Adirondack Sports August 2023

News Briefs
Adirondack Sports & Northeast
Ski Expo Celebrates 60 Years
Get ready to kick-off the winter season
at the Adirondack Sports & Northeast
Ski Show. The longest running ski
show in the US is celebrating 60 years
on Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 11-12 at the
Albany Capital Center. The free admission
show will feature 150 exhibitors
representing alpine skiing, snowboarding,
cross-country skiing, snowshoeing,
Olympic sports, outdoor sports, recreation,
health, fitness, and travel.
It’s a high-energy, upbeat gathering with 10,000 attendees expected over Veterans
Day weekend. Retail sales, activities, prizes and more is planned. Registration is
open to exhibitors. Learn more and register: adksports.com/winter-expo.
NYS Parks Celebrates
Centennial Anniversary
The centennial anniversary of NYS
Parks will have a year-long celebration
in 2024, marking its founding of New
York’s statewide park and historic site
system. The events will highlight and
build upon one of the state’s greatest
environmental legacies. In 1924,
Governor Alfred Smith and the State
Legislature created the NYS Council
of Parks, while voters approved a $15
million bond act to build and enlarge a
network of state parks and historic sites.
“New York State led the nation in
creating a state park system for our citizens 100 years ago,” Governor Kathy Hochul
said. “As we celebrate through next year, New York will continue to invest in our
park system to support the state’s outdoor recreation economy, expand access to
underserved communities, address the impacts of climate change, and position
New York as a top recreation destination.”
Across the state through 2024, New York will commemorate the state park centennial
with hundreds of community celebrations, performances and special events
led by the state park and historic site staff, the State Council of Parks and Park and
Historic Site friends’ groups. There will be a new Centennial Challenge to encourage
visitors to try a variety of new activities as they enjoy the parks and historic sites,
special discounts on park admission fees and new opportunities to volunteer and
promote park stewardship. A traveling exhibit on the history of New York State Parks
will go on display at parks and historic sites throughout the state. State Parks will
collect and share stories and photographs from the public to celebrate the memories
made during the last century, as well as a new line of Centennial-themed merchandise
from the parks store.
In addition, the state will prioritize investments and programs to preserve the
park system as a model for the nation in the next century by restoring and expanding
visitor capacity; reaching new and underserved audiences; facing climate change;
positioning New York as a recreation destination; and strengthening community
partnerships. Learn more: parks.ny.gov/100.
New Headquarters
for ARE Event
Productions
AUGUST 2023 5
ARE Event Productions, a local timing and
event management company that serves 200
events throughout the region, opened its new
headquarters in Albany’s warehouse district
in July.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony, which included
a “Break the Tape” 5K run was held on July 19 to celebrate the company’s newly
renovated space in the long-vacant building at 1028 Broadway, located close to
Druthers Brewery, Albany Pump Station, and other businesses in downtown Albany
– and near the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail.
AREEP purchased the 10,000-square-foot property in the summer of 2022 and
after nearly $1 million in renovations, was now open for operations. ARE Event
Productions was established after the creation of the Albany Running Exchange in
2002, which was founded by Josh Merlis while he was a student at the University of
Albany to help fellow students find training partners. In 2007, after the organization
was contracted to time multiple races, Josh formally created ARE Event Productions
as its own entity.
Albany Running Exchange, the running group, will also be headquartered in the
new space, and hosts group runs and training for more than 1,000 members in the
Capital Region. In its 20-year history, the Albany Running Exchange has organized
over 10,000 group runs in the region. Learn more: areep.com.
DEC Announces
Public Meeting on
Adirondack Rail Trail
The NYS DEC will host a public meeting on August
23 to provide updates on project progress and
future planning, address community concerns,
and answer questions about the Adirondack Rail
Trail. Public and stakeholder participation is vital
to the success of the rail trail project and will help
inform future public communication needs.
The meeting will be held Wednesday, Aug. 23,
from 5:30-7pm, in the Adirondack Park Agency
boardroom in Ray Brook. DEC will provide updates on project status, insight into
future planning for signage and interpretation, and answer questions related to the
project.
Phase one of the Adirondack Rail Trail is under construction and is scheduled to
be complete this year. Phase two construction is underway and includes the portion
of trail between Saranac Lake and Floodwood Road in Santa Clara. DEC urges the
public to refrain from using any portion of the trail while it is closed for construction.
Lake Placid to Saranac Lake: Closed for public use. Use of the corridor is prohibited
for the duration of the summer and fall until Phase one is complete. Saranac
Lake to Floodwood Road, Town of Santa Clara: Closed for public use. Use of the
corridor is prohibited for the duration of the construction contract. Tupper Lake:
Interim recreation is allowed at users’ own risk on this unimproved section of the
corridor. Public use may be limited or restricted in sections due to hazardous conditions
or active construction or maintenance. ATV use is prohibited.
Visitors should be mindful of posted signage and barricades. Saranac Lake
Depot: Work has started on the parking lot at the Saranac Lake Depot. Updates:
adirondackrailtrail.org.