Serving the Towns of Wawarsing, Crawford, Mamakating, Rochester and Shawangunk, and everything in between
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Million Dollar Ideas...
Ellenville As The Gunks New & Better Gateway

The new Ellenville Million Committee is weighing ideas for economic development in the Ellenville area. Also coming up are the state's annual Regional Economic Development Council applications, expected to include several key ideas from the area. Each issue over the coming months we have focused on another project looking for funding. This week, Ellenville's Marcus Giuliano's idea for making Ellenville a trail running mecca.

Interest is starting to grow in the Ellenville Berme Road entrance to Minnewaska State Park. On April 12, the Springle Track Marathon will wind up at the village's Berme Road Park after setting off from Mohonk Mountain House and Marcus Guiliano, proprietor of Aroma Thyme Bistro and an enthusiastic runner himself, notes that, "After the marathon the runners and their friends will hang out, play music, maybe barbecue. It's a great day, and they will all be in Ellenville at that point."

Similar events are filling out the coming warmer seasons' schedule, including an August 1 Ellenville Running Festival that Todd Jennings of Shawangunk Adventures, a firm that's busy "building out" trail and endurance races, notes is fast becoming big time.

Guiliano believes that Ellenville and Wawarsing can benefit by boosting the use of the Berme Road entrance to the ridgeline and Minnewaska State Park by encouraging runners and hikers to take advantage of it.

"Parking there is free; and it's available, too," says Giuliano. "Contrast that with the situation at Minnewaska on a weekend in the summer where you can't get in and you have to pay to park if you do."

So, what should be done?

"A website would be phenomenal," he adds, noting the need for attractive content. "It could be a Facebook page, could be a chamber of commerce website, could even be part of Sam's Point or Minnewaska Park's sites. Ultimately, it needs the local push to promote that trailhead."

Then there's volunteerism.

"The easiest thing is to make sure the place is clean and inviting," Guiliano adds. "Volunteers going down there and pick up any and all trash would be a good step. Another could be to paint the tables and picnic benches, liven them up and paint them a nice color."

Given the fields at Berme Park, Giuliano feels that other uses would be conducive to local growth.

"I'm all for this. Gather up trash and the village will pick it up," says Ellenville Mayor Jeff Kaplan of Giuliano's ideas. "It sounds like a good idea to paint the tables, too."

Other big ridgeline events coming up include a 50-mile May 2 Rock the Ridge run out of Mohonk Preserve and the September 18/19 74-mile Shawangunk Ridge Trail run/hike from High Point State Park in New Jersey to Rosendale.

"This could become the gateway to the Gunks," concludes Guiliano.



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LP Transportation - Mechanics Needed






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