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Canal Corp. extends public comment period for canal embankment plan

The public comment period on the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) for the state Canal Corp.’s Earthen Embankment Integrity Program will be extended to October 15, 2021, the organization said Monday.

“The Canal Corp. is committed to a public engagement process that provides meaningful ways for members of the community to contribute to the final design of the Earthen Embankment Integrity Program,” Canal Corp. Director Brian Stratton said in a statement. “To that end, the Canal Corp. is extending the comment period to ensure that the public has the opportunity to fully understand and weigh in on the program, especially with regard to plans for public relations and community outreach for maintenance projects, which will be handled on a project-by-project basis when the program is implemented.”

The Canal Corp. is developing a guidebook to establish policies and procedures for the management of some 125 miles of earthen embankments along the entire 524-mile state canal system, which includes the Erie Canal that runs through parts of the Greater Rochester region. The new guidebook will include protocols for safety, inspection, maintenance, community outreach and related environmental concerns, including a procedural approach as to where vegetation will be removed from the engineered embankments in the future.

“I am grateful that the Canal Corp. is taking community feedback seriously and extending the public comment period to allow constituents like mine ample opportunity to be part of the decision-making process. The Erie Canal and Canalway Trail run through the heart of my district and its true impact on our community cannot be quantified,” said Assemblymember Jennifer Lunsford (D-Perinton). “I look forward to continuing open discussions with the Canal Corp. regarding its Earthen Embankment Integrity Program while we work collaboratively to preserve the character of our communities.”

In 2018, the Canal Corp. planned to remove trees along the Erie Canal here, but public outcry — including lawsuits from the towns of Pittsford, Brighton and Perinton — delayed that process, though some vegetation had been removed on the west side of town. At issue is whether trees stabilize the ground alongside the canal. Proponents of the tree removal plan say tree roots erode the soil, while some residents and opponents say that in addition to the unsightliness of the removed tree line, roots stabilize the soil.

Members of the public can comment on the plan by emailing [email protected]. In addition, community members and stakeholders can learn more about the Earthen Embankment Integrity Program by attending one of two information sessions at the town of Perinton Community Center on Sept. 20 and 21. Virtual sessions will be held on Sept. 30 and participants can register by emailing [email protected].

“I am relieved that the Canal Corp. made the decision to hold additional information sessions and extend the public comment period on its Embankment Integrity Program. Canal Corp. leadership is listening to the voices of our community and my personal requests to rethink its strategy,” said Sen. Samra Brouk (D-Rochester). “I look forward to hearing more details about Canal Corp.’s maintenance plans and creating a better framework for community input on specific projects.”

The Canal Corp. plans to publish overview materials on its website to compliment the DGEIS and to specifically break down the program elements related to future public relations and community outreach when projects are identified.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
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ROC the Riverway project breaks ground

Ground was broken Tuesday on the next ROC the Riverway project.

Mayor Lovely Warren was joined by state and local partners to break ground on improvements to the west wall of the Genesee River between Corn Hill Landing and Ford Street.

Mayor Lovely Warren, center, is joined by state and local officials to break ground on the ROC the Riverway West River Wall Improvements. (provided)
Mayor Lovely Warren, center, is joined by state and local officials to break ground on the ROC the Riverway West River Wall Improvements. (provided)

“The start of the West River Wall projects represents a major step forward in our effort to fulfill the community-building, job-creating potential of Genesee River through our ROC the Riverway program,” Warren said. “What is now an eyesore that blocks public access and views, this area will be transformed into a vibrant, welcoming, public space along our beautiful riverfront.”

The West River Wall Improvements Phase 1 project is part of the ROC the Riverway Initiative, a series of 30 projects that will create a connection of destinations along both banks of the Genesee River downtown.

“The excitement around this project is palpable,” said City Council President Loretta Scott. “The Corn Hill Neighborhood has advocated for the West River Wall project for a long time and today the city, together with New York state and other community partners, will make this project a reality. This project, along with the multitude of other ROC the Riverway initiatives will transform our river into a vibrant and celebrated part of our city.”

