The signage along Betar byway at the South Glens Falls Historical Park will receive some much-needed rejuvenation this spring as part of the Common Roots Foundation’s River Sweep community cleanup project.
SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. — Common Roots Brewing co-founder Bert Weber pitched a proposal to the Village Board Wednesday to help update the signage along the Betar Byway located at South Glens Falls Historical Park.
“I’m here representing the Common Roots Foundation this evening. It’s the not-for-profit arm of our brewery operation over there,” he said.
After a fire destroyed the first Common Roots Brewing location, Weber said the outpouring of community support in rebuilding the business inspired he and his fellow founders to create a community service arm.
“It was an idea that we had even before the fire. but obviously, after the fire, the reaction of the community, we really felt we have to pay this forward; so we created the Common Roots Foundation,” Weber said.
The foundation has existed for two years and has awarded more than $50,000 in grants and donations to area organizations that promote the ethos that the Commons Roots partners are passionate about.
“So, we’re looking at promoting an active lifestyle, improve the environment,” Weber said. “We’re looking at sustainability issues, and social justice issues and also trying to help others in crisis.”
As part of the foundation’s mission, Weber said its board has been looking for an ongoing land ‘adoption’ project, where it would sponsor a portion of public land within the village and provide maintenance and upkeep.
“We couldn’t think of a better project than the Betar Byway. We use it for our Run for the Roots. We use it as part of the River Sweep organization,” he said. “It’d be kind of an ongoing adoption for us. We’d always want to have something to do down there.”
Weber met with South Glens Falls Superintendent of Public Works T.J. Chagnon to discuss options regarding service projects the foundation could bring to the byway, and the two landed on renovating the path’s signage.
Weber proposed to the Village Board that the foundation either renovate, or replace the existing three signs, as well as some light landscaping around them.
The foundation plans to use its River Sweep event, scheduled for May 6 as a jumping-off point for the byway signs renovations. In addition to clearing debris from the banks along the Hudson River, volunteer teams will work to renovate the signs to help keep the area a picturesque and healthy place for people to visit and enjoy.
“We think the village has been a great place to build a business and we want to have more people here and pay the community back,” Weber said. “Obviously, you can’t make beer without water, so protecting that resource is very important to all of us.”
