Getting from here to there - Village explores walking trail along Wawayanda stream

Warwick — The Village of Warwick will hold a public workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 22, to discuss building a walking trail along the Wawayanda stream corridor. The idea of a walking or bicycle path has been mentioned before — down West Street to the Warwick Middle School and connecting the county park on Route 17A to Cascade Park. The proposed project would link areas downtown to Veteran’s Memorial Park and connect South Street with Forester Avenue. “We would like to use the stream corridor as a passageway, linking parks to downtown,” said Mayor Michael Newhard. “Kids walk along the railroad tracks. That’s not real safe. And with the library possibly going out to Forester, there’s another reason to look into this.” John Robig of LMS Engineering, the village’s engineer, has used a $7,000 county Planning Department grant to write a feasibility study of the project. Now, Newhard wants to hear from the public for ideas on the project, which was a directive from the downtown strategy, written by Saratoga Associates six years ago. “One of their directives was to put more focus on the stream,” said Newhard. The Wawayanda corridor goes from south of the village out to Wickham Lake. It connects to the Appalachian Trail. “One long-term goal could be to create a connective link to parts of the Appalachian Trail,” said Newhard. For now, though, the focus is in the village. There are many challenges, including the railroad, the stream itself and private property along the way. The proposed walkway, about half a mile, would not hug the stream. It would go through some densely developed areas and even cross the stream at points, requiring small bridges to be built. Newhard said the project could provide a safer route getting from one place to another in the village. He also sees it as an educational opportunity. “This can connect more than just two geographic areas of the village,” said Newhard. “It can bring an educational aspect with the historic district and the environment. We can see how it works and what good effects it has on our lives.” Robig will make a PowerPoint presentation to the public beginning at 7 p.m. and then have the audience break into groups to share ideas “We need the public’s input on this,” said Newhard. “We’ll determine if it is feasible and, if it is, we’ll apply for grants.”