DEC will stock 33,670 brown trout in Carlton at Lake Ontario
The trout and salmon fishing season in New York State opens on Monday, April 1.
The Department of Environmental Conservation also will be stocking 2.33 million catchable-size brook, brown and rainbow trout in 311 lakes and ponds and roughly 2,845 miles of streams across the state.
That includes 33,670 brown trout, about 8 to 9 inches long, in Carlton at Lake Ontario.
Spring stockings will include 1.74 million brown trout, 433,855 rainbow trout and 157,200 brook trout. Approximately 97,000 two-year-old brown trout 13 to 14 inches in length are included in the brown trout total.
Stocking supports the state’s growing sportfishing industry, which generates an estimated $1.8 billion in economic activity each year.
“New York is home to world-class trout and salmon fishing in virtually every corner of the state,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “Heading out on opening day is a cherished tradition for generations of families, and I encourage New Yorkers and visitors alike to get outside and enjoy all the great fishing that our waters have to offer.”
As winter gives way to spring, stream anglers should be prepared to adapt fishing plans and tactics to variable temperatures and flows. In cold weather, bait and lures that can be fished slow and deep often prove effective in rousing sluggish trout. As water temperatures rise, anglers can shift to more active styles of fishing such as dry fly fishing.
“Excitement is building across the state as anglers prepare their gear for one of the most anticipated fishing days on the calendar,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Temperatures are beginning to rise and conditions should improve throughout April and May, as trout and salmon feed more actively on their natural foods. I encourage angling veterans and novices alike to get out there and enjoy New York’s excellent angling opportunities.”
Press Release, Department of Environmental Conservation
TOWN OF ALABAMA – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will host a public information session to provide information and answer questions about recently completed habitat management plans for John White Wildlife Management Area (WMA), located in the town of Alabama, Genesee County, and Oak Orchard WMA, located in the towns of Alabama and Oakfield, Genesee County, and the towns of Barre and Shelby, Orleans County.
The session will take place on Wednesday, March 27, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Town of Alabama Fire Department (Station 1), 2230 Judge Road, in the hamlet of South Alabama. The session will begin with an informal open house from 6:30 to 7 p.m., with DEC staff available for discussion. A formal presentation will begin at 7 p.m.
The fire department is wheelchair accessible. Please contact DEC Biologist Michael Palermo at (585) 226-5383 with any specific requests for accommodations.
“DEC is dedicated to maintaining and enhancing wildlife habitats on the John White and Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Areas to benefit declining wildlife species like black terns, sedge wrens, and least bitterns, and popular game animals like pheasant, turkey, and deer,” said Regional Director Paul D’Amato. “We look forward to engaging with the public about these habitat management plans and continuing to provide opportunities for outdoor recreation.”
John White WMA consists of 329 acres that are primarily grassland in the Town of Alabama. Large grasslands are a relatively scarce habitat type in Western New York, and the grasslands on the WMA are important to several species, including bobolinks, grasshopper sparrows, horned larks, northern harriers, and short-eared owls.
Oak Orchard WMA consists of 2,554 acres that are primarily wetland in the towns of Barre and Shelby, Orleans County; towns of Oakfield and Alabama, Genesee County; Town of Newstead, Erie County; and Town of Royalton, Niagara County.
Wetlands on the WMA are extensive and diverse, composed of emergent marsh, scrub-shrub swamp, and forested wetlands. Some large grassland fields also occur on this WMA.
Habitat management goals for both WMAs are to maintain a diversity of wetland and upland habitats that benefit a wide range of resident and migrating wildlife species, including several rare and declining species.
DEC will continue to actively manage these WMAs to benefit wildlife, while using best management practices. Planned management activities include: (1) timber harvests to improve forest health; (2) manipulation of water-levels in wetland impoundments; (3) mowing and replanting of grassland fields; and (4) control of invasive plant species.
The meeting will include a presentation about the history of management on these WMAs, specific activities and locations for the planned management actions, an overview of forest habitat management, and a question and answer period.
The habitat management plan for John White WMA can be found on DEC’s website. The habitat management plan for Oak Orchard WMA can also be found on DEC’s website. For more information about this event please call (585) 226-5383.
File photo by Tom Rivers: Joe Morlino (right) of the Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company joined firefighters in battling a brush fire on July 12, 2016 on Ridge Road in Murray, preventing the fire from destroying a house and spreading to a nearby wooded area.
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos today reminds residents that with spring approaching conditions for wildfires will become heightened and residential brush burning is prohibited March 16 through May 14 across New York State.
