Tivoli Nature Preserve construction begins on new trails, ADA-friendly upgrades

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Albany leaders gathered on Wednesday to announce the start of construction at the Tivoli Nature Preserve. The project focuses on the region's walking trails to make them accessible for all community members.

This includes the addition of six new trails and three trailheads connected to nearby neighborhoods as well as ADA features such as signage and rest stops.

Officials said the upgrades have been long awaited for the preserve, which has been historically neglected.

"We would get complaints about how it was being utilized. It was being utilized for a lot of reasons that have nothing to do with the nature," Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said. "But there were also people who would come here to fish, to teach their children to fish. This beloved space slowly but surely has been reclaimed by the city of Albany as a true preserve."

The first trail at the Tivoli Preserve is being dedicated to Brother Yusuf Abdul-Wasi, who was an advocate for urban children providing them with lifechanging outdoor experiences. He died in 2014.