This phase of the improvement project will reconstruct the west side of the Genesee River from Corn Hill Landing to Ford Street. The renovated river wall will maintain necessary flood protection while naturalizing much of the shoreline. A new public landing opposite Fitzhugh Place will better connect the Corn Hill neighborhood to the river, including a raised intersection along Exchange Boulevard to calm traffic and create a more pedestrian-friendly space.

A rendering of the ROC the Riverway West River Wall Improvements
A rendering of the ROC the Riverway West River Wall Improvements

Future project phases will similarly reconstruct the river wall further south to Brooks Landing.

“I want to congratulate Mayor Warren and her administration for launching this critical project today, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his commitment to upstate communities across New York through the Reimagine the Canals effort,” said New York State Canal Corp. Director Brian Stratton. “ROC the Riverway naturally complements Gov. Cuomo’s statewide vision by prioritizing investment in resilience and economic development. Upgrading the infrastructure of the West River Wall not only addresses flooding and drought but also makes this a more attractive place for both local recreation and tourism.”

Phase 1 of the West River Wall Improvement project is $7.6 million, with $4.2 million in funding coming from the state Canal Corp. Some $750,000 was secured through the state Department of State’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program.

The West River Wall Improvement project is one of several ROC the Riverway projects now underway including the ROC City Skate Park, the Rundel Library North Terrace, renovations at the Rochester War Memorial at the Blue Cross Arena and Charles Carroll Plaza renovations. The renovation of the north terrace of the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center was completed last year.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
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Reimagine the Erie Canal gets task force, new goals

More than two centuries after the first shovels hit the ground to build a 363-mile channel connecting the East Coast to areas in the Midwest, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is launching a major initiative to explore the reimagining of the Erie Canal as a catalyst for economic growth.

A sweeping new initiative will examine ways in which to boost local economies, inspire new opportunities for tourism and creation and strengthen environmental resiliency along the Erie Canal.
A sweeping new initiative will examine ways in which to boost local economies, inspire new opportunities for tourism and creation and strengthen environmental resiliency along the Erie Canal.

The sweeping initiative will examine ways in which to boost local economies, inspire new opportunities for tourism and creation and strengthen environmental resiliency along the historic waterway. A key pillar of the initiative is Cuomo’s Reimagine the Canal Task Force.

“The Erie Canal Corridor is one of New York’s most iconic assets and remains a key economic driver for the region and the state,” Cuomo said in a statement Friday. “The canal helped make New York the Empire State and this initiative will reimagine the canal and adapt it for new uses in upstate communities, furthering Upstate New York’s unprecedented growth.”

The initiative will:
• Identify potential new uses for the Erie Canal aimed at improving the quality of life for New Yorkers;
• Evaluate how the canal can support and enhance economic development along the canal corridor;
• Find new opportunities to enhance recreation and tourism along the Erie Canal;
• Assess how the canal can help mitigate impacts from flooding and ice jams to improve resilience and restore ecosystems in canal communities; and
• Identify opportunities for using the Erie Canal infrastructure to expand irrigation for Western New York farms.

The task force is an outgrowth of the Reimagine the Canals Competition, which was held last year by the New York Power Authority and its subsidiary, New York State Canal Corp. The competition rewarded the best ideas to enable New York’s canals to serve as an engine of economic development or spark new forms of recreation.

Submissions for the competition came from nine states and seven countries, including India and Vietnam.

“The New York Canal System is not only an iconic recreational destination, it is also an essential part of our economic past, present and future,” Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “As we kick off the 2019 canal season we launch the next phase of Reimagine the Canals with a task force to guide bold and innovative new ideas.”

The task force—which will be chaired by Joanie Mahoney, New York State Thruway Authority chair and former Onondaga County executive—will explore many of the ideas that the competition has already produced. Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce Inc. president and CEO Bob Duffy will serve as regional co-chairman in Western New York.

