FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 8, 2006
CANAL REVITALIZATION BILL DISCUSSED IN BALDWINSVILLE
Canal Corporation Holds Informational Meeting on
Governor’s Proposed Legislation
New York State Canal Corporation Director Carmella R. Mantello today met with local officials, community and business leaders, and canal interest groups to discuss Governor George E. Pataki’s proposed Canal Revitalization Legislation at the Red Mill Inn in Baldwinsville, NY.
The Governor’s legislation seeks to create an Erie Canal Greenway to preserve the Canal System and transform it into a world-class tourism destination.
“The Greenway approach will help Canal communities work together to develop their waterfronts, trails and main streets,” said Ms. Mantello. “The Erie Canal Greenway will serve as an economic catalyst for upstate New York. It will revitalize the Canal System and enable it to generate much-needed tourism revenue.”
The Erie Canal Greenway would facilitate a regional approach to planning, helping Canal communities collaborate and pool their resources to achieve their visions for improved recreational and economic development opportunities in their region.
“The Canal System is a significant piece of our local history here in Central New York. Forming the Erie Canal Greenway is a terrific example of how we can preserve and improve this treasure, ultimately driving the local economy for years to come,” said Baldwinsville Mayor Daniel O’Hara. “We see the Greenway as a great opportunity for success in our region.”
The legislation’s long-term goal is to link the Erie Canal Greenway with the Niagara and Hudson River greenways, forming the Empire State Greenway. This would create one of the largest Greenways in the country, stretching from Niagara Falls to Albany and Whitehall to New York City. The statewide greenway will benefit tourism, environmental, historical and cultural resource efforts.
The proposed legislation also seeks to separate the Canal Corporation from the Thruway Authority, allowing the two agencies to pursue their different missions independently.
Separating the Canal Corporation from the Thruway Authority would allow the Corporation to better pursue its mission to promote the Canal as a tourism destination and make the Canal System a significant economic engine for upstate. This separation will also save the Authority $305 million, allowing them to reduce tolls and make much-needed capital improvements to the Thruway.
Two other informational meetings will be held in Rochester and Albany.
Last year, the Canal Corporation Interagency Task Force conducted an extensive outreach campaign to gather input and develop a comprehensive set of recommendations to create the Erie Canal Greenway and Empire State Greenway. The recommendations were delivered in a report to the Governor in December 2005. The complete report is available on the Canal Corporation’s website.
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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