Press Release, NYS Canal Corporation

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Medina Triennial Hub at 345 North Main St. will host workshops and discussions about the Erie Canal today and on Saturday.

MEDINA – The Medina Triennial Hub at 345 North Main St. will host a module dedicated to the Erie Canal today and on Saturday.

This module offers an opportunity to explore the canal through the lenses of Resilience, Care and Stewardship and Cultural Programming.

• “The Canal System: Lessons in Water Scarcity and Public Management” will be presented by Brian Platt and Scott Rybarczyk, with Todd Bensley at Medina High School from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

This series invites students to explore the New York State Canal system as a living structure that depends on careful water management and public responsibility. Led by New York Power Authority/New York State Canal Corporation engineers Brian Platt and Scott Rybarczyk, the classes will look at how canal water is allocated and what happens when water becomes scarce.

Through demonstration and discussion students will learn how decisions about shared resources can be made, what trade-offs are involved and how civic engagement plays a direct role in shaping the resilience of public infrastructure.

• “Reimagining the Erie Canal for its Third Century” will be moderated by Shannon Mattern today from 2:30 to 4 p.m. and will feature Rebecca Hughes, Deputy Director of Canals; Dave Mellen, Regional Manager and SVP of Canals; Gabrielle Barone, VP of Business Development for the Orleans EDA; and Charles Torres from the Ralph Wilson Foundation.

This session explores the challenges of maintaining and repositioning the canal as it enters its third century of operation. Framed within a broader dialogue on strategic infrastructure stewardship, it welcomes external guests in a forward-looking conversation on maintenance and long-term care.

Meet-and-Greet at 4 p.m. offers a chance to meet the curators, artists, panelists and NYPA experts at the Hub.

• “Cultural Perspectives” will be the focus of a discussion on Saturday from 12.30 p.m. to 2 p.m. This will feature Angelyn Chandler, VP Planning New York Power Authority; Natalie Stetson, Executive Director at the Erie Canal Museum; and invited artists: Sarah Cameron Sunde, Judit German-Heins, Clara Riedlinger and Alon Koppell.

In this session the Erie Canal’s artists in residence (2024 and 2025) will share their reflections on the canal’s legacy and the evolving relationship between infrastructure and cultural identity.

• Workshop: “Bodies of Water/Bodies in Water” with artist Sarah Cameron Sunde on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m.

2025 AIR artist invites the people of Medina to gather at the edge of the Erie Canal to explore their relationship with water, place and time through their bodies. This workshop will be slow, spacious, and centered on attunement – both to the natural rhythms of the canal and to each other.

Together, artist and participants will practice noticing, listening, and responding to the water as a collaborator and witness, using movement, writing, and dialogue.

Assemblyman Hawley to serve as parade grand marshal

Photo by Ginny Kropf: The Parade of Lights Committee is meeting regularly to finalize plans for this year’s spectacular event, scheduled Nov. 29 at the conclusion of Medina’s day-long Olde Tyme Christmas Celebration. Clockwise, from left are Kevin DeHollander (Santa Claus), Dave and Gail Miller, Kathie Valley, chair Jim Hancock and his wife Barb, Nikki and Todd Bensley, Cindy Robinson and Sue DeHollander (Mrs. Claus). The group was meeting at the home of Reinhard Rogowski, standing at rear.

MEDINA – For the 17th year, Medina will host a spectacular Parade of Lights at the conclusion of the village’s Olde Tyme Christmas Celebration Nov. 29.

Parade committee members who are meeting regularly to plan the event include chair Jim Hancock and his wife Barb, Dave and Gail Miller, Kathie Valley, Todd and Nikki Bensley, Cindy Robinson, Kevin and Sue DeHollander (Santa and Mrs. Claus) and Reinhard Rogowski, who hosts the meetings at his home.

Hancock has announced they have chosen Assemblyman Steve Hawley of Batavia as this year’s parade grand marshal.

“The vote for Steve was unanimous,” Hancock said. “Steve has been with us for the past 10 to 12 years. He has served as our announcer out of the goodness of his heart. “

Entries are slowly being received, Hancock said. He is thrilled to see several first-time entrants, but also looks forward to the old favorites returning. Last year, 23 of the more than 40 floats entered registered during November, and Hancock hopes there will be an influx of entries before the Nov. 25 deadline this year.

