FOCAAdmin's blog

Excerpt from The Rivertowns Enterprise. Readers can access the full story starting on page 5 of the Rivertowns Enterprise e-digital version from their August 13th edition.  They can open a free e-edition account to view the article at Rivertowns Enterprise e-edtion.

By Kris DiLorenzo

SIX NEW MOBILE AUDIO TOURS LEAD TO ADVENTURES IN HISTORIC HUDSON RIVER TOWNS

Free Driving, Walking and Biking Tours Cross Over the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and the Bear Mountain Bridge

TARRYTOWN, NY (SPRING, 2021) After a year of the COVID-19 crisis keeping people homebound, many are looking for ways to safely explore and enjoy the world around them. Six new mobile audio tours are now ready to guide visitors through the Historic Hudson River Towns, a group of charming riverfront communities just north of New York City.

This summer, Dobbs Ferry resident Felix Warner worked with the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct to create this video about efforts to manage invasive plants on the Old Croton Aqueduct. Felix is a sophomore at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Lesley Walter and Tom Tarnowsky from the Friends of Old Croton Aqueduct shared insights about the creation of the 1840s engineering marvel to provide clean drinking water for a rapidly growing, disease-filled, and fire-riddled City.

Find out how Eliza Jumel played a role in its creation, and discover where New York City’s drinking water comes from today!

From a lecture delivered at Morris Jumel Mansion, Aug 18, 2021

Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct are pleased to announce that our award-winning maps of the Aqueduct are now available for sale in the shop of Morris-Jumel Mansion in north Manhattan. The maps are in a slim, compact format, convenient to take on your walks or simply to peruse and enjoy.

We are pleased to announce that The Keeper's House in Dobbs Ferry will reopen to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm-4pm starting June 12th.

Come visit and check out our permanent interactive exhibition about the history of the tunnel and the trail.

Masks will be required and there will be limits on occupancy for each room.

It began on a cold First Day walk at the Croton Dam last January 1st, when participants pointed to the rather forlorn circular structure on the grounds of Croton Gorge Park and asked what it was. Friends Walk Leader Sara Kelsey sadly explained that it was a beautiful fountain that had not been turned on for many years.

It was a fashion-forward I Love My Parks Day in North Yonkers. Thirty "models" recently converged on a scenic runway, the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail, for the annual spring show of voguish volunteers, assisted by a hardworking Yonkers crew from the Dept of Public Works.

While "modelling" their best Covid tees and work sweats in a versatile Spring collection, some volunteers handily eradicated nonnative plants and trash. Uprooting over 150 pounds of wild chervil and garlic mustard was easy in new 2021 Special Edition gear!

A group of wonderful students from Mercy College  created their own pop-up I Love My Parks Day on May 1st to clean up the trail between Cedar Street in Dobbs Ferry and the Mercy Campus.

Way to go guys and thank you!

FOCA and Hastings VineSquad teamed up on Saturday March 20th to tackle vines and invasives on the OCA just south of Pinecrest Drive.

A beautiful spring day brought out more than a dozen seasoned loppers. Many passersby gave thanks for helping save the trees.