Town, village to pledge support for bike trail

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By Dan King

A multi-use trail from Waterford to Whitehall is expected to receive letters of support from both the town and village of Whitehall – all that’s left is for officials to vote on signing them.

Both Supervisor George Armstrong and Mayor Ken Bartholomew say they favor the trail, which is being spearheaded on the northern end by village trustee Marge Mohn and the Whitehall Arts and Recreation Canal TrailCommission. Mohn is working closely with the Canal Trail Working Group and the group feels it has come up with a practical path for the trail.

It will now require some funding, mainly in the form of available grants.

Armstrong said he “enthusiastically supports” the trail because it will “greatly enhance tourism and have a positive economic impact on our community.”

The trail, which would extend about 60 miles along the Champlain Canal, has already received support from municipalities in the southern portion and is beginning to make headway in the northern portion. Mohn established a committee to focus on the portion from Fort Ann to Whitehall and, thanks to support from the Canal Trail Working Group, has been able to make progress.

Mohn said the group is seeking grants from state-level entities for a feasibility study for the trail. She said that formal letters of support from the town and village will give the group much more pull moving forward, especially when applying for the grants.

“This will take the proposed trail and make it legitimate,” Mohn said. “That would make all the world of difference with the town and village both putting in letters of support.”

The proposed trail will cut through 18 municipalities, 11 of them in Saratoga County and seven in Washington County.

Marge Mohn
Marge Mohn

Mohn said that the portion from Fort Ann to Whitehall has been the most difficult part for the group to plan out because of the number of inlets and privately owned properties along the canal.

In attempts to get the trail started, the town of Whitehall had passed similar resolutions in the past, one in 2009 and another in 2013, but neither pertained to this specific trail, which is why town officials are looking to pledge support for this particular project.

Armstrong said he has drafted a letter which will be proposed to the town board at its August meeting. Meanwhile, Mohn has worked with town clerk Julie Millett to come up with a similar letter, which she proposes bringing to the village board during its August meeting.