“I am honored by this appointment from Gov. Cuomo to serve as a Reimagine the Canals regional chair,” Duffy said. “The Erie Canal helped spark the surge of the upstate economy and remains an important part of New York’s history. This initiative will identify ways for our canal system to further support the economy now and into the future.”

The panel is expected to examine how canal infrastructure can be used to increase the reliability of the water supply to farms in Western New York—which now draw water from the canal—and can enable additional land to be used for agriculture.

“The Erie Canal is an important water source to a number of farms along its western banks,” state Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said. “This task force offers the opportunity to now look at expanding the use of the canal to minimize the risk of drought on our farms and support the production of high-value crops, specifically fruits and vegetables.”

Helping guide the task force will be the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, a part of the State University of New York. It will work to engage stakeholders and canal communities, a process that will include a series of public meetings across the state where residents, business owners and municipal leaders can provide input on the canal’s future.

The reimagining initiative builds on other state efforts to invest in the canal corridor, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and Taste NY, which have attracted new industries, businesses and housing in canal communities. Hochul also noted that a new vessel has been dedicated in honor of suffragette Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

The Erie Canal was an engineering marvel when it opened in 1825, linking the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. The New York State Canal System, formerly known as the Barge Canal, opened May 15, 1918.

The Canal Corp. notes that in 1829, some 3,640 bushels of wheat were transported down the canal from Buffalo. By 1837, this figure had increased to 500,000 bushels; four years later it reached 1 million. In nine years, canal tolls more than recouped the entire cost of construction.

The navigation season on the canal system, which includes the Erie Canal, was postponed in some areas due to high water flows stemming from heavy rains and snow melt. The season officially opened Friday and will continue through Oct. 16.

Fees have been waved for recreational vessels for the third continuous year.

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Newark ice cream shop to employ individuals with disabilities

A Wayne County business  that plans to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities has opened.

The Arc Wayne has opened Erie Shore Landing. (Photo courtesy of the Arc Wayne)
The Arc Wayne has opened Erie Shore Landing. (Photo courtesy of the Arc Wayne)

With $150,000 in funding from the Canalway Grant Program of the Canal Corp., the Arc Wayne has opened Erie Shore Landing, an ice cream shop, café, print shop, gift shop and training kitchen designed to teach those with and without disabilities essential retail and cooking skills.

The Newark shop will employ those with and without disabilities, officials said.

“This is an incredible resource for Newark and Wayne County to be proud of,” Canal Corp. Director Brian Stratton said in a statement. “Being so close to the Erie Canal will enable more people to find out why Erie Shore Landing is so special.”

The Canal Grant Program provides funding to canal-related capital projects as part of the state’s Regional Economic Development Councils. The program includes up to $1 million in competitive grants available to eligible municipalities and nonprofit organizations along the state Canal System for canal-related capital projects.

“We are very excited for our guests to appreciate how much the individuals we serve have to offer,” said Ben Jones, Erie Shore Landing retail manager. “We look forward to increasing awareness in our community, creating an environment of trust, confidence, friendliness and mutual support.”

The primary mission of the Arc Wayne is to advocate for and serve people of all ages with or without special needs to enable them to live independently and work through an array of services tailored for their individual situations. The organization also runs Key Industries, which employs more than 150 disabled persons.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer

Canal Corp. to again waive fees for recreational boaters

Erie Canal in Rochester (Photo: Velvet Spicer)
Erie Canal in Rochester
(Photo: Velvet Spicer)

Recreational boaters on the Erie Canal will have another two years of toll-free travel, the New York State Canal Corp. board of directors announced this week.

The tolls, which range from $25 to $100 depending on the size of the boat, were waived in 2017 and 2018 to celebrate the Erie Canal bicentennial and the 100-year anniversary of the New York State Barge Canal, known as the New York State Canal System. Toll-free traffic increased 3 percent in the last year, officials said.

“We had initially waived the tolls for special occasions, but the increased patronage of the canals is also a cause for celebration,” New York Power Authority President and CEO Gil Quiniones said in a statement. NYPA oversees the state canal system. “Come spring, we hope even more boaters will find out why the canals make for a unique experience on the water.”

