Planning a Path Through History
The Champlain Canalway Trail is the oldest of four in New York State’s Canalway Trail system, and it is the second longest. Together with other major trail system in the state, it forms a connective corridor of history, culture, and recreation opportunity. The Action Plan portrays a compelling vision for the Champlain Canalway Trail, and facilitates local and regional action.
The LA Group assisted the National Park Service, Hudson Crossing Park, and the Champlain Canalway Trail Working Group in preparing an Action Plan for the Champlain Canalway Trail, a portion of NYS Canalway Trail system which extends for approximately 58 miles between Waterford and Whitehall, NY. The Working Group is a volunteer, ad hoc partnership that includes local and regional canal and trail groups, public agencies, and town and county park and preservation organizations.
The goal of the project is to complete a continuous trail that utilizes historic tow paths and local and regional pathways and ties into the Empire State Trail, that when completed by the end of 2020 will be a continuous 750-mile route spanning the state from New York City to Canada and Buffalo to Albany, creating the longest multi-use state trail in the nation.
In 2019 The LA Group completed a comprehensive update of the Champlain Canalway Trail Action Plan. For this update The LA Group received a 2019 NY Upstate Chapter, APA award for Implementation.
- Collecting, reviewing and synthesizing existing plans, documents, and other relevant data
- Inventory of existing field conditions, including built and un-built trail sections
- Attendance at Working Group meetings
- Preparation of draft and final Champlain Canalway Trail Action Plan
