The 188th navigation season is about to get underway, weather permitting, on May 1st. If 188 years of continuous operation isn't auspicious enough, consider the Herculean efforts undertaken by the NYS Canal Corporation to repair damages from Tropical Storms Irene and Lee to make the eastern end of the Erie Canal fully operational this spring.

The NYS Canal Corporation recommends using caution when boating between Locks 6 and 14 in the eastern Erie Canal. Shoreside restoration, as well as continuing repairs to locks and other structures will be ongoing.

Many private and municipal marinas experienced extensive damage as well. Boaters traveling to the New York State Canal System this year should call ahead to verify docking facilities are operational and advertised amenities, such as fuel, water and electric, are available. For more information, visit www.canals.ny.gov.

Site Visit and Workshop on May 2, 1-5 pm, Village of Brockport
Are you working on a waterfront or community revitalization project? Are you looking for ways to engage volunteers, develop a plan, or sustain success? Learn from your peers during this half-day site visit and workshop in which participants will tour the Heritage Award-winning Village of Brockport, meet key stakeholders, hear about obstacles overcome, and investigate specific strategies for success.

 

Find out how the Village of Brockport drew on its canal heritage to get community leaders, civic groups, local businesses, and historic sites pulling in the same direction to make the village a more attractive home, workplace, and destination for travelers. We hope you'll take home both ideas and inspiration.

 

This May, the legacy of New York State's Erie Canal and Hudson River will lure adventurers Richard Harpham and Glenn Charles from the United Kingdom to kayak an epic 500 miles from Buffalo's historic Erie Canal Harbor to the Statue of Liberty. But the kayaking pair won't be going it alone. The journey is called "Spare Seat" because the team will invite members of the public and media to join them along the way in their double-seated kayaks.

Richard and Glenn are two experienced adventurers who have covered over 17,500 miles between them by kayak, canoe and bike and have a passion for inspiring young people and communities through their challenges. The kayaking team was invited here by I LOVE NEW YORK, which is organizing the tour in cooperation with the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, NYS Canal Corporation, Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, and regional tourism promotion agencies.

Watch for local details as the kayaking team visits your area, and feel free to paddle alongside them in your own canoe or kayak. The project will be photographed and filmed, and hosted on a dedicated website with social media feeds, enabling the public to follow along every stroke of the way.

Spare Seat Kayak Tour: Erie Canal
May 1: Buffalo-Tonawanda-Lockport
May 2: Lockport-Medina-Holley
May 3: Holley-Brockport-Spencerport-Pittsford
May 4: Pittsford-Palmyra-Lyons
May 5: Lyons-Montezuma-Weedsport
May 6: Rest and Explore the Cayuga-Seneca Canal
May 7: Weedsport-Baldwinsville-Brewerton
May 8: Brewerton-Verona Beach
May 9: Rest and Explore Sylvan Beach/Verona Beach area
May 10: Verona Beach-Rome-Marcy Lock 20
May 11: Marcy-Little Falls-St. Johnsville
May 12: St. Johnsville-Ft. Plain-Amsterdam
May 13: Amsterdam-Schenectady-Waterford
May 14: Rest and Explore the Capital Region
May 15: Hudson River Paddle Begins!

If your class is doing research on the Erie Canal, check out resources, photos, videos and history information on our website at www.eriecanalway.org. There's a new link on the home page that makes it easy for students to find information.

Organizations from New York City to Albany to Buffalo, and everywhere in between, will be part of an exciting state-wide celebration of New York history and culture on May 19th and 20th. Now in its third year, NY Heritage Weekend will kick-off the summer tourism season with tours, festivals, and special programs.

Last year, Heritage Weekend hosted 166 Heritage Weekend events with 143 federal, state, and private organizations.  

There's still time to register an event: Historic sites, museums, architecturally significant buildings, local historians and historical societies, battlefields, historic districts, community groups and any organizations that connect directly with New York's heritage may register events on the Heritage Weekend website by April 19th.  

For a full listing of events, see www.heritageweekend.org.