Plans include six miles of bike and hiking trails between Wadsworth and Emerson parks.
View full sizeBetty Kowal, of Auburn, walks with her granddaughter, 8-year-old Hannah Woods, also of Auburn, along the Owasco River in Emerson Park near Auburn, July 8, 2009.One of the first things Auburn City Manager Mark Palesh did when he was hired three years ago was to tour the undeveloped Owasco Riverfront as it drifts through the city.
“I thought it was an amazingly beautiful spot….We have a treasure there and we really need to develop it,’’ Palesh recalled last week.
The city has long talked about developing the river frontage and now has the money to possibly launch such a project.
Last week Auburn announced it received a $590,000 U.S. Department of Transportation grant to hire a consultant to start the planning and design for a six-mile, multi-use trail along the river from vacant Wadsworth Park in the city’s northwest corner south to Emerson Park on Owasco Lake.
“This will tell us if it’s feasible or not,’’ said Mayor Mike Quill, who supports building the trail.
“It’s a beautiful river. We’d like to be able to capture some of that beauty and allow more people to see some of it. Driving by doesn’t do it any justice,’’ Quill said.
The trail would be geared to bicyclists and hikers and there is talk of building condominiums along the frontage. The project would boost tourism, add a recreational outlet and improve quality of life in the city, officials said.
Grant money will be used to hire a consultant to complete the planning and start some design and engineering work for the project, said Christina Selvek, the city’s director of capital projects and grants.
“There are still lots of questions that need answers,’’ said Selvek, who wrote the grant application. To receive the grant the city has to match 20 percent of the total, or $118,000.
Quill said the city doesn’t have the money to build the trail and would likely need a combination of grants and low-interest loans to finance the work.
For Palesh, tackling the project is a no-brainer. “We really need to take advantage of that river,’’ he said.
You can reach Scott Rapp at srapp@syracuse.com or 289-4839.