The Genessee River Wilds, a group of community members seeking to “restore, protect and enjoy” the Genessee River, has plans to open up several parks in Allegany County. While still under renovation, one of these parks opened near Houghton, in the town of Caneadea.
Courtney Waters, a project coordinator at the Southern Tier West Regional Planning Board and partner of the Genessee River Wilds, has been extensively involved with the project. “In the last three years, our group has gained so much,” Waters said. “We contacted several landowners around the river, legislators, senators, and anyone who we thought should know about our group and what we were doing. I have helped out with several successful river floats down the Genessee, painting of the kiosks that you see at our river access parks, and much more.”
The group, while small, has big plans for the local area. While working to improve the health of the Genessee River and its watershed and protect them from environmental threats, the Genessee River Wilds hopes to enhance the recreational potential of the river for the community to learn more about and enjoy.
“As an earth scientist, I have studied the Genessee River in great detail,” Waters said. “It really has so many unique features and a rich history, and I’d like to see people recognize and accept it as an asset to our region, rather than a detriment. Our kiosks at the river access parks explain some of that history as well as invite people to experience the river for themselves.”
The river access parks will implement environmentally friendly changes so that the community can safely enjoy all of the benefits that the river has to offer. Features include an increase of hemlock and white pine trees to offer reforestation and to continue conservation in addition to reduced mowing costs associated with heavily shaded forest floors. As an added plus for community members, some of the parks will have amenities such as hiking trails, an amphitheater, playgrounds, swimming and wading areas, a watercraft staging area, and log cabins functioning as restrooms for visitor use.
With the town of Caneadea approximately three miles away from the Houghton College campus, many opportunities will be opened up for students to experience the new access point for themselves.
“I think Houghton students would welcome any new opportunities to learn from, enjoy, and care for nature and the outside world,” Eliza Kelly, a sophomore and member of the Paddle Sports Club, said in regards to the new river access point. “I know that many people enjoy the river in many different ways, from simply crossing it on a bridge to hiking along it or kayaking on it.”
Zachary Kitchen, a junior and the president of the Paddle Sports Club, agreed with Kelly. “The river is very key to the Houghton community. It is the centralized object of our town: the place where people meet to swim and fish, the system our roads run along. I think it also adds life to the town,” Kitchen said. “A better park system would give people incentive to go and explore the river, opening an entire world of potentially new discoveries to them.”