FREE! TAKE ONE! VOLUME 4 ISSUE 27
JULY 3-9, 2015
The Official Newspaper
www.EllicottvilleTimes.com facebook/theEllicottvilleTimes
of the Village of Ellicottville, the Town of Ellicottville and the Towns of East Otto, Great Valley and Mansfield, New York
American Advertising Awards 2014 Silver ADDY Award Winner Your Hometown Newspaper Serving Ellicottville, East Otto, Great Valley, Little Valley, Mansfield, Olean, Randolph, Salamanca, Springville and Beyond
Calendar of Events
Hot Fun in the Summertime!
July 2-5 Ellicottville Rodeo
Summer Music Fest Weekend Has Arrived
July 3-5 Summer Music Festival Holiday Valley
There’s no better place to spend the Fourth of July weekend than Ellicottville, where great music meets the excitement and scenery of Holiday Valley. Kick off the holiday weekend with a Top of the Mountain Party on July 3. Take the nearly mile-long chairlift ride up Mardi Gras to a celebration, complete with drinks and hors d’oeuvres. After a ride back to the base of the mountain, the party will continue at Holiday Valley’s Main Lodge with a Caribbean Poker Night, where guests can use the “funny money” that comes with your party ticket to grow your pot and use it to bid on a variety of great auction items. Then, celebrate July 4 with music by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO), which takes the stage at 8 p.m. The 80-piece orchestra will be playing favorites from the Star Wars movies, while characters entertain the crowd. The sure-to-impress finale will pair the BPO with choreographed fireworks. Classic rock anyone? On Sunday, July 5, join the GRAMMY® winning Blood, Sweat and Tears for the final night of the music festival weekend. The band is fronted by American Idol runnerup, Bo Bice, and will take the stage after Buffalo’s own Caitlin Koch, former X-Factor competitor. Parking for all events is free, and packing a picnic and
July 4 Pet Parade Ellicottville July 10 Rock the Park Allegany State Park July 18-19 Americana Music & Folk Art Festival Ellicottville July 26 Ellicottville Jazz & Blues Weekend
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August 6-9 IBO World Championships Holiday Valley
See Summer Festival page 9
Spring 2015 Progress Report:
EVL’s Getting It Done
By Jann Wiswall
Spring in Ellicottville isn’t just about daffodils and tulips. It’s also about gettin’ stuff done! Once the snow melts, all the projects that have been hibernating through winter get started with a roar of construction vehicle engines. Okay, maybe roads and infrastructure aren’t all that exciting, but they make possible all the other
great resort town amenities and innovations that we love. To that end, local governments are working on several major infrastructure projects throughout the area that will enhance the visitor experience for years to come. The Town of Ellicottville has completed a large and important water project that will alleviate water pressure problems throughout the area, improve fire hydrant performance and allow expansion efforts for public safety and development. The project required installing a new water tank on the east side of Ellicottville and connecting its water lines. With the completion of the tank, the Village of Ellicottville can begin construction of a $4.9 million wastewater treatment plant. The new plant, part of a consent order by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, involves extensive electrical upgrades, new See Spring 2015 in Review page 6
Nature, Campfires and S’Mores Camping in the Enchanted Mountains By Alicia Dziak
Bust out the tent and head for the hills! Camping season is here and there are so many great local places to enjoy one of summer’s most popular activities. Whether you like to rough it under the stars, or have an actual wall between you and the great outdoors, the region has something for everyone. Head to Allegany State Park (ASP) for a hotbed of camping activities. ASP is New York’s largest state park, and boasts hundreds of camp sites and cabins on a variety of trails. There are See Camping page 11
August 15-16 Taste of Ellicottville September 18-20 Rock N’ Roll Weekend Ellicottville October 10-11 Fall Festival Ellicottville
Americana Folk Art & Music Fair 18-19 Calling all art and music lovers! Mark your calendars for July 18-19, when the Americana Folk Art & Music Fair returns to Ellicottville. The free, family-friendly weekend takes place in the Ellicottville Village Square (Town Hall and Gazebo area), and features local artists showing their creations and demonstrating their crafts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Check out masterpieces from several young artists, as well as artists presenting ceramics, folk art birdhouses, painting, photography, pottery, rustic furniture, stained glass, weaving and spinning, wood working and carving, and more.
See Americana page 4
Kubicki Retiring After 26 Years at Holiday Valley By Jann Wiswall
Ron Kubicki, Holiday Valley’s Director of Snowsports, is retiring three days before he turns 67 in November. “I don’t really know what I’ll do with retirement yet, but I do know I’ll be skiing without a radio next season,
so I won’t be interrupted on the way down the hill!” It’s been a long and successful career for Kubicki, who started working at age 12 at the old Glenwood Acres ski area. “I was only interested in making money at that age. I See Kubicki Retirement page 11
Trail Talk
Making Progress on the EVGV Trail By Jann Wiswall
Ellicottville-Great Valley (EVGV) Trail committee members will be available all summer fest weekend to fill you in on the latest news and information about the project that is dear to the community’s hearts and minds. The proposed 15-mile network of multi-use trails will expand the active transportation and recreation options for area residents and visitors. Like many other successful ski resort communities, See Trail Talk page 10