To the Editor of The Evening Sun and its valued readers,

The Stone Quarry property on West Hill in Norwich, NY is a treasured community asset and should be conserved for public access. This is exactly why the Chenango Greenway Conservancy is currently engaged in a community fundraising effort to purchase the Stone Quarry property from an estate.

At nearly 200 acres, we believe the Stone Quarry to be a cornerstone of open space conservation and economic development in Chenango County. This property links together miles of recreational trails on West Hill, stretching from the Chenango County parcel on Upper Ravine Road to the Norwich City School District’s Hilcrest Property on Manley Road.

Greenspaces are generally recognized as key elements in regional quality of life. They support our health and wellness, foster outdoor recreation opportunities for people of all ages, and have a direct impact on local economies. According to a 2017 study by the Outdoor Industry Association, consumers spent $887 billion annually on outdoor recreation. The same study showed $89.9 billion in consumer spending and $6.7 billion going to state and local tax revenues for the Mid-Atlantic states (NY, NJ, PA). A study by the National Park Service shows that a good trail system can generate up to $1 million dollars annually for a community.

In May 2021 our local mountain bike team, the Galena Growlers, hosted Race #4 of the New York National Interscholastic Cycling Association season. The event brought twenty teams, 270 participants, coaches, and their families from all over New York State: including Long Island, NYC, Rochester, the Capital Region, Central NY, and the Hudson Valley. Combined with the local spectators and volunteers, the race drew a crowd of three to four-hundred people each day. Many teams stayed for the entire weekend and filled hotel rooms from Sherburne to Greene.

Streets were lined by cars loaded with bike racks, local restaurants were busy, and our stores and gas stations bustled to meet the needs of visitors. What a welcome sight after the difficult 2020 season!

According to NICA, on average, these races infuse $184,000 per race into a local economy.

Participants and Coaches in this league regularly travel for these events and have significant appreciation of the available trail systems throughout the state and the quality of the resource. Many of the coaches, riders and event staff expressed how fantastic our trails were and immediately recognized that our potential rivaled the top trail networks in the state.

The Stone Quarry is an important historical site. It literally helped lay the foundation of our community, with relics of the industry found within our homes, downtown buildings, and various landscape features. Partnering with the Chenango Historical Society, the Chenango Greenway Conservancy aims to develop interpretive elements at The Stone Quarry to provide an engaging and educational experience.

We at the Chenango Greenway Conservancy are of the viewpoint that Norwich and Chenango County are great places to live, despite the cynical attitudes about the area we often endure. We have deep roots within this community and are fully committed to its current and future wellbeing. We believe that projects like the Stone Quarry, along with our other local undertakings, will help to transform Chenango County into a “go to” outdoor recreational destination.

Our hope is that through our actions, we demonstrate to residents, businesses, municipal leaders, and the community at large, that recreation and accessible Greenspace is an investment in a sustainable economy and the health and wellness of Chenango County.

The Chenango Greenway Conservancy is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) public charity organized in 2006 to develop a network of multiple use trails in and around the City of Norwich. Please join us and help secure The Stone Quarry as a regional attraction that will serve our community for generations to come. To learn more and contribute to this effort, visit the Chenango Greenway Conservancy website, www.chenangogreenway.org/the-stone-quarry or find us on Facebook.

From the Board of Directors, Chenango Greenway Conservancy,

Cathy Cruz

Matt Gladstone

Michele Graham

Tom Holmes

Ewen Kelly

Christopher Olds

Sharon Pelosi

Christopher Sprague

Scott Sutton

Christopher Snow