“While many people associate wildfires with the western United States, the start of spring weather and the potential for dry conditions increases the risk for wildfires in New York,” Seggos said. “New York prohibits residential burning during the coming high-risk fire season to reduce wildfires and protect people, property, and natural resources. The ban has been extremely effective in reducing the number of wildfires, and we’re encouraging New Yorkers to put safety first.”
Even though much of the state is currently blanketed in snow, warming temperatures can quickly cause wildfire conditions to arise.
DEC posts daily a fire danger rating map and forecast during fire season on its website and on the NY Fishing, Hunting & Wildlife App available on DEC’s website. Currently, wildfire conditions in the state are low risk.
Historically, open burning of debris is the largest single cause of spring wildfires in New York State. When temperatures are warmer and the past fall’s debris, dead grass, and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily and be further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation.
New York first enacted strict restrictions on open burning in 2009 to help prevent wildfires and reduce air pollution. State regulations allow residential brush fires in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents during most of the year, but prohibit such burning in spring when most wildfires in New York occur. Since the ban was established, the eight-year annual average number of spring fires decreased by 42.6 percent, from 2,649 in 2009, to 1,521 in 2018.
Campfires using charcoal or untreated wood are allowed, but people should never leave such fires unattended and must extinguish them. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round.
Wildfires can be deadly and destructive, and the national annual cost of their consequences can range anywhere from $71.1 to $347.8 billion, according to recent study by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Last year’s Camp Fire in northern California destroyed the city of Paradise and killed more than 80 people, making it the nation’s deadliest wildfire in more than a century. This year, the USDA Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters, and the Ad Council are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the launch of the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign, the longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history.
Violators of the state’s open burning regulation are subject to both criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. To report environmental law violations call 1-800-TIPP DEC (1-800-847-7332), or report online on DEC’s website.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 March 2019 at 10:21 am
File photo by Tom Rivers: The lift bridge in Medina is pictured in the background of this photo that shows The Big Apple, a sculpture by Richard Bannister.
The State Canal Corp. announced that the boating season for 2019 will go from May 17 to Oct. 16, and again won’t include tolls or fees.
Additionally, many locks and lift bridges will operate on demand from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. from May 17 to Sept. 11, the Canal Corp. announced on Thursday. That includes all seven lift bridges in Orleans County.
The hours of operation for the 2019 season are as follows: May 17 to Oct. 16 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Press Release, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Photo by Tom Rivers: A fisherman walks on west side pier at the Oak Orchard Harbor in this photo from May 3, 2015.
The public will have the opportunity to learn about the State of Lake Ontario fisheries at public meetings to be held in Niagara, Monroe, Oswego and Schenectady counties in March.
“Lake Ontario and its tributaries provide world-class angling opportunities that are generating substantial recreational and economic benefits to towns and cities along the lake,” said Basil Seggos , DEC commissioner. “The State of Lake Ontario meetings provide an excellent opportunity for everyone interested in the lake to interact with the scientists who study and manage its fisheries.”
New York’s Lake Ontario waters comprise more than 2.7 million acres. The open lake, embayments and tributaries support thriving populations of sportfish, including trout, salmon, bass, walleye, yellow perch and panfish. A recent statewide angler survey estimated more than 2.6 million angler days were spent on Lake Ontario and major tributaries, resulting in an estimated economic value of $112 million annually to local communities.
The meeting dates and locations are:
Monday, March 4: 6:30 – 9 p.m. at the Rochester Institute of Technology campus (Chester F Carlson Center for Imaging Science), Rochester, Monroe County. The meeting is co-hosted by RIT and the Monroe County Fishery Advisory Board.
Thursday, March 7: 6:30 – 9 p.m. at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Building, 4487 Lake Ave., Lockport, Niagara County. The meeting is co-hosted by Niagara County Cooperative Extension and the Niagara County Sportfishery Development Board.
Thursday, March 14: 6:30 – 9 p.m. at SUNY Schenectady County Community College, Stockade Building, Room 101, 78 Washington Ave., Schenectady, Schenectady County.
Tuesday, March 19: 6:30 – 9 p.m. at the Pulaski High School auditorium, 4624 Salina St., Pulaski, Oswego County. The meeting is co-hosted by the Eastern Lake Ontario Salmon and Trout Association.
Staff from DEC and the United States Geological Survey will make a number of presentations, including updates on the status of trout and salmon fisheries in the lake and its tributaries, forage fish, and stocking programs.
