FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 30, 2005
CANAL CORPORATION TO TRANSFER LAND FOR CANALWAY TRAIL IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Land Transfer Will Help Complete Major Segment of the 348-Mile Canalway Trail
The New York State Canal Corporation today announced the approval of preliminary actions for the transfer of a small parcel of canal-owned land in the Town of Minden, Montgomery County to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). The land will be used for the construction of a segment of the Erie Canalway Trail and will help facilitate completion of more than 30 miles of the Canalway Trail in Montgomery County.
“The Canal Corporation Board’s recent action represents another step forward in our efforts to connect canal communities and encourage increased recreation, tourism and economic development along the entire Canal system,” Canal Corporation Director Carmella R. Mantello said. “Partnerships such as those forged between the Canal Corporation, the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Montgomery County are vital to the Trail’s success. As we look to fulfill the Governor’s vision for an Erie Canal Greenway, completion of the Canalway Trail will provide a tremendous statewide link, creating new and exciting recreational opportunities in Montgomery County and throughout the state.”
Montgomery County has been awarded federal Transportation Enhancement grant monies to develop a portion of the Canalway Trail parallel to a new segment of County Route 65. As part of the agreement, once the transfer is complete, OPRHP will grant Montgomery County a permanent easement over the land to construct the trail.
The project is part of a $35 million program announced by Governor George E.
Pataki in 2002 to complete the Erie Canalway Trail linking the Hudson River and
Lake Erie. More than half of the 348-mile Erie Canalway Trail is now complete.
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.
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 are currently conducting 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.
To obtain a free map of the New York State Canalway Trail System, please call 1-800-4CANAL4. To learn more about the Canalway Trail System, visit the Canal Corporation’s Website at www.canals.state.ny.us/canalwaytrail/.
-30-