The groundbreaking for the first phase of High Falls State Park will take place Wednesday, Nov. 18, officials have confirmed.
The first phase of park construction will be High Falls Terrace, overlooking the eastern edge of the gorge. The core of that project phase is the Heritage Walk and Memorial Wall, dedicated to the stories of those who migrated to the Rochester area, from Irish Americans to the Haudenosaunee nations.
Two public hearings hosted by the state later this month will examine the potential environmental impact of the park. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation then will prepare a report that details "potentially significant adverse environmental impacts and reasonable alternatives to be evaluated, and outlines the studies and analyses anticipated to support environmental review."
The planned 85-acre park encompassing the High Falls Gorge would be the first state park in the city of Rochester. Its construction would include the development of about five miles of paved pathways, as well as six overlooks, restrooms, and an assortment of pavilions, playgrounds and other amenities.
Erik Frisch is commissioner of the city's Department of Neighborhood and Business Development. He said the park will likely be a major draw to a part of the city that formerly only served industrial purposes.
"If other urban state park examples are proof of concept, then you know we can expect hundreds of thousands of new visitors coming into the city, into High Falls, to experience this state park, and literally to experience something that has not been experienced prior to the creation of the park," Frisch said.
Public comments on the project will be given in virtual webinars, set for 6 p.m. Nov. 19 and 11 a.m. Nov. 20. Written comments will be accepted through Dec. 6.
The state's parks department declined an interview for this story, instead offering a written statement. In the statement provided to WXXI News, the process was described as standard protocol for projects like High Falls State Park. The final document is meant to guide the project on "potentially significant adverse environmental impacts," "provide an initial identification of mitigation measures," and "provide the public with an opportunity to participate in the identification of impacts," among other goals.
In her fiscal budget this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul dedicated $75 million to the development of High Falls State Park, with an expectation that the project would be completed in the next three to four years.
