On his way out of town last Friday, ex-Gov. George Pataki announced $2.3 million in grant awards for 30 trail-related projects around the state -- including projects major projects in Whitney Point and Ithaca.

The Whitney Point Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club will also get $100,000 to purchase a tracked trail groomer to maintain more than 150 miles of snowmobile trails that connect with seven neighboring clubs in Broome, Chenango, Cortland and Tioga Counties.

Ithaca will receive a $100,000 grant to install a 395 linear foot segment of a connector trail that will link Six Mile Creek Promenade in the town core to the Winter Village Trail and the Six Mile Creek Natural Area.

The completion of this project will develop a continuous trail from Six Mile Creek Natural Area to the future Black Diamond Trail.

To bad the liberal granolas in Ithaca HATE snowmobiles and will never let them near their city!

I didn't follow NY politics a whole lot, but I do know that George Pataki did his share for snowmobilers. He's been spending $$ on a canal trail that crosses the state. Unfortunately, a lot of that trail is foot and bikes only. But at least much of the CNY section is open to sledding (when there is snow). Lets hope the new guy Spitzer continues the trend.

Yes, these grants are from the TEA-21 grants. Awarded every year. The funding is from federal gas taxes given yearly to each state. A percentage of the federal highway gas tax goes for off-road projects. Alot of clubs in NY have taken advantage of this competative grant process the past several years. NYS Parks and Recreation is the lead agency in NY for these grants. George Pataki was a moderate and he helped snowmobiling. The snowmobile community is very concerned about Eliot Spitzer, he is a Greenie. And he is not a moderate. He has already been in meetings with some of our biggest enemies. He has made no attempt to meet with the snowmobile community. Get ready for a rough ride NY snowmobilers.

I didn't vote for Spitzer, he's definitely anti-snowmobile. Trails in Whitney Point and Ithaca would be really cool, too bad I'll to ride my bicycle on them because we don't have snow in these parts anymore.

Thanks. I wasn't aware of Spitzers stand on the issue. I didn't vote for him. I did read is blurb in the NYSSA mag., but it was totally the typical political answers. Figures!

Keep us informed if Spitzer makes some bad choices for us sledders.