November
23, 2009
Catskill
River Walk Loses Use Of Private Property
http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2009/11/23/news/doc4b0a04f31054f189103194.txt
Catskill
River Walk route changed
Private
property owners along river disallow use
Susan
Campriello
A
route of a walking trail that hugged the Hudson River’s shore between
Dutchmen’s Landing and William St. in Catskill has been changed due to property
owners’ concerns of land misuse and dangers.
The Catskill River Walk, which is part of the Catskill Walking Tour and the
Hudson River Valley Greenway, used to lead away from the river from Dutchmen’s
Landing by way of a bog, up a steep hill, over a stream via a wooden bridge and
back toward a cliff above the riverbank. Walkers could follow the trail along
the cliff, marked by circular signs attached to trees high above the ground, to
William Street. Several property owners have allowed the trail to cross their
holdings.
Now, according to the Greenway Committee’s Nancy Richards, who is also
Catskill’s community development coordinator, the trail will not pass over
private properties along the river.
Instead, the path will turn west, or away from the river, at Harrison Street.
Walkers can follow it from there to Prospect Avenue and continue along that
road north to Bridge Street.
From
there, walkers can head back toward the river at the Beattie-Powers House,
whose property is village-owned, she said.
Walkers can also follow William Street to the bank above the river.
The path also runs north along Spring St. passing the Thompson Street Village
Cemetery and Thomas Cole’s Cedar Grove.
The entire Catskill Walking Tour trail links several historic buildings and
sites along Main Street and on both shores of the Catskill Creek. Another
branch of the trail leads to the RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary. The River Walk
makes up the trail’s third branch.
At least one property owner along the River Walk said she has ceased allowing
use of the trail on her property.
Lisa Fox Martin said Sunday she closed her yard from trail use as a courtesy to
property owners, located north of William Street and of the trail, who have had
trouble with trespassers and vandalism.
“We have to try to keep our property private through there because (people)
walk through ours to theirs,” Fox Martin said.
She said she hoped people using the trail did stop where the trail ends and not
venture on private property.
Fox Martin said although her property has been spared of damage over the years
she has found condoms in her yard and other evidence of use.
She has also seen people stray from the path to sit on her lawn or in chairs on
her lawn.
Vandalism is evident closer to the trailhead at Dutchmen’s Landing; the
railings of a wooden bridge over stream are almost covered in painted and
carved graffiti and a few trees along the trail have been tagged as well.
According to Richards, property owners between Dutchmen’s Landing and the
Beattie-Powers House have also discontinued public use of the River Walk. These
property owners along the trail were unavailable for comment.
Fox Martin suggested property owners might worry about their liability for any
injuries sustained by people walking the path.
Robert Hoven, president of The Friends of Beattie-Powers, said he understood
the liability concerns because the trail in places is close to the river but
said he has not had problems with people using the River Walk.
“We have never had any vandalism at Beattie-Powers,” he said, adding that the
path through the property had always been well maintained.
The property is a public park open from dawn until dusk, he said.
Nancy Richards said last week new walking tour signs and brochures depicting
the new route will be made and swapped for the old ones.
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