LIVERPOOL, N.Y. (NCC News)—Despite opposition from the Onondaga Audubon Society over environmental concerns, the Onondaga Lake Park superintendent says the Murphy’s Island trail will be built.
Dale Grinolds, the park’s superintendent, did not have an answer for when construction would begin, but he said the trail will be a positive addition.
“Any new trail section is always good for us,” Grinolds said. “It gives the public a nice, new place to go to.”
And that new place to go is of particular interest for many as dozens of bald eagles have called Murphy’s Island home.
Currently, only the northern half of Onondaga Lake has lakeshore trails. Onondaga Lake Park wants to build new legs of the lake trail along the southern edge, the southwestern edge of the lake will be next, along with an additional trail section by Murphy’s Island to create a full loop of the lake.
Several weeks ago some, however, like one member of Friends of Onondaga Lake Bald Eagles, Richelle Brown, opposed the additional trail at Murphy’s Island with concern of forcing the bald eagles to move.
“Eagles have been sighted on that site [Murphy’s Island] year-round, and there’s a possibility that they may begin to nest there soon in which case there couldn’t be a trail at all,” Brown said.
But Grinolds said the county reviewed any environmental concerns and approved the Murphy’s Island trail.
Onondaga Lake Park Recreation Supervisor Eric Sopchak says the park plans to add even more legs to the lake trail system.
“People are going to be much more inclined to, I believe, come to Onondaga Lake Park with the mindset to get in a rather significant distance run, or bike or rollerblading,” Sopchak said. “Once you loop the lake, we’re talking somewhere around 14 miles of a looped trail.”
Sopchak said the next leg of trail construction will begin later this spring. It will be more than a mile long and run from where the current Westshore Trail ends at one of the New York State Fairgrounds parking lots and run down to the lakeshore. Construction of that leg should be completed late fall, Sopchak said.
Additionally, the park plans another leg by Hiawatha Boulevard along the lake’s southwestern edge for construction next year.
Grinolds said new trails and legs of the lake trail system will provide a new perspective along Onondaga Lake.
“Here to now, everything has basically been in the northern half of the lake,” Grinolds said. “When you’re down at that end [the southern end] you’re going to be looking at a totally different viewshed.”
Sopchak hopes the lake is fully looped within the next two to three years.
