Municipalities across New York have been preparing for the third round of the state’s Forward program, vying for the chance to secure millions of dollars for downtown revitalization. The Town of Crawford, in particular, has been planning for the program since the start of 2024, and its NY Forward committee showcased potential project ideas during the town’s September 26 meeting.

Joan Miller, director of Crawford’s community services, presented several projects she and the town’s NY Forward committee brainstormed over the past several months. When drafting these ideas, the committee’s main goal was to improve residents’ quality of life through enhancements to accessibility, recreation, and tourism.

“Many of you know that the Town of Crawford is applying for a New York Forward grant, a program designed for smaller towns up to $4.5 million,” Miller said. “We’ve been working assiduously on this since January and we’ve come up with some projects that we think will best serve our community.”

The project list included the following:
1. Improvements to Holland Avenue Park, including two new sidewalks, a bathroom, more shrubbery, and more attractive landscaping.

2. An overhaul of the town’s sidewalks, including several replacements, repairs, and pavement restorations. These would especially apply to the town’s handicapped sidewalks, street intersections, and intersection striping.
3. Four new pickleball courts for Bullville Park, accommodating the town’s growing pickleball player base.
4. New Wayfinding signage and street benches, including directions to notable locations and historical markers.
5. A rehabilitation of Pine Bush’s bandstand at 65 Main Street, with additional benches off Cameron Street.
6. A new bandstand at Pine Bush Park, including stage lighting, power for sound equipment, and new benches.
7. A sports complex located near the highway department, featuring ample sports equipment, several indoor courts, an exercise center, and a running track. The complex would be open all year round, providing attendees and sports teams with a warm place to exercise or practice during the winter.

Following her explanations, Miller offered surveys to residents and encouraged them to submit feedback on both the projects and their experience with Crawford. She then introduced four private investors that will assist the town in the NY Forward process: Patrick and Ken Spadola, Pine Bush residents and landowners, and Lauren and Eric Taffera, owners of Taffera Family Farm. These investors will develop project ideas based on residents’ input, work closely with the town’s grant-writing team, and chip in funding.

Patrick Spadola emphasized the need for projects that would benefit all residents and suggested private campgrounds as a potential idea.

“We want to go through the right type of projects, such as what Joan is putting forward here, that is only going to increase recreation, increase commerce, and bring something that will benefit everyone and not just sell a big piece of land,” he said. “One thing we recognize the need for is some sort of short-term lodging in the town. So we’ve been looking into private campgrounds that we could grow and shoot towards not only out-of-towners but also people who are here to spend money.”

Lauren and Eric want to push projects that celebrate the town’s history and agriculture, offering their farm’s resources to help the NY Forward committee in that process.

“We’re looking to cultivate a place for our community that preserves our history and celebrates Pine Bush and the sustainability of the region. We want to use our land, botanicals, crops, grains, and apples to create all these products that we hope to share with the community,” Lauren said. “We also want to increase access to this food for our community, so we’re looking to showcase our connection to the land with our sustainable practices, farming through unique experiences.”

Following the NY Forward discussion, the town received a gift from a surprise visitor: a $5,000 municipal grant from Orange County Legislator Rob Sassi. This money will go towards improving the Crawford Walking Trail, including an expansion to the nature and hiking trails revealed last August.

“In my conversations with Supervisor Carnes and sitting on the town board, we were able to put together the rail trails. What a great venue to take a walk, I take my golden retriever up there on a beautiful fall day and it’s spectacular,” Sassi said. “This municipal grant comes from Orange County in the amount of $5,000 to help enhance the walking trail even more.”