Medina celebrates panel by Canal Culvert, an architectural marvel

Photos by Tom Rivers

RIDGEWAY – The Medina Tourism Committee, State Canal Corp. and some passing cyclists celebrated a new interpretive panel on Monday morning explaining the Canal Culvert and other culverts along the Erie Canal system.

The panel is along the towpath on the north side of the Culvert.

Jim Hancock, chairman of the Medina Tourism Committee, said many cyclists, walkers and other canal users pass by the spot without realizing the remarkable culvert below.

The new panel draws attention to spot, the only place on the 363-mile-long canal where a road goes under the canal.

“This will let people know there is a significant architectural structure there,” Hancock said. “It’s one of a kind.”

Hancock helped organize the panel dedication on Monday. He wanted the event to express appreciation to the Canal Corp. for putting up the panel, and for also being a good caretaker of the nearly 200-year-old manmade waterway.

“We just wanted to say , “Thank you,'” Hancock said.

Here are some highlights of the panel, which also includes information on other culverts on the canal:

The panel notes the original culvert in Medina was dismantled in 1854 and rebuilt the following year. It was further upgraded in 1895.

Medina doesn’t have the only significant culvert on the canal system.