The meetings will provide ample time at the end of the scheduled program for the audience to ask questions and interact with the presenters. Information about DEC’s Lake Ontario fisheries assessment programs can be found on the DEC’s website.
For further information contact Christopher Legard, NYSDEC Lake Ontario Unit Leader at the Cape Vincent Fisheries Research Station, (315) 654-2147.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Anglers are pictured in the Oak Orchard River in Carlton on Oct. 19, 2018.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking feedback from area fishermen on proposed regulation changes for New York’s Great Lakes, including an extended open season for lake trout on Lake Ontario.
The proposed changes are designed to safeguard and expand certain fish populations while also enhancing anglers’ continued enjoyment of one of the state’s premier fisheries, the DEC said. The majority of the proposals are a direct result of DEC’s work with anglers during the past year to identify desired outcomes for Lake Ontario’s fishery.
Potential regulation changes include:
• Extending the open season for lake trout and decreasing the daily creel limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara River, moving the start date from Dec. 1instead of Jan. 1. The season would be closed from October 1 through November 30.
Rationale: Anglers targeting rainbow trout/steelhead in the Lower Niagara River frequently catch lake trout. Since lake trout spawning is largely over by the end of November, opening the lake trout season on December 1 will provide anglers with additional opportunities to harvest trophy lake trout without jeopardizing lake trout restoration efforts.
• Increasing the minimum size limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario tributaries from 21″ to 25″ (excluding the Lower Niagara River).
Rationale: This potential change is intended to prolong high quality rainbow trout/steelhead fishing opportunities through the winter months, while still allowing anglers the opportunity to harvest a trophy fish. Anglers have noted smaller rainbow trout/steelhead in recent years, and declining rainbow trout/steelhead fishing success as the winter season progresses.
• Decreasing the brown trout daily creel limit and increasing the minimum size limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario tributaries from 3 fish per day to 1 fish per day (excluding the Lower Niagara River).
Rationale: This potential change is intended to prolong high quality brown trout fishing opportunities through the winter months, while still allowing anglers the opportunity to harvest a trophy fish. Fishing effort on Lake Ontario tributaries can be intense each year from fall through spring, and maintaining high quality brown trout fishing opportunities relies on anglers releasing a high proportion of their catch.
• Decrease the daily creel limit for rainbow trout/steelhead on Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara River from 3 fish per day to 2 fish per day.
Rationale: Rainbow trout/steelhead provide the primary sportfishery in Lake Ontario’s tributaries from November through the following spring. This potential change is designed to increase numbers and sustainability of rainbow trout/steelhead in the tributary fishery by reducing open lake harvest during periods when Chinook fishing success in the lake declines and more anglers specifically target rainbow trout/steelhead.
Following a review of public comments received and further evaluation this winter, DEC may advance these proposals for formal adoption in 2020. DEC welcomes and encourages feedback on the regulation changes currently under consideration.
To view these and other proposals and provide input, visit DEC’s website (click here). Comments will be accepted through Feb. 28. Comments and questions can also be directed to Steve LaPan, Great Lakes Fisheries Section Head, at: New York State DEC, P.O. Box 292, Cape Vincent, NY 13618.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 January 2019 at 9:36 am
Provided photo: Hank Parker is a popular host of an outdoor show and is a member of three halls of fame for fishing, hunting and the outdoors.
MEDINA – Merle Fredericks has two passions in his life – bowhunting and sharing his love of Jesus Christ.
In 1992 he found a way to combine those passions when he joined Christian Bowhunters of America.
In 2003, he founded a local chapter of Christian Bowhunters of America, called the Bow Bending Believers. He is currently executive director of CBA on the national level and serves as chairman of the CBA board of directors.
In addition, he has chaired the local chapter since its inception. John Curtin of Medina is vice chairman, Fredericks’ wife Mitzi (who is also a bow hunter) is chapter secretary and Jeff Robinson of Lyndonville is treasurer.
It has become customary for several years for the local group to sponsor a dinner with a noted speaker. This year, the 15th annual dinner and seminar will take place Feb. 1 at Oak Orchard Assembly of God, 12111 Ridge Rd., and will feature Hank Parker, host of Hank Parker’s Outdoor Magazine and co-host of Hank Parker’s Flesh and Blood.
There are 400 tickets available. Fredericks anticipates the event will be a sellout. For more information, call Fredericks at (585) 765-2839.
Parker is well-known in the hunting and fishing world. He has a love for bow hunting and has completed the wild turkey Royal Slam and has harvested many Pope and Young whitetail deer and elk. In 2005, Parker and his two sons began televising their hunts. Both his shows are currently airing on the Outdoor Channel.