The event will welcome a new musical group this year – the Hit Men, who will perform in Rotary Park at 5 p.m.

Other musical groups who will march in the parade include Medina’s Mustang Marching Band, Pembroke High School Marching Band and the Mark Time Marchers.

Parade floats can be entered in six different classes, which are listed on www.christmasinmedina.com,  along with entry blanks. Prize money of $4,000 will be awarded, including a Grand Prize winner.

Corporations are also encouraged to sign up for five different levels of sponsorship – diamond, platinum, gold, silver or bronze. Sponsorship forms can also be found on the Christmas in Medina website.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Heveron Electric put a lot of effort into its float in last year’s Parade of Lights on Nov. 30, 2024. Parade organizers urge businesses, organizations and residents to enter a float in the Nov. 29 parade.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Craig Royal, left, and his partner Tom Bradley sit on the steps of 512 West Ave., the historic home purchased by Andew Meier, who then contracted with Royal and Bradley to paint it. (Right) This is the newly restored front of 512 West Ave. with age-appropriate paint, a gold starburst and new steps.

MEDINA – Andrew Meier, a Medina native and local attorney, has always admired the house at 512 West Ave.

Ed Grinnell’s “Medina – Here’s to Our Heritage,” says Samuel Rice Jr., a native of England, took two deeds on the west side of what was then called “West Street.” The Tribune of Aug. 13, 1885 states “S. Rice Jr. is drawing stone preparatory to the erection of a house to be completed within a year.”

Rice died in 1907 and the house passed to a daughter, Mrs. Harry (Grace) Bickle. Grace was Samuel Rice’s daughter. The Bickles are reported to have lived in the house for many years. After Harry’s death, Grace lived in the home until around 1960, when she moved to Woodland Avenue. The next reported owners were Jim and Pat Anderson.

Meier said the house is basically original, but underwent significant interior remodeling by Harry Bickle in the summer of 1927. At that time, according to Meier, the kitchens and bathrooms were modernized and, he believes, the tin ceilings were installed throughout.

“Almost the entire first floor and much of the second floor have tin ceilings,” Meier said. “It is quite amazing.”

More recently, former village trustee Tim Elliott owned the home and turned it into a ceramics’ studio. When Meier learned Elliott had moved his studio two years ago, he decided to go talk to him.

“The rest is history,” Meier said.

Meier did not have any definite plans for the house when he purchased it, he said.

“But I decided to make it back into a home after working inside it,” Meier said. “We have not done too much work inside, but on the outside, lots of rotten wood has been replaced and the entire porch was rebuilt. We were able to salvage the original porch posts, but all of the railing had to be turned on a lathe to match the original, as it was beyond repair.”

Craig Royal looks at the 1961 issue of Lipton’s Magazine, in which his father Zeke Royal and Zeke’s business partner John Bradley take a break for a glass of tea while painting the Orleans County Courthouse. Bradley’s son Tom currently works with Craig on painting projects.

Meier also knew who he wanted to paint the house, and he contacted Craig Royal, who took over his father Zeke Royal’s painting business and now lives in Mooresville, N.C. Craig’s partner in the business was Tom Bradley, son of Zeke’s partner John Bradley. Tom now lives and Naples, Fla., but agreed to come north and work with Craig on several projects, including the house at 512 West Ave. They also painted Creekside Floral during their time here.

Their dads and Craig and Tom have painted everything and anything, including water towers, schools and churches.

“Dad used to drive up West Center Street and pointing he would say, ‘I painted that house and this house,’” Craig said.

Craig is a Medina native and 1977 graduate of Medina High School. Tom was born in Albion, but his family moved to Naples when he was 14, he said.

Craig said they come up north in the summer to paint, because it’s cooler here then. When Meier called him last year about the house at 512 West Ave., he recruited Scott Grimm, a retired teacher, and current teachers John McCarthy, Christian Held and Shawn Ragonese to help.

He also had to resurrect his father’s old paint truck, which he had sold to Jim Lawson. It was sitting in a field and needed a lot of work, Craig said.

It took more than a month to apply 20 gallons of primer to the house. They completed the job around Sept. 1.

Craig Royal and Tom Bradley stand by their paint truck parked in the front yard of 512 West Ave., after completing a several month-long painting and restoration job on the home, recently purchased by Andrew Meier.