Hamilton Officially Opens New Chenango Canal Trail

Caption: Pictured are Diane Van Slyke (CCA); Senator David Valesky, Mayor Sue McVaugh; Wally Elton, Parks & Trails New York; Harvey Kliman, Southern Madison Heritage Trust (SMHT) and CCA.

(Hamilton, NY) On Saturday, September 26, Senator David Valesky and Mayor Sue McVaugh stood at the entrance to the Chenango Canal Trail off Montgomery Street to officially open Hamilton’s new recreational walking/hiking trail and unveil a national marker. Joining them at the ribbon-cutting were Diane Van Slyke of the Chenango Canal Association (CCA), Harvey Kliman of the Southern Madison Heritage Trust (SMHT), and Wally Elton of Parks & Trail New York.

Two miles of trail, developed by the Hamilton DPW, follow along the historic Chenango Canal and connect around the airport to the five mile Towpath Trail in Bouckville at the south end of Woodman Pond. In addition, the DPW built an access bridge at the Montgomery Street trailhead and another section of trail to Eaton Street.

Money made available through Senator Valesky and Assemblyman Bill Magee will help grade a section of the Towpath Trail near Woodman Pond and provide signage and directional arrows near the trail heads and airport.

Three people in Hamilton who helped make the Hamilton connection happen were Margaret Miller, Harvey and Debbie Kliman. Other contributors were Morrisville College, Damien’s Automotive and Colgate University.

Parks & Trails New York, which has provided technical assistance to the village and the Chenango Canal Association on the project and obtained the legislative grants, also announced that the Chenango Canal Towpath Trail has been designated as a National Recreation Trail by the Secretary of the Interior. The Chenango Canal Association and Southern Madison Heritage Trust helped budget the money appropriated for improvements.

Afterwards, Upstate Institute at Colgate University hosted a meeting that included the NYS Canal Corporation, Chenango Canal Association, Southern Madison Heritage Trust, Brothertown Association in Deansboro, Town of Marshall Trail, CNY Snow Travelers, Chenango Canal Trail in Clinton, Chenango Greenway Conservancy in Norwich, and interested public on campus to discuss linking more communities together along the historic transportation corridor near the original Chenango Canal between Binghamton and Utica. Parks & Trails New York officiated at the meeting where ideas were generated and networks shared to further develop the Chenango Canal Heritage Trail.

Hamilton Officially Opens New Chenango Canal Trail

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