The idea of a viable trail town experience in Rockland County came to life this summer with colorful New Jersey Transit train posters promoting park adventure.
The wooden bridge in the woods photo featured on the jazzy posters was donated to the cause by local Suffern photographer Michael Malandra.
Rockland County Tourism’s Lucy Redzeposki collaborated with the Suffern Chamber of Commerce and Alexandria Evans of Explore Harriman on the project, which sought to promote Rockland’s profile as a park destination. Outdoor adventure in Harriman State Park is a very big activity in Western Ramapo.
The Suffern Chamber of Commerce hosts a mixer Wednesday evening, October 19 at the Crowne Plaza that celebrates civic collaboration as an economic stimulus. The mixer is a good place to catch up on Rockland County economic engagements, from river towns to trail towns, with featured speaking spot by County Executive Ed Day and report by Lucy Redzeposki, who’s been very busy as director of county economic development and tourism.
Art Clark of Visit Nyack will discuss civic and business collaboration in what may be Rockland’s most vibrant river town. Clark founded Visit Nyack and has certainly lent a guiding hand in nurturing Nyack along as an authentic Lower Hudson Valley destination.
A recent grant-funded Rockland County Economic & Tourism media campaign promoted Harriman State Park and Rockland’s trail towns and villages.
A recent Rockland Tourism project that resonates locally is this past spring/summer Explore Harriman State Park promotion that highlighted Harriman as an attractive day-tripping trail town draw. The grant-funded media campaign featured 50+ New Jersey Transit train billboards promoting Rockland County’s Harriman gateway communities or trail towns, stamped with the Suffern Chamber and County logo.
The campaign was part of a collaboration between the Suffern Chamber, Lucy Redzeposki’s office and Alex’s Evans’ Explore Harriman advocacy that has sought to highlight park-related economic synergies at the local level, large and small.
The Suffern, Sloatsburg, Tuxedo corridor along Route 17, with Hillburn and Torne Valley, is a prized gateway to the parks and features a stellar constellation of local and state parkland assets: Harriman State Park, Sterling Forest State Park, Dater Mountain Nature Park in Sloatsburg and Ramapo that trails to Suffern’s Kakiat Park — county parks that altogether comprise some 700 acres of Rockland County parkland that runs along the southern tip of Harriman. And then there’s Sloatsburg’s own Eleanor Burlingham Memorial Park – forty acres of wild along the Ramapo River.
Wednesday’s Suffern Chamber mixer is a good opportunity to get synced with the Rockland County economic revitalization conversation.
The Suffern Chamber of Commerce hosts a special mixer Wednesday that features speakers and case studies that explore recent civic collaboration with the county that has benefited economic development. The mixer takes place Wednesday, October 19, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza in Suffern. Appetizers and fare. Cash Bar. Advance: $25/At time of event: $30. Contact 845-659-9203 or email greatersuffernchamber@gmai
