Comments and ideas we’ve heard so far from multiple engagement processes are summarized below.
Reclaim industrialized areas to connect people with nature
Appropriate plants for dry shaded areas
Engage with those who don’t have internet
Native American trails
Industrial history contributing to Erie Canal development
Trail materials to be more natural, like stone dust
Cost to enter
Include playful elements and tie to the historical elements
Separate cyclist/ pedestrian/ tourist from vehicular traffic
Engage younger generations
Loop trails with mile markers
Butterfly garden
Planning for 8 to 80 yrs
Foster environmental stewardship
Passive recreation, like yoga
Accessibility and wayfinding that is inclusive of the large deaf and disabled population in Rochester
Year-round festivals and events
ADA
RTS access and need for buses to route to the site
There needs to be investment in the community, the bordering neighborhoods are predominantly low-income and would benefit from park programs and learning opportunities
Programming all year round
Signs should be multi-language
Artwork integration
Parking
Revitalize RoC waterfront
Acknowledge and celebrate historic communities, buildings, resources, “history of sustainability”
Inclusive park that integrates nature, urban infrastructure and historic significance
Seating along trails
ADA accessible pickup and dropoff areas
Safety signs
Changing the public perception, introducing a policing presence sensitively
Pocket gardens
Educational programs, nature exploration, recreational activities
Universal design and inclusivity
Community-driven initiative to maintain park’s green spaces
Relaxing
Capitalize on views, water quality and safety issues
Picnic
Traffic control
Interpretive signs
Re-activate former museum visitor center
Improve Infrastructure, like shade structure, for future activities
Multi-modal transportation, bike access, trails, pedestrian access, cross-city programs
Accessibility and safety for seniors
Amenities like fountains for visitors and pets
Gorge wall stair, elevator
Early wins
Enhance community unity through multi language signs
Safety at lower level
Ecology Center
Clear debris from river
Photography
Native planting
Mural art to enhance community building
Promote neighborhood ownership through planting maintenance
Speed control measurements
Enhance Sister City Relationship
Beauty of nature
Serve diverse population
Trail & benches
Campground in the city for the youths
Safe and welcoming access routes to the park from adjacent neighborhoods
Separate trail use for senior visitors
Collaboration and unity within communities
Educational programming of immigrant history, Hickey Freeman clothing company, geological history, Olmsted Parks, and railroad history
Need off-street connector to High Falls
Connect kids and adults to natural environment
Bathrooms
Community gardens
Sustainability and ecological stewardship
Integration into downtown, to the Inner Loop Project, etc.
Public transportation / trolley between city-wide destinations
Drive infill businesses in disinvested areas
Cultural hub of year-round events and programs
River Access
Address displacement concerns, address community skepticism, give the neighboring communities a sense of ownership
Priority on learning opportunities including an ecology center
Urban wildness
Bike from adjacent destinations to High Falls
Avoid impact vehicular travel on St Paul (cars and large trucks), pedestrian access from across the bridge
Active trail with letterboxing or geocaching
Focus on being environmentally friendly, make use of alternate energy and think about waste management
Study forest and bird communities
Blue lights
Event center
Traffic safety and speed control + signage
Linking residents in farther areas to a local bus route, ensuring sidewalks lead somewhere, etc.
Cleanliness
Sense of belonging
Connect communities breaking transportation barriers
Wayfinding for all ages
Slower car traffic
Shade
Connectivity (walkability and bike connection between High Falls and Inner Loop)
Prioritize pedestrian and cyclist traffic
“What would the gorge look like without human involvement?”
Aesthetics of Bridge
Separate bicycle and pedestrian paths
Connect people to the water
Concern over gentrification and displacement
Solar-power implements
Equal access to river in all seasons; ramps in winter can be problematic