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#Post#: 899--------------------------------------------------
Reimagine the Canal efforts praised by Upstate New York
Residents, well not all
DIR By: Doug K
Date: January 12, 2020, 10:48 am
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New York State's efforts to "Reimagine the Canals" has hit the
local Suburban News publication highlighting the plans for
Brockport and other towns along the Erie Canal National Heritage
Corridor... you can read the full story here:
HTML https://issuu.com/westsidenew/docs/12jan20west
[attachimg=1]
And if you look online you will also see that around the
Rochester area..."most" people see these news articles delivered
to their mailboxes. That is of course everyone BUT Rochester's
Eastside Communities, they don't appear to be receiving this
news publication regarding Rochester's suburban changes.
[attachimg=2]
You would think that any activity by the State, to find
solutions to the continued financial burden of maintaining this
200 year old waterway, would be welcomed by most...sadly that is
not the case. You would think that any activity bringing tourism
dollars to our area, along with providing people from around the
world a memorable Canal Experience, would be a welcome change to
many small businesses along the Canal...again that doesn't seem
to be the case with some in our communities, they would rather
throw stones at the Reimagine Plans
While the Suburban News is trying to spread the positive vibes
coming from this NY State effort...some in our community seem to
always find fault with any and all work being done by New York,
especially within the NY Canal Corporation efforts. Just take a
look at what the Eastside folks get to read regarding the
Reimagine Canals effort... direct from a group that is working
to stop necessary safety restoration of the canal.
How long will Rochester's Eastside Community settle for this
type of bias & negativity?
When will residents in Brighton Pittsford & Perinton finally
figure out that those fighting against an improved & profitable
Erie Canal, are NOT doing their Neighbors. Towns or Villages any
service.
#Post#: 920--------------------------------------------------
This is what Reimagine the Canals means to Rochester &
Fairport
DIR By: Doug K
Date: January 25, 2020, 12:26 pm
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Often the Erie Canal Neighbors Association gets accused of
"bias" with some of our postings. We tend to say that Canal
Safety is First and Unsafe Embankments Must Go...way too often,
at least that is what some folks say. I won't go into how taking
any other stand but supporting safety would show a person's
total disregard for the public around them, that should be
obvious to all. We must insure canal safety first, that is the
key to "reimaging" anything for it's future.
I want to KEEP talking about the reasons WHY the NYS Canal has
to be properly cleared, properly maintained for our safety...and
properly inspected on a regular basis... and it's once again all
about REIMAGINING what needs to happen.
Ask yourself this question: Why has the Erie Canal suddenly
become so important?
That's a question we all should be asking. No one who owned the
canal before, had done this much work in the name of safety, at
least that anyone can remember. The vegetation overgrowth was so
bad it was hard to find the canal let alone inspect it's dams.
We never saw any canal workers, construction equipment on the
bike trail was rare. But sure enough, the very FIRST thing the
new Canal Owners did, new owners are New York Power Authority
(NYPA), was to start work on getting their property looking like
it should... a clean, cleared & safe canal system. It has to be
free of falling trees, free of overgrown, unsafe embankments...
NYPA is on a mission to make the NY Erie/Barge Canal look like
new!
But Why?
It's for a program called Reimagine the Canals... that is the
name of their current efforts to insure there is a NYS Canal
system that can retain it's place as a premier NY Destination
for any and all types of recreation.
HTML https://www.ny.gov/programs/reimagine-canals-initiative
The program is about insuring that the Canal itself, can
withstand it's next big transformation: from an underutilized
commercial waterway to a new birth as the haven for all forms of
public recreation. That Reimagine the Canal effort has the
backing of the Governor of our state and the Reimagine program
is being run all over the Country, in varied states by
NYPA...and you will see results of that work later in this post.
NY State was losing so much money on this relic called the Erie
Canal that it had to be placed under control of NYPA, yes the NY
Power Authority, who has agreed to reduce the taxpayer burden of
the Canal Corporation operation, as well as insure the waterway
& trail system are both properly maintained. The canal is unsafe
right now and NY Power is fixing that, for OUR safety... the
Public. But they also have another reason why they are working
away at sprucing up the Canal.
NYPA's Plan for the NYS Canal:
The New York Power Authority sees MUCH greater potential for the
NYS Canal System than ANY prior owner of the NY Canal
Corporation. They have a vision, and they have a clean
slate...once they get it cleaned off, to do what they want with
it. They have ONE goal... figure out a way to have the Canal
make MORE MONEY!. It's no secret that the NYS Canal has run in
the red for years, it had become a joke...and was an anchor to
any state agency that owned it... until now, until NEW ownership
took over that was interested in public safety.
While most folks in the Rochester area are embroiled in an
argument about whether we should talk about Unsafe Canal
Embankments or Trees & Shade, NYPA has been engaging some of the
most creative thinkers, architects, and designers to figure out
what to do with a 200 year old canal. They are asking people to
"reimagine" what it might need to look like for it's next
century of life.
