Newsletter, Adirondack North Country Association

THE LEDGER

The Adirondack North Country Association Newsletter ... Summer 2006 Volume 13, Issue 1

THE LEDGER
Table of Contents
New Tool
Coming Up
Plaque
Canoe Trail
Oly. Byway
Central Adk
Grass-Based
Black River
Buyer Days

ANCA
Regional Map
Join Us
Contact Us
Recent News
Newsletter
Annual Report
Board Members
Publications
Project Partners
Staff
History
Strategic Plan

Marketing Underway for the Central Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway

by Sharon O'Brien
May 16, 2006 provided opportunity to participate in one of Nadia Korth’s Marketing Toolkit Workshops. The workshop was developed by ANCA specifically for gift shop and studio owners in rural areas of Upstate New York and presented by Korths in numerous locations throughout the year. Hosted at the Indian Lake Restaurant on the Central Adirondack Trail and Adirondack Trail Scenic Byways in Indian Lake, the Indian Lake Action Committee helped to organize the event and recruit participants.

Following Korth’s instructional program, attendees were informed about the tremendous exposure for local communities made possible with Scenic Byway Program funding. The participants learned how the Byways bring people into the communities and as shopkeepers they were encouraged to take responsibility for providing the necessary “curb appeal” that motivates travelers to stop and shop and explore village centers.

ANCA’s 2006 promotional campaign in partnership with the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council was presented as one example of the extensive byway program marketing efforts. The 2006 campaign includes television, Internet, and print advertising components along with the distribution of North Country Regional Byways maps and accompanying brochures. The marketing project is funded by the Federal Highway Administration’s Scenic Byway Program through the NYS Department of Transportation.

There was also discussion about how Internet visitors can use ANCA’s Scenic Byway website on a regular basis to seek information about the thirteen North Country Byways and to find linkages to Chambers of Commerce and tourism sites, community websites, and links to assorted visitor services and tourism related businesses.

The business owners were pleased to learn that they could legally request signage for their tourism related businesses to direct visitors to their shops and retail stores located off the Scenic Byway’s main route both inside and outside the Adirondack Park. The necessary steps that a shopkeeper could take to contact regional NYSDOT personnel to request Tourist Oriented Directional (TOD) Signage were outlined.

Two businesses along the Central Adirondack Trail: Black Blear Trading Post, Inlet and

Creekside Gifts, Boonville. Rustic style computer desk made by owner Dale Ferris.

Brenda Valentine of the Indian Lake Action Tourism Committee said she hopes that ANCA will continue to organize this type of informational workshop in the Byway communities, as more business owners need to set aside time to attend future sessions. She noted that there is a tremendous need for shopkeepers to learn more about best practices for managing and marketing their local businesses. The Corridor Management Plan for the Central Adirondack Trail (released on June 22, 2006 in Inlet) recommends organizing similar educational training sessions for those involved in tourism and service industries.

During the Marketing Toolkit Workshop, Jeannie Puterko described her recent expansion at Thornbush Acres RV Park in Indian Lake to accommodate an increase in RV campers in the area. She reported opening a new bait shop and propane sales business and the two niche businesses were doing well. A new miniature golf course is also planned as part of her new business operations. The May 16th workshop provided a forum for sharing news on marketing trends, visitation patterns, strategies on meeting tourist needs, and success stories that will serve to improve the visitor experience for those traveling the Central Adirondack Trail across Warren, Hamilton, Herkimer and Oneida Counties.

Following the workshop, travels westward on the Central Adirondack Trail resulted in stops at the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts in Blue Mountain Lake, the Black Bear Trading Post in Inlet, the Arts Center and ArtWorks in Old Forge, Creekside Gifts in Boonville, and the Art Baird Pottery Studio in Holland Patent. Members of the Adirondack artist community were updated on the June 22 event planned by ANCA at the Woods Inn in Inlet to release the Corridor Management Plan to the Byway communities. Invitations to the meeting were distributed and members of the artist community were encouraged to come and learn how the Byway program supports historical and cultural organizations through local and regional partnerships.

Celebration of the Central Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway

by Terry Martino

The Adirondack North Country Association Board of Directors hosted a morning Board meeting followed by the celebration of the release of the Central Adirondack Trail Corridor Plan. The event took place on June 22 at the historic Woods Inn in Inlet, New York, and was attended by more than fifty guests representing municipal, organizational, tourism and business interests in Oneida, Herkimer, Hamilton and Warren counties. Attendees received a CD of the Corridor Plan that represented the interests of the four counties, including thirty-five towns, villages and cities, and the more than two hundred participants who provided input through two Local Action Committees covering the 140-mile byway.

The historically renovated Woods Inn in Inlet where the ANCA Board meeting took place on June 22, 2006, overlooks Fourth Lake

Terry Martino, ANCA Executive Director, opened the afternoon meeting by welcoming guests in celebration of their accomplishments and work in the development of the plan. She said that with them ANCA has addressed the hard questions. “We don’t just name the problems—we offer action recommendations to revitalize our communities with answers and solutions that came from you.” She commented, “The plan is the reward of a grass roots dialogue. It’s not just an academic exercise with a short life span, but instead a dialogue with you to build on your best aspirations for your community.”

The afternoon presentation by Sharon O’Brien, ANCA Scenic Byways Coordinator, highlighted the successes of the local planning discussions over the two-year project. O’Brien reviewed the use of the Central Adirondack Trail label to benefit local communities, marketing and promotion strategies for byway resources and attractions, byway route signage and interpretation, and local and regional implementation strategies. O’Brien discussed how the program stimulates economic development and tourism and opens new inroads to funding sources. By reviewing New York State signage guidelines and presenting contact information about NYS Department of Transportation staff, O’Brien provided the important linkages for local communities to have dialogue with the NYSDOT about transportation projects.

Both Martino and O’Brien thanked the three contract agencies that worked with ANCA in the development of the plan—Lani Ulrich with CAP-21, Jan McGraw with Herkimer County Area Development Corporation, and Laura Moore, Warren County Planning Department. In addition, they acknowledged the work of Ann Ruzow Holland, Project Facilitator, in the project organization, community outreach and plan development. Ulrich spoke of the Central Adirondack communities’ commitment to the byway and new opportunities, such as the market potential for Adirondack Cuisine at local eateries, that were invigorated through the planning work. Phyllis Pfendler of the Oneida County Convention and Visitors Bureau addressed the importance of byway planning and linkages to the visitor outreach in Oneida County. Moore spoke of the work underway to expand the Central Adirondack Byway corridor to additional communities in Warren County. She emphasized how she works to direct travelers throughout the region along the byway. In combination, the speakers reinforced ANCA’s commitment to working with organizations along the byway to reinforce the regional planning work at the local level.

At the conclusion of the program, O’Brien said, “I am pleased to present you with an important planning tool that contains recommendations that will sustain the region’s businesses, and draw visitors to the area to support our local tourism economy.” Martino pointed out that the plan is an important mapping, not only of community assets, but a blueprint for regional development that can build on others opportunities, including bikeway and waterway planning.

The Central Adirondack Trail Scenic Byway project was funded by a NYS Department of Transportation Byway Program grant through the Federal Highway Administration and Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.

Email Sharon O'Brien, Scenic Byway Coordinator, at anca-obrien@northnet.org.