Epf Grants Benefit The North Country

Sen. Aubertine thanks Gov. Paterson for his selections in the 48th Senate District

WATERTOWN (June 6, 2008)—Today’s announcement of Environmental Protection Fund Grants by Gov. David Paterson includes more than $830,000 for Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) projects in the state’s  48th Senate District, represented by Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine (D-Cape Vincent).

“I’d like to thank the Governor for funding all of these important projects,” Sen. Aubertine said. “For too many years our beautiful waterfronts in Central and Northern New York were neglected. Our communities see the value of these sites and this funding will go a long way toward meeting the vision of what these waterfronts can be.”

Within the 48th Senate District, the city of Watertown received the largest grant of $505,000 for the design and reconstruction of the "JB Wise" parking lot, including reconfiguration of parking spaces, improved entranceways, new sidewalks, landscaping, and lighting, in order to better connect downtown with the Black River waterfront. City officials have said this will give people access to a proposed 3-mile trail along the Black River, Veteran’s Memorial Walk and Public Square, serving as a recreation nucleus in Watertown.

“The city has worked hard to breathe life into plans that use the Black River for recreation,” Sen. Aubertine said. “This is a welcome project that will help beautify downtown and draw people to the Black River. I’m excited to see this moving forward.”

In the city of Oswego, $214,956 has been awarded to fund pedestrian and parking enhancements relating to the proposed Best Western Captain’s Quarters Conference Center. The public parking lot and pedestrian corridor on East First Street will be on land donated by the developer.

“This is a great example of private-public cooperation that benefits the city,” Sen. Aubertine said. “This project will bring people closer to the Oswego River and be an added draw for the two hotels.”

For the city of Ogdensburg, Gov. Paterson announced $35,000 for the city to update its Local Waterfront Revitalization Program for the St. Lawrence River waterfront, first approved in 1987. This money will go toward developing a Harbor Management Plan, bringing the city’s Waterfront Redevelopment Plan into the LWRP, and assessing waterfront brownfield sites for proposed redevelopment.

“Redevelopment and revitalization along the St. Lawrence River in Ogdensburg is extremely important,” Sen. Aubertine said. “I certainly applaud the efforts of everyone working to make this waterfront the asset it should be and I’m glad the governor has contributed toward planning this revitalization.”

In the town of Clayton, the governor has awarded $35,000 for the town and the Clayton Local Development Corporation to contract with a professional land planner to help identify appropriate uses of the 8-acre Frink property, develop concept alternatives, a site master plan, design standards and marketing materials and select a site development team.

“The redevelopment of the Frink site is part of a larger, more comprehensive plan,” Sen. Aubertine said. “The plans that will be developed with this money for a mixed use site of commercial and residential development will complement the Riverwalk and bring Clayton closer to redeveloping the old snowplow factory site.”

The governor also announced $55,000 for the town of Martinsburg in cooperation with the Black River Blueway Steering Committee to implement components of the inter-municipal Black River Blueway Trail Plan. This will include work to remove navigational hazards in the 40-mile flat water section of the river between Carthage in Jefferson County and Lyons Falls in Lewis County. The money will also go toward preparing a marketing tool kit for the river including Web site enhancements and concept planning and design of two river access sites in the town of Forrestport.