FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 19, 2007
Canal Corporation’s Tug Urger Named Best Vintage Tug at the Fifteenth Annual Tug Boat Race Competition
Flagship of the NYS Canal System Wins Award for Seventh Consecutive Year
Fall Educational Program for New York’s Fourth Graders to Begin
Carmella R. Mantello, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation, today
announced that the Corporation’s flagship vessel - the historic Tug Urger - was
awarded the Best Vintage Tug Cup at the Fifteenth Annual Tug Boat Race
Competition held September 2, 2007 in New York City. The vintage vessel now
heads west to begin the Fall Educational Program on Thursday, September 20, 2007
in Lockport, NY.
“The historic Tug Urger is a wonderful example of the rich maritime history of
New York State and a great ambassador for education along the New York State
Canal System,” Mantello said. “The Canal Corporation is thrilled that the Urger
has been recognized with this distinguished award for the seventh consecutive
year. I encourage educators to take advantage of this free and hands on program
during the fall months.”
During the fall, the Urger is scheduled to travel east from Lockport through to
Baldwinsville. Before wrapping up in Baldwinsville on Wednesday, October 17,
2007, the Urger will make stops in Medina, Spencerport, Fairport, Lyons and
Seneca Falls. The schedule is as follows and is subject to change depending on
conditions:
September 20-21, 2007 – Lockport
September 25-26, 2007 – Medina
September 28-October 2, 2007 – Spencerport
October 4-5, 2007 – Fairport
October 9, 2007 – Lyons
October 11-12, 2007 – Seneca Falls
October 16-17, 2007 - Baldwinsville
Celebrating more than 100 years of service, the Tug Urger was christened the
Henry J. Dornbos in Michigan on June 13, 1901. Since the creation of the New
York State Canal Corporation in 1992, the Tug Urger has served as the official
ambassador for the New York State Canal System.
The Urger now serves as the focal point of a program to educate school children
and adults about the importance of New York's historic Canal System and the role
that inland waterways have played historically, and continue to play, in the
lives of people who live along them.
In the spring and fall, the Urger visits communities along the Canal System
where students in fourth-grade classes at local schools take field trips to the
Tug and participate in shoreside "hands-on" educational sessions. There they
learn about the history of the Canals and the role construction of the Erie
Canal played in making New York the "Empire State."
During the summer months, the Urger participates in many canal community
festivals and events.
In September 2001, the Urger was placed on the State and National Registers of
Historic Places.
For more information on how to take advantage of this educational program or to
schedule a visit to your community, please call 518-436-2799 or visit the Canal
Corporation’s Website at www.nyscanals.gov and click on "Canal Culture."
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 news and attractions along the Canal
System, visit www.nyscanals.gov or call 1-800-4CANAL4.
The New York State Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation offers a free email service called TRANSalert to its customers via email or text messaging to inform them of major incidents and emergencies that may affect travel on the Thruway or navigation on the Canal System. To sign up for the Canal TRANSalert service, customers can visit the Corporation’s website at www.nyscanals.gov/tas/. To sign up for Thruway TRANSalerts, please visit the Authority’s website at www.nysthruway.gov/tas/.