The Welch Trail is a segment of a 14 mile long shared-use trail known as the "Barcelona to Chautauqua Institution Trail”, which when fully constructed will extend from Lake Erie in the hamlet of Barcelona, New York, to the Chautauqua Institution in the Town of Chautauqua, New York.
The Welch Trail will be a non-motorized, shared-use segment approximately 1.25 miles long located wholly within the boundaries of the Village of Westfield. The trail will run adjacent to Chautauqua Creek on property owned by the Town of Westfield. The parcel is directly adjacent to Westfield’s historic downtown Main Street business district and will provide the only direct public access to the creek within the Village supporting recreational opportunities for users of all ages and abilities. The primary uses for the trail include: walking, jogging, cycling, inline skating, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. An existing parking lot along with lighting on the site of the proposed project will be upgraded and repaired to serve as a trailhead. The project will include multiple trailhead access points from the center of the Village, each tailored to the approved uses. Amenities such as picnic tables, benches and grills will be located throughout the proposed project area along with wayfinding, heritage, and environmental interpretive signage.
The Welch Trail segment of the Barcelona to Chautauqua Institution Trail will become the only public access within the Village of Westfield to Chautauqua Creek, one of the region’s most scenic natural assets used for fishing, hiking, nature-watching, and other forms of outdoor recreation. The addition of this recreational opportunity and associated users within the Village is also expected to generate the development of new business and business expansion opportunities along Main Street in Westfield.