The 50‑acre Clark’s Falls property, home to a towering waterfall and sandstone canyon, now belongs to North Utica village after Covia's Saturday handover.
The transfer opens a planning window; officials must design trails, parking, safety, and maintenance before visitors can access the site, with a strategic planning committee slated to study funding, environmental impact, and infrastructure needs.
Mayor David Stewart, a lifelong Utica resident, said the donation honors a century‑old attraction that once drew visitors to the 1903 photo in the Library of Congress.
The village will keep the site closed until a comprehensive plan is approved, and no opening date has yet been set, with officials warning that trespassing could result in fines.
A local family of three has already been barred from entering the closed property, illustrating the immediate impact of the donation on everyday residents.