For Immediate Release: July 7, 2005
CANAL CORPORATION ANNOUNCES EXTENDED LOCK HOURS ON JULY 9 FOR CANALFEST BOATERS
Locks E-8, 9, 10 & 11 to remain open until 11:00 p.m.
Carmella R. Mantello, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation, is pleased to announce the Canal Corporation will be extending lock hours at Locks E-8, 9, 10 and 11 on July 9, 2005, in order to allow pleasure boaters to enjoy the First Annual Alpin Haus Lock 7-12 Canalfest fireworks and festivities. The hours will be extended to 11:00 p.m., one hour past the regular closing time of 10:00 p.m.
Mantello stated, “We want to make Saturday’s festivities and fireworks as attractive as possible for boaters, and believe keeping the locks open a little later will help accomplish this goal. The Canalfest is a great example of a public and private partnership, and we are proud to be a part of this unique intermunicipal, cross-county initiative.”
Deborah Auspelmyer, President of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce said, "The New York State Canal Corporation has been a wonderful partner in promoting one of our magnificent attractions through Canalfest. We are pleased they are extending the lock hours until 11:00 p.m. to offer boaters the opportunity to experience this event and thank them for their support."
Gail Kehn, Director of Tourism & Special Events, Schenectady County Chamber of Commerce, added, “We're so pleased with the support we've received from the New York State Canal Corporation on the Alpin Haus Lock 7-12 Canalfest. We really appreciate their extending the lock hours until 11:00 p.m. so that visitors who are traveling by boat to the event will be able to enjoy all the festivities."
The locks that will remain open until 11:00 p.m. include Lock E-8 (Scotia,
Schenectady County), Lock E-9 (State Canal Park, Rotterdam Junction, Schenectady
County), Lock E-10 (Cranesville, Montgomery County) and Lock E-11 (Guy Park
State Historic Site, Montgomery County).
In late May 2005, Governor Pataki unveiled his vision for establishing the Erie Canal Greenway and, ultimately, the Empire State Greenway, connecting the Niagara, Erie and Hudson River Greenways. The Canal Corporation and an interagency task force will conduct an outreach campaign to gather input and ideas, and develop a comprehensive set of recommendations to create the new Erie and Empire State Greenways and examine certain roles and responsibilities currently assigned to the Canal Corporation. The recommendations will be delivered in a report to the Governor by December 2005.
The New York State Canal System is comprised of four historic waterways, the
Erie, the Champlain, the Oswego and the Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Spanning 524 miles
across New York State, the waterway links the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, Lake
Ontario, the Finger Lakes and the Niagara River with communities rich in history
and culture.
For more information about tourism attractions along the New York State Canal System, please call 1-800-4CANAL4 or visit www.canals.state.ny.us.
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