Village seeks quotes for river trail project

The Tioughnioga River attached to Durkee Park in the village of Homer. The village is looking to kick off a river trail project that starts at the park and stretches two miles. (Photo via Google Maps).

A village in Cortland County is seeking quotes for a river trail project that is currently in the preliminary stages.

Village of Homer clerk Dan Egnor recommended the village get an engineers’ assessment and plan for a river trail project, which would start at Durkee Park and stretch two miles along the west branch of Tioughnioga River.

Egnor noted having an assessment and a plan will give the village an idea of what the river trail will look like, what the components are and what the actual cost will be.

The village’s board of trustees at its Tuesday meeting proceeded to unanimously authorize putting out a request-for-quote (RFQ) for engineering services that cannot exceed $10,000. Board member Ed Finkbeiner noted a request-for-proposal (RFP) would soon follow.

Finkbeiner mentioned the village has been looking to kick off a river trail project “for years.” Village mayor Hal McCabe added the village has had a general sense of what they want to see for the trail, but won’t know until the engineers’ assessment is finished.

“We need someone to give us a more fleshed-out concept,” McCabe said.

McCabe and Finkbeiner listed some possibilities for the river trail, including the surface either being concrete or asphalt, where parts of the trail should have raised platforms, the size of the trail, specific railings, handicap accessible areas and more.

“The village has had a strong vision of what the river trail should look like, but the RFQ will give us a stronger, conceptual plan that would bring it to reality,” Egnor said.

Village deputy mayor Pat Clune added the river trail project will be done in phases.

“The potential is unlimited,” Board member Kevin Slack said.

Once a plan is in place, the village will mull over if they should use Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), American Rescue Plan (ARP) or Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for the river trail project.

Further details on the river trail project have yet to be determined.