Jan. 6—The Aquarium of Niagara is among 27 not-for-profit organizations involved with stewardship of state parks, trails, historic sites and other public lands set to receive a portion of $1.8 million in state grants.
According to Gov. Kathy Hochul's office, the grants support public private partnerships leveraging private funds for new state park amenities, to engage in state park & historic site maintenance and beautification projects, and to provide educational programming and special events. The focus of this round is on the 2024 New York State Park Centennial Celebration, which promotes public use of the parks.
The Aquarium of Niagara is set to receive $35,000 toward a marketing and brand awareness campaign designed to promote and celebrate the planned opening of Great Lakes 360.
Other Western New York institutions set to receive funding:
—Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House — $106,000 to hire a Curatorial Associate who will play a critical role in helping to develop and implement a dynamic array of scholarly and public programs. The position will assist with the research, organization, and execution of these programs so as to broaden the audience and expand interpretation of the site as a place that ignites creativity and illuminates the power of architecture, history, and design.
—Friends of Knox Farm State Park — $35,000 to host a family-centered solar eclipse viewing event complete with STEM programming, eclipse-specific activities, food and drink, entertainment, and more.
—Boutwell Hill Ski Club, Inc. — $239,564 to provide environmentally-friendly and sustainable trail rehabilitation of the Homestead cross-country ski trail in Boutwell Hill State Forest on the Chautauqua Ridge which will expand and diversify trail use to include year-long access to be inclusive for all hikers, runners, cyclists, equestrians, skiers, and people of all abilities, promoting equitable access to the outdoors.
"Our state parks, trails, forests and historic sites offer some of the best outdoor recreational and cultural opportunities found anywhere in the world," Hochul said. "Friends Groups are crucial to helping our State Parks succeed, and these grants will help leverage their hard work to make our State Park system even better for all."
The Park and Trail Partnership Grant program is funded through the state Environmental Protection Fund. Grants are administered by Parks & Trails New York, in partnership with the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation. This ninth round of awards will be matched by over $350,000 in private funds. Recipients must raise outside funding of at least 10 percent of their total project budgets.
Since its initial round in 2015, the Park and Trail Partnership Grant program has provided over $8 million to dozens of non-profit organizations across New York State. These grants, matched by over $2.7 million in private dollars, have provided much needed funding towards capacity building efforts for grassroots park and trail supporting organizations, as well as volunteer-led improvement projects in every corner of the Empire State. This public-private partnership ensures the continued viability of community groups and public lands for generations to come.