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Byway Community Presentation: Speculator, NY "The Real Adirondack Experience" The Adirondacks Speculator Region Chamber of Commerce invited ANCA’s Scenic Byway Coordinator, Sharon O’Brien to serve as guest speaker at their annual Membership Dinner on May 12, 2004. O’Brien gave a presentation on how their recently drafted local and regional Corridor Management Plan for the Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway will serve the communities along the route. The 188-mile Adirondack Trail is included in the New York State Scenic Byway program, which works to promote tourism, stimulate economic development, and supports the maintenance and enhancement of a Byway’s special qualities. Several of those in attendance were part of the core group of residents and representatives from Speculator and the surrounding communities that had contributed to the creation of the document. They learned that their local goals and recommendations for economic, community, and tourism development had been incorporated at the regional level as part of the plan’s master component. At previous community work sessions Hamilton County had named 74 resources under the plan’s historic/cultural, natural, and recreational headings. These assets are now part of the 224 contributing resources mapped along the entire route. During the dinner hour O’Brien took a moment to speak with Speculator’s Mayor Barbara Tracy and Chari Smith, Town Clerk of Lake Pleasant to encourage them to use the CMP when their communities enter into future discussions pertaining to road projects with the NYS Department of Transportation. Situated at the crossroads of two NYS Scenic Byways in heart of Hamilton County, Speculator can use the document to improve transportation, safety, and community design standards. O’Brien explained how the various towns, villages, and hamlets can benefit from their status as Adirondack Trail and Southern Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway communities They are now eligible to apply for State and Federal Scenic Byway Enhancement funding for their projects in the plan and to leverage project funding as part of a regional effort. They can participate in sponsoring cross-promotional efforts in cooperation with other Byway communities. Additionally, those with limited advertising budgets will enjoy an increased Internet presence as organizations such as ANCA updates its Byway sites and provides links to other sites. O’Brien pointed out that towns, villages, and cities will continue to benefit from State marketing and promotions funded by NYSDOT such as ANCA’s successful 2002 and 2003 media and print campaigns accomplished in partnership with the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council. With these promotions, visitors will transfer their initial introduction to the grand Byway experience from the state advertising projects as they drive by those locales which feature the Byway logo She encouraged the communities along the corridor to promote themselves as “Byway Communities”… the places where travelers go to seek goods, services, and accommodations. Communities now have an opportunity to become special places for visitors to further explore the Adirondack Trail’s theme, “Woods, Water, Wilderness: The Real Adirondack Experience.” Guests were informed that the New York State Scenic Advisory Board Albany will review the draft plan. Upon final approval, ANCA will contact stakeholders in every community along the Byway route to invite them to a Corridor Management Plan release meeting where future implementation measures will be explained. Dale Brown, an ANCA Board Director also joined the sixty-seven Chamber members in attendance. As part of the evening’s agenda the Chamber presented its first annual business award to the Lake Pleasant Inn for its successful renovation of its lakeside business. The award draws attention to the community’s focus on sound tourism improvement. The Inn’s eleven rooms received complete “nature theme” decorator makeovers and were modernized to meet the demands of today’s travelers. The upgraded rooms now have telephones with data ports, DSL Ethernet connectors, and satellite television. During the Corridor Management Plan work sessions ANCA received comments from all along the route on the need for better lodging accommodations for visitors. The Inn’s newly landscaped grounds, Nordic gift shop, restaurant with an executive chef, and a small conference area will all add to Speculator’s appeal to Byway travelers. ========================= |
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