Multiple park user groups and park patrons have conveyed their interest in trails throughout the Park system, with the Irondequoit Bay Park system being a focus of significant interest. We have heard from the off-road cycling community, birders, hikers, equestrian riders among others, all advocating for their preferred outdoor recreational activity.
The Parks Department takes seriously the desires of our parks users, ensuring that the system is balanced and has offerings for everyone. As such, the Department has hired Environmental Design & Research, Landscape Architecture, Engineering & Environmental Services, D.P.C. (EDR) to conduct a trail user study and survey for the Irondequoit Bay Park System. These parks include Ellison Park, Lucien Morin, Abraham Lincoln, Irondequoit Bay Park West and Tryon Parks.
The Department must ensure that our constituency has the ability to provide direct input into the offerings in County Parks, and we pride ourselves on listening carefully to our constituents. This project will do just that by conducting trailhead outreach surveys, open houses, and a community interactive mapper and survey.
Public Engagement Sessions
The public engagement sessions are open house style meetings to 1) Introduce the project and receive preliminary feedback and 2) Review survey findings and preliminary recommendations.
As a public participation technique, an "open house" is an informal setting that allows for one-to-one exchanges between any concerned/interested persons and the public officials and professionals involved in the project. Attendees will have the opportunity to mill around, go back and forth among displays of information and materials, familiarizing themselves with the various facets of the project. The open house is a fluid, nonthreatening environment to gather quality, insightful input. An open house is useful in getting attendees viewpoints and perceptions communicated directly to the professionals developing the project.
The first public open house was held on August 6th, 2024 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at Abraham Lincoln Waterfront Lodge on Smith Road.
Trail User Survey
The Irondequoit Bay Park System Trail User Survey is intended to gather information and feedback about how people use the Irondequoit Bay Park Trail System which includes the Monroe County Parks of Ellison, Lucien Morin, Irondequoit Bay West, Tryon, and Abraham Lincoln. The responses to this survey will help the Monroe County Parks Department staff prioritize investments in adding trail amenities, creating new trail connections, and enhancing safety throughout the trail system. The survey will be open and accepting responses from August 6th, 2024 through October 6th, 2024.
Trail User Survey Findings Report
EDR is intimately familiar with the process of initiating, engaging, and documenting community/stakeholder information and input. Based on the results of the community survey and interactive mapping exercise, as well as input from the public open houses, a draft summary memorandum of the findings will be developed for Monroe County Parks to assist with informed decision-making for future considerations of the Irondequoit Bay Parks Trail System.
