Kennedy Valve and McWane, Inc. recently donated a $1.5 million grant to the Elmira-Chemung Transportation Council (ECTC) for the Chemung Canal Connector Trail Project, which fulfills the entire community funding commitment necessary to advance the project.
At the June 17 public information meeting about the project, McWane, Inc. Chairman Phillip McWane and Kennedy Valve President and General Manager Nate Pizzini presented a ceremonial check to the ECTC.
“Kennedy Valve believes strongly in giving back to the community we have called home since 1907,” stated Pizzini. “The support of the Chemung Canal Connector Trail Project underscores our commitment to environmental stewardship and the wellbeing of our friends and neighbors, and we are incredibly proud to partner with the Transportation Council on this important endeavor.”
The Chemung Canal Connector Trail Project is proposed to close the 8-mile gap between Catharine Valley Trail and the Lackawanna Rail Trail, thereby creating a 29-mile continuous trail corridor. This new larger regional trail corridor will enhance tourism and related economic opportunities, as well as improve mobility and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists along the trail route. The project will be built in phases, and the first phase (Eldridge Park to I-86) is slated to begin construction in summer 2026.