A New Canal Season to Celebrate: Benefits Flow Far and Wide
Two cyclists stop to check an informational sign at Bushnell’s Basin in the town of Perinton, outside of Rochester. The canal is to the left, with a boat seen in the background and a bridge spanning the water. Two more cyclists are coming up the trail to the right.
Along with millions of New Yorkers and visitors from all over the world, we are excited to celebrate our historic New York State Canal System opening on May 21, 2021. Like it has throughout its nearly 200-year history, the opening of New York’s canals ushers in a new season of recreational and commercial activities with social and economic benefits that flow far and wide.
The Erie Canal is incredibly unique, and we couldn’t be prouder to support its preservation and continued use for all New Yorkers to enjoy. As a National Historic Landmark and one of our most ambitious, most historic, most successful, and most beloved pieces of public infrastructure, the NYS Canal System significantly contributes to the life and economies of communities along its 500-mile length. From recreation to water supplies to transportation, agriculture, and power generation, studies generated by the NYS Canal Corporation and Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor underscore the system’s importance as an economic generator, adding more than seven billion dollars annually to local economies.
A boat emerging from Erie Canal Lock 3 in Waterford. Photos courtesy of Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
The value of our NYS Canal System is rooted in its history and authenticity as a continuously operating navigable system of waterways that connect the Atlantic Ocean and Hudson River across New York to the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, and Lake Champlain. Now, as when it opened in 1825, this network unlocks New York State to travelers from around the world, facilitating tourism and commercial activities from Albany to Buffalo and beyond.
Last year underscored the public’s interest in exploring close to home and the value of the many recreational opportunities our vibrant historic canal corridor provides. This canal season, we invite residents and visitors to once again visit cultural centers, historic sites, and canal communities; enjoy boat tours, paddling, or boating; and try cycling or walking along the newly completed Empire State Trail.
No matter where you go or how you travel, you’ll experience the genuine beauty and heritage of the canal that built the Empire State and that continues to be one of New York’s greatest assets.
Jay DiLorenzo, President
Preservation League of NYS
Bob Radliff, Executive Director
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
This letter was also published by Syracuse.com on May 17, 2021.