Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association receives $125k grant

MILLERTON, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On January 3, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that state parks, trails, and other public lands would receive $1.8 million in grants. The Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association (HVRTA) received $125,100 of this $1.8 million through the Parks and Trails New York Partnership Grant.

The HVRTA links the Metro-North Railroad station in Wassaic to Copake—comprising 26 paved miles—and has a second section that runs 1.5 miles southeast from the Hamlet of Hillsdale. The Association aims to secure a 46-mile trail from Wassaic to Chatham with trail expansion and maintenance.

The HVRTA will use the grant money to boost outreach about trail expansion with promotional materials, a communications firm, and fundraising with this grant. The association must raise at least 10% of its total project cost in outside funding as a grant recipient.