The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, village of Mayville, and the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corp. invite all local residents, business owners, and stakeholders to kick off the Mayville Strategic Waterfront Activation effort.

The village of Mayville’s Lakeside Park is a community resource with cultural, recreational, and scenic value. The historic train depot, boat launch, beach, floating stage, and other amenities have established Lakeside Park as a local and regional asset. However, park facilities have degraded over time and some of the properties surrounding the park are underutilized. In addition, more amenities could be added to the park, thereby improving its use. With the recent approval of The Lodge project (a 34 unit condominium resort) adjacent to the Park, there is a growing need to access Lakeside Park and the West Lake Road (SR 394) corridor, and identify necessary and opportune improvements. The intent of this effort is to understand the existing conditions within and surrounding Lakeside Park, collect public input to identify key issues and opportunities, and develop a Master Plan for facility enhancements and funding opportunities.

Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive Director for Economic Development and CEO of the CCIDA, said, “The Mayville waterfront is a gem, and we are so excited that we can be a part of making it even more accessible to the public by creating more things for people to enjoy. The whole idea is to activate the waterfront for use by the citizens of Chautauqua County, and at the same time attract tourists from throughout the region to visit and spend money here. This will ultimately help fill vacant storefronts, drive the economy, and improve quality of life.”

Ken Shearer, Mayor of Mayville stated, “As the community with the best view on Chautauqua Lake, we are very excited to partner with the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth to obtain the maximum best use of our waterfront. This will not only help the local economy in many ways, but will increase the great quality of life for all of our residents and visitors.”

Rebecca Wurster, Planning Coordinator for CCPEG and the Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development stated, “This effort is meant to enhance Mayville’s greatest assets and identify public and private projects that create a unique sense of place. It is an exciting opportunity for the community to give their input on this effort. We welcome all comments, ideas, and projects.”

To initiate the Mayville Strategic Waterfront Activation effort, CCPEG, the Village of Mayville, and CREDC have launched a project website and two public engagement tools: a Recreational Demand Survey and an Interactive Map. We encourage anyone with an interest in Mayville’s waterfront to participate in the process. Hard copies of the survey will be available at Village of Mayville’s Village Office, Town of Chautauqua Clerk’s Office, Mayville Library, Webb’s, and the Chautauqua Book Store. The survey and interactive map will be open to the public until Friday, February 25th, 2022. To learn more about the project, participate in the online engagement tools, and inform the future of Lakeside Park and the West Lake Road corridor, please visit the project website: https://bartonloguidice.mysocialpinpoint.com/mayville-waterfront