Over the years, he has been honored by being inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame and the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame. Parker also loves sharing his testimony of what the Lord has done in his life, Fredericks said.
Parker joins a long list of speakers from all over the country, who present an outdoor-themed program and then conclude with a gospel message. These have included Dan Fitzgerald, Charles Alsheimer, Jimmy Sites, Russell Thornberry and the very popular Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the seminar will begin at 7 p.m.
The evening will feature free door prizes, a free ladder tree stand giveaway, free venison smoked sausages and jerky, a taxidermist, Pope and Young scoring booth and raffles.
In addition to the annual dinner, the Bow Bending Believers hosts a youth event in the summer (last year at the YMCA in Medina) to teach kids how to shoot archery equipment; and an annual 3D shoot in late September at the Yates Carlton Sportsmen’s Club in Lyndonville.
Photo by Tom Rivers: A boat heads west on the Erie Canal in Albion on Oct. 5, 2017.
Press Release, NYS Canal Corp.
The New York State Canal Corporation Board of Directors today approved a continued waiver of tolls for recreational vessels through 2021, following two years of toll-free travel that saw increases in canal traffic.
The tolls, $25 to $100 depending on the size of the boat, had been waived in 2017 and 2018 to celebrate the Erie Canal bicentennial and the 100-year anniversary of the New York State Barge Canal, now known as the New York State Canal System.
“We had initially waived the tolls for special occasions, but the increased patronage of the canals is also a cause for celebration,” said Gil C. Quiniones, president and CEO of the New York Power Authority, which oversees the state Canal System. “Come spring, we hope even more boaters will find out why the canals make for a unique experience on the water.”
Tolls will continue to be collected for commercial vessels.
Motorized pleasure boat traffic on the state Canal System increased 3 percent over last year as boaters took advantage of tolls being waived. Such vessels—the most-common type on the canals—were recorded traveling through Canal System locks and lift bridges 71,529 times during the 2018 navigation season, compared to 69,362 lockings in 2017.
The figures account for each time a boat goes through a lock or under a lift bridge, not the actual number of boats. If a boat travels through several locks it would be counted as locking through each time.
In a related move, the New York State Canal Corporation today announced the navigation season dates for recreational vessels for 2019-2021. Each year, the season will begin the Friday of the week before Memorial Day and end the Wednesday after Columbus Day. For example, the 2019 season will run from May 17 to Oct. 16. The dates are in line with the navigation seasons for the last two years.
“We sought to have a more predictable schedule for the thousands of boaters who use the canals,” said Brian U. Stratton, Canal Corporation director. “Announcing the dates now will provide mariners, communities and business interests along the canal corridor with ample advance notice to plan itineraries and events.”
The navigation season is designed to optimize conditions and productivity for critical maintenance and capital work that can only be performed when canals are closed. Traditionally, the canals have been kept open later in the year when very little boating occurred, forcing Canal Corporation employees and contractors to compact work schedules and work in more dangerous conditions.
The new schedule allows for increased productivity, while continuing navigation during periods when the overwhelming majority of boaters have historically used the canals – with the greatest usage between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The Canal Corporation also announced it is reviewing the hours of operation during the navigation season in response to feedback from recreational boaters, vessel operators, and canal businesses. Operating hours for 2019 will be announced in April.
The dates are subject to change based on weather conditions and water levels.
Press Release, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Photo courtesy of DEC: Mandy Baily and her lab Boone are out hunting.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the beginning of a statewide photo contest, “WomenHuntFishNY,” to celebrate women hunters in New York State.
“Women are the fastest growing segment of adult hunters and DEC is excited to provide a forum to share their experiences with others interested in hunting and outdoor recreation in New York State,” said Commissioner Seggos. “Hunting is a proud tradition in New York and we hope this new contest will inspire the next generation of hunters and conservationists to take up the sport and grow the hunting economy in the state.”
Women who hunt in New York State are encouraged to share their photos via the DEC social media Dropbox at socialmedia@dec.ny.gov. DEC welcomes photos of all aspects of safe and ethical hunting, including: preparing to go afield, the act of hunting, after the hunt, and with family members.
The deadline for contest entries is Dec. 31. However, the DEC encourages hunters to share and send photos to the agency any time of year.
Winning entries will be featured in next year’s New York State Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide, and may appear in a future issue of the Conservationist magazine, social media posts, the DEC website, and other outreach.
