FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 30, 2006
CANAL CORPORATION TO HOLD REGIONAL MEETINGS ON GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED CANAL REVITALIZATION LEGISLATION
Three Meetings to Be Held in Syracuse, Greater Rochester and Capital Region
New York State Canal Corporation Director Carmella R. Mantello today announced that a series of three public informational meetings will be held across the State to solicit feedback and answer questions regarding Governor Pataki’s recently proposed Canal Revitalization Legislation.
The Governor’s Canal Revitalization legislation proposes separating the Canal Corporation from the Thruway Authority to establish a new independent State Canal Corporation. The Governor’s legislation also would create an Erie Canal Greenway that will revitalize and transform the Canal System into a world-class recreational destination.
The meetings will be held on the following dates:
Meeting locations and times will be forthcoming.
Local officials and canal interest groups are encouraged to attend. The meetings are also open to anyone with an interest in the Canal's future and the Governor’s proposed Erie Canal and Empire State Greenways.
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.
At the Governor’s direction, the Canal Corporation and an Interagency Task Force conducted an extensive outreach campaign during the summer and fall of 2005 to gather input and ideas and develop a comprehensive set of recommendations to create the new Erie Canal Greenway and the Empire State Greenway, and to examine the roles and responsibilities currently assigned to the Canal Corporation. The recommendations were delivered in a report to the Governor in December 2005. The complete report is available on the Canal 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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