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Jog. Hike. Stroll. Cycle. The Friends will host their 6th Annual AQUEFEST!—a trail-long celebration of the Old Croton Aqueduct—on October 9 & 10, 2010.

SATURDAY Yonkers, Tarrytown, Ossining, Croton

SUNDAY Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington

SPECIAL GUEST! Tom Chapin, 3-time Grammy Award Winner, performs family fun tunes at The Keeper’s House, 15 Walnut Street, Dobbs Ferry on Sunday, Oct. 10 noon-1pm. http://www.youtube.com/SundanceMusicInc#p/f/19/BIt9YB_1jCQ

The High Bridge design process is underway!

This is a major turning point in the long campaign, in which the Friends have played an active role, to restore and reopen this most renowned feature of the Old Croton Aqueduct. The NYC Parks Department is asking for input from the public.

Click HERE to download a PDF of comments submitted by the Friends.

Questions or comments? Contact C. Fahn at czfahn@yahoo.com or 914-478-3961.

We're currently planning our 6th annual, trail-long celebration of the Old Croton Aqueduct for Saturday, Oct. 9th and Sunday Oct. 10th. Committees are forming in Yonkers, Hastings, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, Ossining and Croton.

We need you! Looking for fun, folksy, Aqueduct related or inspired artists, musicians, dancers, children's performers, historians, engineers, naturalists, trail users of all kinds. Also volunteers to host membership tables, donate baked goods, set-up and clean-up.

This has been a big season for field trips. PS 116 of Manhattan sent 4th and 5th graders with their enthusiastic leader, Michelle Yonkell. These kids know a lot about the water system of New York - enough to keep us on our toes with accurate facts. After seeing the movie and listening to Mavis' stories about John Jervis, the kids had to test the echo in the tunnel and hunt for bats. They went back to the city wearing their Aqueduct bracelets and armed with a fact sheet.

Member Stephen DeVillo (center in the photo, with Ellie Carren and Matt Malina) led the Friends' first circumnavigation of 94-acre Jerome Park Reservoir on May 23. Lively commentary focused on the Croton system and interesting history of the surrounding neighborhoods. The beautiful allee of trees in the photo is in Fort Independence Park at the reservoir's north end. The fort that once stood here was sited by George Washington (see plaque).

The Dobbs Ferry Democrats with members of the Greenburgh Hebrew Center did an amazing clean-up of the the Aqueduct trail back of the High School and up to Cedar Street. This group turned out on Sunday May 2nd and even pulled heavy trash out of the wooded section to the west. Bravo!

Not to be outdone, members of Temple Beth Shalom tackled the section of the trail on both sides of the Five Corners in Hastings. If members in every section of the trail did this we'd have a litter-free trail. Well done Aqueduct elves.

The Annual Meeting pulled in a big crowd, despite rainy weather. Mavis Cain, president, gave an update of recent activities. She was followed by Tom Tarnowsky who presented the slate of board members who were duly approved by the audience. Bob Kornfeld presented the schedule of the Keeper's House project. Construction bids go out as soon as the mechanical specs are approved by the State Department of Transport. Drawings were available for all to study.

Parks and Trails New York has announced the 2010 Greenway and Community trail awards. The Volunteer Service Award goes to two members of the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct, Elisa Zazzera of Hastings and Joe Kozlowski of Yonkers for engaging local community groups in the cleanup and promotion of the Old Croton Aqueduct in Yonkers.

All walks will be led by a member of Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct

April 3 – Ossining Weir tour. See video to learn about the Old Croton Aqueduct, then descend into the original brick pre-Civil War water tunnel. Meet at 10:00 AM at the Ossining Community Center at 95 Broadway adjacent to the aqueduct, just west of Highland Ave./Rt. 9. Information: 914-762-4082

Take advantage of the snow and try skiing on the trail. It's amazingly good in certain sections. I went out 3 times last week on the sections from Dobbs Ferry down to Yonkers.If you are the first one out you have to make a track away from the walkers' path - which is a bit slow going but on your return it's good. One has to clump across the streets and occasionally take the skis off - at 5 corners in Hastings for instance.