FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 4, 2006
CANAL CORPORATION BOARD APPROVES TRANSFER TO STATE PARKS OF ADDITIONAL 900 ACRES UNDER DELTA LAKE
1,622 Acre Expansion of Delta Lake State Park Will Increase Access and Provide New Recreational Opportunities in the Region
The New York State Canal Corporation today announced that it will transfer an additional 902 acres of underwater lands, in addition to nearly 720 acres surrounding Delta Lake in Oneida County, to the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation as part of the planned expansion of Delta Lake State Park. The Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation Board approved the transfer at a recent meeting.
The lands, identified as surplus to the needs of the Canal System, will more than double the size of Delta Lake State Park and provide new and expanded opportunities for waterfront recreation in the region. The Canal Corporation will maintain the rights to use, control, manage and operate the water resources of Delta Lake Reservoir as necessary for Canal purposes.
“As part of Governor George E. Pataki’s new Erie Canal Greenway initiative, the Canal Corporation has worked with the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation to identify more than 2,300 acres of land to be transferred for public recreation and park purposes,” Canal Corporation Director Carmella R. Mantello said. “These land transfers are evidence of a new vision and direction for the Canal Corporation and will ensure that these lands are protected and accessible to the public for generations to come.”
Built during Barge Canal construction from 1908 to1913, Delta Reservoir is
located north of the city of Rome and is situated at the headwaters to the
Mohawk River. The reservoir, with a 2.75 million cubic feet storage capacity,
supplies water for the Canal System and plays a key role in minimizing potential
flood conditions in the Mohawk Valley.
Delta Lake State Park is located on a peninsula with views of Delta Lake and offers camping, a boat launch, fishing, picnic areas, swimming, playgrounds, ballfields and hiking trails as well as cross-country skiing and ice fishing in the winter. State Parks has held a permit to operate and maintain the park on approximately 350 acres of land currently owned by the Canal Corporation since 1962.
The lands to be transferred consist of the approximately 350 acres currently permitted to State Parks, 902 acres under Delta Lake Reservoir and an additional 350 acres, consisting of two islands and a large wetland area north of the Park along with a unique area of cliffs called the Palisades on the eastern shore between the dam and the State Park. The entire area around the Delta Reservoir dam and the outlet works, which consists of approximately 14 acres, would be retained by the Canal Corporation for ongoing operation and maintenance of the Canal System.
New York State Thruway Authority Canal Corporation Board Chairman John L.
Buono said, “The expansion of Delta Lake State Park is an exciting project that
will provide a place for people to enjoy recreational activities. This project
is in line with the direction of the Governor's new vision for the Corporation
that will allow New Yorkers to more thoroughly enjoy the natural beauty of the
area. ”
Michael Fleischer, Executive Director of the State Thruway Authority, said, “We are enthusiastic about developing a recreational area for New Yorker's to enjoy. Partnering with other State agencies to make these areas of leisure a reality is the primary focus of the Governor's new vision for the Canal Corporation. The new developments near Delta Lake demonstrate the Corporation's commitment to identifying and expanding recreational resources in New York State.”
State Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro said, “This latest transfer continues the strong collaboration between State Parks and the Canal Corporation to advance Governor Pataki's vision for increased public access to parklands and recreation along New York's waterfronts. Expanding Delta Lake State Park will help draw additional visitors and families to the area each season for enjoyable outdoor activities in this scenic setting.”
The Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation Board authorized the Canal Corporation to move ahead with preliminary actions to facilitate the transfer of jurisdiction over 720 acres from the Canal Corporation to State Parks in October 2005. Today’s action allows those lands, as well as the additional 902 acres of lands under water, to be abandoned to the State Office of General Services and formally transferred to OPRHP.
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 were delivered in a report to the Governor in December 2005 and are available on the Corporation’s website.
For more information about news and events along the New York State Canal System, please call 1-800-4CANAL4 or visit www.canals.state.ny.us.
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