City of Rochester
News Release
(Wednesday, May 19, 2010) – MVP Health Care and the City of Rochester have partnered again to offer MVP Health Care Tuesday Nature Nights as part of the year’s Flower City Looking Good activities and events. On fourteen consecutive Tuesday evenings from May 25 to August 24, Nature Nights offer participants an array of cycling, hiking, walking, and paddling adventures that advance fitness while showcasing the City of Rochester’s remarkable natural and built environments. Twelve of the activities are free; each of two paddling events cost $15. All Nature Nights begin at 6 p.m.; walks, jogs and rides are leisurely with slight grade changes, mostly on paths or sidewalks. Helmets are required for bike rides.
The 2010 schedule is as follows:
• May 25: Guided Bike Ride, High Falls Neighborhood. Travel along the Genesee Riverway Trail and by road into the community. Ride through downtown Rochester, Genesee Valley Park, view the exciting new development at Brooks Landing and take a quick break for a sample of coffee or fresh squeezed juice at Boulder on Brooks. Visit the Corn Hill and Susan B. Anthony neighborhoods and view the Frederick Douglass Museum site. This ride is also offered in the fall during the River Romance Weekend. Ride begins at the Pont de Rennes, behind the Center at High Falls.
• June 1: Guided Bike Ride, Genesee Valley Park Neighborhood Trails. Bike along the Erie Canal Trail, Genesee Riverway and the Genesee Valley Greenway Trails. Explore some of Frederick Law Olmsted’s most remarkable landscape creations. Stop at the Genesee Waterways Center and hear about the plans to make Rochester’s trail system a world-class commuting alternative. Ride begins at the Genesee Valley Park pool parking lot, 131 Elmwood Ave.
• June 8: “Discovering Rochester’s Wilderness Walk, Turning Point Park. Journey across the river boardwalk at Turning Point North and also the Red Falls trail and Bullock Woods. Hear the story of how devoted citizens turned an industrial site back into a natural wonderland. Learn about how nature can reclaim and nourish even the starkest landscapes. Please be prepared for uneven terrain. Walk begins at the Boxart Street parking lot.
• June 15: Guided Bike Ride, Seneca Park and Turning Point Park. Cross over to the west side of the Genesee River and ride on the Genesee Riverway Trail to the Port of Rochester. Learn about how improvements to Rochester’s sewer system were incorporated into a magnificent river crossing. Pass by Rochester’s oldest cemetery. Enjoy spectacular views of the river gorge, ride on the 4,000-foot boardwalk in Turning Point basin and under the O’Rourke Bridge. Includes a rest break at Hose 22, the Charlotte Neighborhood’s newest eatery and a prime example of reuse of a historic structure. (This ride is also offered during the River Romance Weekend.) Ride begins at the Seneca Park Zoo parking lot.
• June 22: Guided Bike Ride, Maplewood Neighborhood. Explore the stately homes of Maplewood, hear the stories of McCrackinville and Carthage and the five bridges across the Genesee. Ride on the Genesee Riverway Trail through Seneca Park and visit the El Camino Trail and hear how a group of citizens are determined to change a neighborhood through the reuse of an abandoned railroad right-of-way. Take in close up views of Lower Falls and Genesee River Gorge. Ride begins at the Rose Garden parking lot, Lake Avenue and Driving Park Avenue.
• June 29: “Restoring Our Environment” Walk-Durand Park Boardwalk Tour. Hear about the City’s ambitious plans to clean up the water flowing into the Lake and once again make this area a summer playground. Learn how volunteers have restored Durand Eastman Park’s magnificent arboretum, journey along the beach, over wetlands, through woods and discover unique tree species. Walk begins at the eastern most parking lot along Durand beach.
• July 6: Guided Bike Ride, Marketview Heights and Neighborhood of the Arts. See manufacturing buildings built in the 1800’s now converted to loft housing, eateries and a brewery. Ride passed the ARTWalk outdoor museum on University Avenue to view sidewalk art and enjoy the George Eastman House gardens. Enjoy a sample of beer from Rohrbach Brewery or coffee at Java’s at the Market to cap off a perfect city evening. Ride begins at the Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union St.
• July 13: University of Rochester Arboretum Walk. Explore the UR Arboretum with Manager of Horticulture and Grounds, Dan Schied. The Campus Walk exhibits hundreds of tree species and unique varieties. Visit the riverside Iris garden and hear about its Japanese inspired design. Walk begins at the westside steps of UR Rush Rhees Library.
• July 20: Guided Bike Ride, Eastside Elegance Tour. Explore the City’s “Neighborhood of the Arts” and ARTWalk. Ride along East Avenue and view beautiful City mansions. Enjoy Cobb’s Hill Reservoir, a great view north and the bustling and eclectic Park Avenue neighborhood. The tour includes a rest stop at Starry Nights Café. Ride begins at Towner’s Bicycle Shop, 1048 University Ave.
• July 27: Guided Outrigger Canoe Paddle, Genesee Valley Park Waterways Center. 149 Elmwood Dr. Skyline Tour takes paddlers from Genesee Valley Park to the South Wedge neighborhood and features a breathtaking view of the city. 6 p.m. $15 per person. Preregister: Jun. 9 – Aug. 23.
• Aug. 3: Guided Bike Ride, Ontario Parkway Trail and Charlotte Neighborhood. Take a quick spin around the Port of Rochester area and hear about the ambitious plans for the area. Ride the new Parkway Trail through wetlands to Island Cottage Road. Return along Beach Avenue with great views of the Lake and historic beach-front homes. Walk your bike along the “secret sidewalk,” a remnant of the days of the trolley. Cap off the evening with a sample of frozen custard at the original Abbott’s. Ride begins at 6 p.m. at the boat launch parking lot.
• Aug. 10: Guided Canoe/Kayak Paddle, Genesee Valley Park Waterways Center. 149 Elmwood Dr. Paddle from Genesee Valley Park south to the convergence with the canal and on to Red Creek. See historic Olmsted landscape and bridges from the water. Explore the wilderness of Red Creek as it weaves through a Brighton neighborhood. 6 p.m. $15 per person. Preregister: Jun. 15 to Aug. 8.
• Aug. 17: Guided Bike Ride, Mount Hope Cemetery. Explore the oldest municipally maintained Victorian cemetery in the United States, dedicated in 1838. Take a slow, leisurely ride with the Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery and view many grave sites, including those of Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. Ride begins at 6 p.m. at the Genesee Valley Park pool parking lot, 131 Elmwood Ave.
• Aug. 24: Guided Bike Ride, Corn Hill neighborhood. Bike on the Genesee Riverway Trial and explore the Corn Hill neighborhood, and view its historic collection of stately homes. Enjoy a quick refreshment break at Boulder Coffee Company on Brooks. Ride begins at 6 p.m. at the Genesee Valley Park pool parking lot, 131 Elmwood Ave.
For more information about Flower City Looking Good 2010, including MVP Health Care Tuesday Nature Nights, visit www.cityofrochester.gov/fclg.
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News Media: For more information please call Jim Farr at 428-6866 or Evan Lowenstein at 820-4068.