Here's what they are considering:
From a major Chicago Design Show an entry for the Reimagine the
Erie Canal recently won Design Excellence awards. It for a
Winterscape" idea...and DIRECTLY affects Rochester, Pittsford &
Fairport NY.
[attachimg=1]
You can read the article here:
HTML https://aiachicago.awardsplatform.com/gallery/emYNOepg/VQGkDZVQ?search=38d458eb461f8c66-14
Here's what that proposal looks like including prototypes that
would be located right in our area... the same area fighting
embankment safety work. The pictures are representations of what
this would look like for a given town along the Erie Canal. The
article states this particular idea is meant for Pittsford &
Fairport... and will Reimagine a winter use for the canal
[attachimg=2]
Pretty cool huh? But it doesn't end there...not by a long shot.
New York Power Authority has collected many ideas for change,
not just those they implemented last year as a result of their
initial contest, no... they have MUCH bigger plans for their new
asset. Here's another article.
HTML https://www.6sqft.com/with-a-300m-proposal-the-erie-canal-could-become-a-reinvented-upstate-attraction/
[attachimg=3]
If you read this article you will see a picture of a canal that
is transforming how we will think about the canal in the future.
It will become a destination for local activity as well as bring
more tourism, more tourist dollars, and more prosperity to our
area... if we let it of course.
Here's some visions for familiar canal STRUCTURES we all have
seen as we use the canal... all products of Re-imagined Canal.
[attachimg=4]
People are once again talking about the Erie Canal downstate in
NY City. Recent article from the Architect's Newspaper has
lauded the work by NYPA & the Governor to create a place for New
Yorkers to play at their hearts content...all part of the
Reimagine the Canal effort. Just imagine if the Erie Canal
became a NY destination, just like NY City is. What would that
mean in increased revenue for our area?
HTML https://archpaper.com/2020/01/erie-canal-revamp/
[attachimg=5]
And yes...even more of the design ideas for the canal are shared
in this article It's a NYC website so much of it was on how the
"greenspace" was changed. The canal is transforming from a
commercial waterway, where large barges lived & worked, to a new
vision where people come to relax & play. They can get close
enough to the water to launch kayaks or wade. Take a look at
these pictures that are being shared as part of the next
iteration of Reimagine the Canals.
What you see in these pictures is EXACTLY what many people asked
for in the statewide Reimagine the Canal idealization sessions
held in several canal towns, ours area meeting was held in
Brockport last year.
[attachimg=6]
ONE FINAL QUESTION:
Can anyone give a GOOD reason why any of this work by NYPA
should be stopped?
Should our communities be supporting the Reimagine effort or
fighting this evolution of the NYS Canal System or not? It would
appears that the entities that now own, operate & maintain this
waterway & property, have shown they are "good neighbors". They
are finally fixing their property, insuring it's safe condition.
In fact they are going to improve their property for the benefit
of ALL New York residents, including our area. They have a
vision for YEAR-ROUND use of the canal... and hopefully a way to
help defray their Cost of Ownership. .
The new Canal Owners, NYPA, are working hard to insure people
"want" to go and see the NYS Canal System once again, just like
when it was built the first time two hundred years ago. They are
trying to increase traffic on the waterway, on the trails, and
trying to make our area a recreational destination with the Erie
Canal transformed into a statewide "playground" for any and all
activities.
Why anyone or any group would oppose any of this necessary
improvement, seems to be the question of the day?
What logical reason could be given to stop this Reimagine work,
we can't think of any.
#Post#: 921--------------------------------------------------
Ask yourself why the Mayor of Pittsford would oppose IMPROVEMENT
of the Canal System
DIR By: Doug K
Date: January 25, 2020, 10:00 pm
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While you are contemplating all you have read about the
Reimagine the Canals Program, ask yourself why a local mayor, of
any town, would oppose the ongoing canal embankment safety work,
and the overall Erie Canal revitalization & improvement.
Especially in a town like Pittsford, that stands to benefit
greatly from the future plans for a 21st century Canal System.
Then ask yourself why that Mayor would allow this post about the
Canal to be placed on a Facebook Groups page that is opposing
any and all canal changes, changes for safer embankments,
changes for improving canal inspection and changes that will
create a more interesting & hopefully profitable, NY State canal
system.
[attachimg=1]
This very question should be on the minds of voters the next
time they are able to elect the next Mayor of Pittsford
#Post#: 924--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ask yourself why the Mayor of Pittsford would oppose
IMPROVEMENT of the Canal System
DIR By: Michael Caswell
Date: January 26, 2020, 11:14 am
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What I find incredible about this mayor is that he is concerned
about a perceived threat to the canal. But is not concerned
about the people in danger because of his irrational actions to
halt the inspections and reparations needed to take his
residents out of harm's way.
These villages have already blown $50,000 on legal fees fighting
to keep their constituents in harms way. When will they see the
light?
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