FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 14, 2006
CANAL CORPORATION ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL CLOSING OF THE
181st NAVIGATION SEASON ON NOVEMBER 15, 2006
Winter Events Calendar Now Available
The New York State Canal Corporation today announced that the Canal System will officially close for the 181st consecutive navigation season at 5 p.m. on November 15, 2006.
The Canal Corporation also announced the availability of the first-ever 2006/2007 Winter Calendar of Events, a listing of more than 85 festivals, events and attractions taking place in Canal communities throughout the winter months. From holiday festivals to cross-country skiing on the Canalway Trail, the winter season offers a variety of family-friendly activities in communities throughout the Canal corridor.
The Winter Calendar of Events includes dozens of holiday-themed events, such as the Oswego Holiday Expo (November 18 - 19), the Festival of Trees in Amsterdam (November 29 – December 4), Christmas on the Canal in Spencerport (December 3), and Children’s Gingerbread Workshops at the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse (December 2 & 9).
The fun continues after the holidays with numerous winter festivals such as Albany Winter Festival (December 30), Warm-Up Oswego Festival (February 3), and Whitehall Winter Festival (February 3).
The 2006 navigation season officially opened on April 28, which marked the first time the Canal System opened in the month of April in 33 years. In addition to the early opening, recreational boater tolls were waived for the entire season and both the spring and fall hours of operation were extended to allow boaters additional time to travel the waterways.
Special events and festivals along the Canal, such as the Canal Clean Sweep, Cycle the Erie Canal bike Tour and Canal Splash weekend attracted thousands of visitors in 2006. The Canal Corporation is working with the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission, Canal communities and other partner organizations on a number of exciting new events and festivities for next year, including the historic journey of the replica canal schooner Lois McClure scheduled for summer 2007.
During the winter months, Canal Corporation employees conduct a variety of maintenance work to prepare the System for opening the following spring. This work includes repairing buoys and other equipment retrieved from the waterway in the fall, as well as repairing and rehabbing the century-old equipment used to operate the 57 locks, 16 lift bridges and dozens of water control structures across the Canal System. Employees also will be continuing repairs at locks damaged during the record flooding that occurred in June 2006 that severely impacted local communities throughout the Mohawk Valley.
For the complete 2006/2007 Winter Calendar of Events, or for more information regarding boating, recreation and historical attractions along the Canal System, please visit www.canals.state.ny.us or call 1-800-4CANAL4.