access point C for the hike start. More details by “clicking on” the hyperlink provided above or by viewing the fltconference.org website.

Trail terrain in this area is mixed rolling hills and relatively flat with some small creek crossings, NO big hills!  Springwater Trails hiking group hiked some of this trail route previously, most recently on our 6/1/2014 hike.

This hike is being held on the eastern side of Letchworth State Park; there is no park admittance fee on the eastern side of the park.

Hogsback Overlook is on Visitor Center Road a short distance south of the Mt Morris Dam Visitor’s Center.  Visitor Center Rd is accessed via NYS Rt 408 south of the Village of Mount Morris.

All Residents of the Town of Springwater are strongly urged to take part in this workshop.

You will learn . . .

• What a Comprehensive Plan really is
• Why Springwater needs one
• Your participation, as citizens of Springwater, is important

Full information is available on the Town of Springwater website.

There are seven separate scheduled hikes in recognition of North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) Day for 2015 (Saturday, September 26th, 2015).  The locales are spread throughout NYS and in North Dakota, Michigan and Pennsylvania if you are traveling.

There are three hikes accessible from Springwater this year

• Hike #1 FLTC Map M1, Allegany State Park at 8:30am – Hike from New York to Pennsylvania!
• Hike #6 Three Preserve Hike – Enfield, NY in Tompkins County at 10:00am – Lead by Roger Hopkins from the Cayuga Trails Club
• Hike #7 FLT Map M4, Boyce Hill State Forest, Franklinville, NY at 10am – Get directions here.

Some unique hike opportunities exist if you wish to get in some hiking beyond a weekly S/T hike.

Details can be found on the North Country website and on the Finger Lakes Trail Conference website.

Please check and confirm start times and locations.  The time listing in this Springwater Trails listing is used as a foothold approximation only!  So, be sure to check the posting on the FLTC website for more exacting details, and further hike options.

Hike Leader – Cate Concannon, catrina616@gmail.com

Hike Description – Map B3, Access 18 to Map 12, Access 2.

This hike will start with a steep uphill at Access 18 off Mitchellsville Road on the Bristol Hills Trail. We will follow the BHT through the forest, past Lake David and through gullies for a total of 3.6 miles, then cross over to the mail FLT with a short road walk on Harrisburg Hollow Road. We should have some nice views of the area and finish the hike on 2.1 miles of the main FLT trail. A hike encompassing two maps and two different trails – how fun! Perhaps someone will know if this is the first time this has been done on the Named Hike series.

Car Pooling: Springwater Trails will organize a car pool from the parking area behind the Wayland Fire House.  Be at the parking are at 9:15 – we will leave promptly at 9:25!

Meeting time – 10 am, with a departure time of 10:10. We’ll need to place cars for the car shuttle.

Meeting place – We will meet at the Hickory Hill Campground (click for map and directions) . From there we will drop cars at our end point and proceed to our starting point, Access 18 on Route 13. From exit 38 off I-86 (Route 17), follow signs to Route 54. After following Rt 54 through town including a 90 degree left turn, Route 13/Mitchellsville Road will branch off to the left. Prominent signs for the campground, which will be on your left off Rt 13 just north of Bath.

Notes – Please dress for the weather, but as a general rule of thumb, dress in layers and bring extra clothes. Waterproof jacket & pants will most likely come in handy, plus hat and gloves. Pack a lunch that can be eaten quickly on the trail, plus lots of water.Be prepared for steep ascents and descents! E-mail hike leader with your interest in joining the hike – carpooling is encouraged and she will help to organize.

Updates:  Check for updates at the FLT website.

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.