Tolls will continue to be collected for commercial vessels.

Motorized pleasure boats on the state canal system, the most common type on the canals, were recorded traveling through locks and lift bridges more than 71,500 times during the 2018 navigation season, compared with nearly 69,400 in the 2017 season. The figures account for each time a boat goes through a lock or under a lift bridge, not the actual number of boats.

The 2019 navigation season will run from May 17 through Oct. 16, in line with the previous two navigation seasons, officials said Tuesday. Operating hours for the Canal Corp. will be announced in April based on feedback from recreational boaters, vessel operators and canal businesses.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
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Reimagine the Canals winners announced

(Photo: Velvet Spicer)
(Photo: Velvet Spicer)

Two vastly different plans to drive economic growth and tourism on the state’s 524-mile canal system will receive funding through the Reimagine the Canals competition.

The $1.5 million award recipient was the team of Madison County Planning Department, STREAM Collaborative and Camoin Associates, whose project involves Canalside Pocket Neighborhoods.

The winners said the idea for the project stemmed from the realization that the canal has transformed from its original purpose—to transport goods from the East Coast to the Great Lakes and beyond—to more recreational uses.

The winning program calls for creating “pocket neighborhoods” that would take advantage of the beauty of the Erie Canal and trailway. Homes would surround a common greenspace and have direct access to the canal to respond to the “growing preference of millennials, families and seniors” to live somewhere that’s walkable to shopping, restaurants and other amenities.

New York State Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a gathering in Rochester Wednesday to announce the winners of the Reimagine the Canals competition. (Photo: New York Power Authority)
New York State Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a gathering in Rochester Wednesday to announce the winners of the Reimagine the Canals competition. (Photo: New York Power Authority)

The pilot will take place in the Madison County Village of Canastota, east of Syracuse, officials said. Canastota Mayor Carla DeShaw said the program will bring both commerce and people to the State of New York.

The second place, $500,000 winner of the competition was the team of Parks & Trails New York, AREA4 and Joe Gustainis, whose plan is for an Erie Armada, a multi-day festival and boat race with beer at its center.

The plan calls for custom human-powered boats created by breweries racing in teams. The boats will feature items you might see in bars, while the festivities will include music and food from local food trucks and restaurants, as well as new beers created for the armada by the competing breweries.

“This project will remind people that canals aren’t just a nice place to visit but a great place to live,” said Gil Quiniones, president and CEO of the NYPA, which operates the state canal system as a subsidiary.

The Reimagine the Canals competition, announced a year ago in Syracuse as part of the World Canals Conference, was designed to solicit programs and initiatives that promote the canal system and its trails as tourist destinations, locations for sustainable economic development and support the long-term financial sustainability of the New York State Canal Corp.

“We believe that competitions are the best way to bring the greatest minds together,” said Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who joined Quiniones and Canal Corp. Director Brian Stratton in Rochester Wednesday to make the announcement. Hochul said she was unsure if the competition would be an annual event.

The Erie Canal was an engineering marvel when it opened in 1825, linking the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. The New York State Canal System, formerly

NYPA President and CEO Gil Quiniones in Rochester Wednesday. (Photo: NYPA)
NYPA President and CEO Gil Quiniones in Rochester Wednesday. (Photo: NYPA)

known as the Barge Canal, opened May 15, 1918.

“As an Upstater who lives near the Erie Canal and frequent visitor to canal communities, I know how Reimagine the Canals can unlock even more potential to make this a major tourism magnet,” Hochul said. “The part of history that I love most about the Erie Canal is not just the flow of water and the flow of commerce, but it’s the flow of ideas.”

The New York Power Authority and Canal Corp. received 145 entries from seven countries. Quiniones said the organization next year will announce a long-term strategy for the canal system, and those entries would be the basis for further discussion.

“Our commitment to the canals will not waver,” Quiniones said.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
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