Council approves $2.75M Black Diamond Trail extension and multiple bond measures

The Ithaca Common Council on June 3 unanimously approved a resolution accepting a $2.2 million federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant toward a $2.75 million extension of the Black Diamond Trail, which requires a $550,000 local match. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is offering $275,000 to assist with the match.

"This resolution accepts that funding," Alderperson Win said when moving the item. Council carried the motion unanimously.

Council also approved a bundle of bond resolutions during a "lightning round," including:

- $851,152 in bonds to pay costs for Union Field restroom and storage upgrades and related improvements in Cass Park.
- A $600,000 bond for Meadow Street water-main replacement (one part of a larger $1.2M project that is funded from two separate funds).
- A sewer-project bond and borrowing for central-station fire-station projects; members asked staff and bond counsel to clarify fund sources and titles for projects where the original capital-project text referenced multiple stations.

In one water-main item council discussed that the two identical $600,000 entries were parts of a single larger capital project funded from two different funds and that bond documents would serialize and designate fund paydown.

Why it matters: The capital investments are intended to support recreation (trail/connectivity), park amenities and critical infrastructure (water and sewer). The Black Diamond Trail extension leverages federal and state grant support and will require the local match.

What happens next: City staff will execute grant and bond paperwork, and bond counsel will finalize serializations and fund designations. Projects will move to design and procurement as funding is finalized.