THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE TOWN AND VILLAGE OF ELLICOTTVILLE, NEW YORK THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF GREAT VALLEY, NEW YORK
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 21 FREE www.EllicottvilleTimes.com
FRIDAY, JULY 27, 2012
Cattaraugus County Fair Opens Monday by Jeff Cole
It’s back! “Western New York’s Best Kept Secret,” the Cattaraugus County Fair, is returning for another year of familyfun entertainment, with everything from musical acts to agricultural events to truck and tractor pulls. The fair, which has been held since 1842, will take place from July 30 to Aug. 5 at the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds, 501 Erie St. in Little Valley. General admission, which includes gates and rides is $9 and presale general admission is $7. Kristina Charlesworth, treasurer of the Cattaraugus County Agricultural Society, which runs the fair, said the fair draws about 75,000 people every year, primarily from Cattaraugus, Allegany and Chautauqua counties. She explained why the fair is called
See complete Fair Schedule in Section B pages 2-3
See County Fair Page 5
BY JEFF
Jazz and Blues Weekend Fills Mind and Body With Soul
COLE
Those who happen to be in Ellicottville this weekend will find that the only thing cooler than a breeze on a summer night is the soulful, upbeat music filling the village’s streets, bars and restaurants. The 15th annual Ellicottville Jazz and Blues Weekend will be held tonight through Sunday, July 29, at an assortment of venues and will feature 10 musical acts of wide-ranging variety. All music is free and seating will be provided at the outdoor performance areas. The weekend is a “boutique experience,” according to www.ellicottvilleny.com, as people are free to pull up a chair and listen to the music in between wandering about the
village’s many fine restaurants and shops. This year’s Jazz and Blues Weekend will feature the exciting big band sound of the Jim Tudini Band with orchestral strings, playing a wide variety of music selections from ‘40s big band swing to Motown to disco. Brian McFadden, executive director for the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce, said the weekend’s appeal is a combination of simply being in Ellicottville and the music being played therein. The music, he said, isn’t “heavy jazz and blues.” “We know our audience,” he said. “Our audience likes that upbeat jazz.” Kicking off the weekend will be the B.D. Lenz Quartet,
a group that plays a mixture of funk, jam band and jazz music, who will play from 7-11 p.m. tonight at Balloons Restaurant and Nightclub, 20 Monroe St. Also playing on Monroe Street tonight will be the Jony James Band, led by Jony James, a Buffalo-born, Chicago-bred guitarist who has drawn comparisons to the late great Stevie Ray Vaughn and is described on his website as “overflowing with soul.” The Jony James Band, which has been voted “Best Blues Band” two years in a row by “Artvoice,” will perform from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. July 28 at Ellicottville Brewing Company (EBC), 28 Monroe St. The busiest day of the See Jazz & Blues Section B1
Tim Horton’s Public Hearing Held by Planning Board By Jennie Acklin
The Town Planning Board held a public hearing Monday evening at 6:00pm for Tim Hortons and for Cold Spring Construction. Ray Miranda, Developer of the site located at the intersection of Rte 219 and 242, presented the revised site plan, reviewing the details of parking, landscaping, curbing, an atm, and drive-thru traffic plans. Board
members questioned Miranda about several items, specifically the DOT right of way and how curbs, landscaping and grass would be handled, and tractor trailer access to the building. Public comments were made by John Cady and Inigo de Or be, who both had concerns about tractor trailer parking on either side of Rte 219. de Orbe, owner of Aardvark
Furnishings, did not want trucks blocking access or visibility to his business, and questioned how this would be addressed. According to Sig Signore, once the final application package is received by the planning board, they will have 62 days to make a decision. She mentioned that the issues brought up during the public hearing would be part See Planning Board Page 4
Recreational Trail Concept Garners Widespread Support Photos reprinted from the Allegany River Valley Trail brochure, Town of Allegany by Eva Potter
After the July 18 meeting of the Ellicottville Town Board, it became very evident that a recreational trail in the area would be of great benefit to residents and visitors alike, after board member Ken Hinman presented the idea of a bicycle and walking path. With Ellicottville’s strong focus on fitness and healthy living, a recreational trail could add another facet to Ellicottville’s tourism draw while providing residents with another fun, outdoor means of enjoying the area’s beauty and changing seasons. Jane Eshbaugh, director of marketing at Holiday Valley, concurred, “Personally, I think it is a great idea and our residents as well as the visitors to our region will surely make good use
of a path for running, walking and biking. At Holiday Valley, we like the concept and can’t wait to hear more about it.” She said her husband Dennis, president and general manager at Holiday Valley, was contacted by the Town Attorney Kathleen Moriarty and he agreed to support the concept. According to long-time resident Jack Kramer, a business owner and someone who is involved with the village and town planning in Ellicottville, cycling is an important function of resort towns. “I don’t see how this is a ‘lose’ for anyone,” he said. “Personally, I’ve been riding my bike around here for 30 years and I don’t see how this is anything but a step in the right direction.” Benjamin Clauss, president of the Western New York Mountain Biking
Association (WNMBA), said WNYMBA is working with the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce to better market and advertise mountain biking in the Ellicottville area. Discussion also included the possibility of better access to beginner trails. Clauss said, “I think the addition of beginnerfriendly trails would help to make Ellicottville appeal to all types of mountain bikers. Also, the bike path could create a significant amount of ride-in, ride- out lodging, which would appeal to mountain bike tourists.” He said that a trail such as this would have the added benefit as a riding option that isn’t weather dependent like mountain biking along rugged singletrack paths. Dave Riley, general See Recreational Trail Page 5