According to the most recent National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, women make up more than 25 percent of all anglers, a number that has increased over the last several decades. While the proportion of hunters who are women is smaller relative to fishing, the percentage of female hunters has also steadily risen in recent years.
According to DEC records, nearly 50,000 women are licensed to hunt in New York State.
Photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from last week shows a line of tree stumps along the Erie Canal towpath just week of the Brown Street bridge. A year ago, the Canal Corp. cut down trees along the towpath.
ALBANY – The New York State Canal Corporation has announced that work has begun on the latest phase of an embankment maintenance program for the Erie Canal in Monroe and Orleans counties that will enhance the canal’s safety and security.
Crews have begun surveys to mark canal property lines and wetland areas. That will be followed by clearing and brush mowing of the embankment as well as stump removal, packing and grading. That work is scheduled to begin Nov. 26. In some areas, drains will be added and the outboard slope strengthened with stone and filter blankets to capture water seepage. The work is expected to be completed next spring.
“The safety of those who live and work near the Erie Canal is our top priority,” said Brian U. Stratton, Canal Corporation director. “This program can provide property owners with the peace of mind that they deserve.”
The work is being done along the canal from Medina in Orleans County, east to Brockport in Monroe County. It follows the removal last year of vegetation in that area along the embankment, which holds in the water over elevated stretches of the Erie Canal.
Vegetation was removed in accordance with guidance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, Army Corps of Engineers and Association of State Dam Safety Engineers. The consensus among these experts is that trees have no place on embankments, as their root systems can cause seepage and potentially lead to erosion and potential embankment failure that can cause catastrophic damage and loss of life.
Following up on sessions that have been held in Albion and Brockport, the Canal Corporation will hold public meetings early next year to gather input from the public on the final phase of the embankment maintenance program, the best ways to maintain a visual aesthetic along the embankment and to provide property owners with vegetative screening for privacy. The Canal Corporation will soon hire a consultant to provide options for how that can be accomplished without compromising the embankment’s structural integrity.
The embankment surveys are being done by Ravi Engineering and Land Surveying of Rochester. The stump removal, packing and grading will be done by Hohl Industrial of Tonawanda and Tioga Construction of Herkimer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 October 2018 at 8:30 am
File photo by Tom Rivers: The Urger was in Holley on Oct. 6, 2015 for a visit by fourth-graders.
A national preservation organization is shining the spotlight on a 117-year-old tugboat that could be removed from the canal waters and become a dry-dock exhibit at a Thruway rest area in Montgomery County.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation highlighted the Urger in its Fall issue, and deemed the boat “threatened.”
“More than 100,000 schoolchildren have boarded the Urger, and it is considered the unofficial ambassador of the canal system,” National Trust stats in its magazine, Preservation.
The Erie Canal was opened in 1825, nearly 200 years ago. A century ago marked the completion of the Barge Canal, when the Erie was widened.
The Urger visits canal communities and serves as a teaching tug. It is especially popular with fourth-graders who are learning New York State history, and how the Erie Canal turned New York into the Empire State.
“The Preservation League of New York State has expressed concern for the Urger’s fate because it believes turning the tug into a dry-land exhibit will likely require removing parts of its historic fabric and boring holes into its hull,” National Trust said. “The vessel will be dry-socked this winter, and PLNYS hopes the New York Power Authority and NYC Canal Corporation will reconsider their plan to remove it permanently from its historic context.”
Fourth-graders from School No. 2 in Rochester visit the Urger in October 2015. The boat is an ambassador for the state’s canal system.
The New York State Canal System has been designated a National Historic Landmark due to its span, scope, and historic integrity, the Preservation League said.
“The historic vessels related to the NYS Canal System are a significant component of the system’s integrity,” the League said. “The National Historic Landmark designation recognizes the importance of the canal fleet and canal vessels to the New York State Canal System.”
Launched in 1901, the Urger entered canal service in 1921. For more than sixty years she moved barges, dredges, and derrick boats on the Erie and Champlain canals. Retired from heavy work around 1984, she returned to active service in 1991 as an ambassador for New York’s Canal System, calling at ports from New York City to the Canadian border and west to Lake Erie. She was the traveling centerpiece for countless canal festivals and events across the state and hosted over 100,000 students on school field trips during a 25-year period. Listed on the National Register since 2001, she is one of the oldest operable tugboats in the country.
The Preservation League has an online petition for people to send to support keeping the Urger as an active canal vessel. For more information, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 October 2018 at 11:03 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – These fishermen try to catch salmon and trout in the Oak Orchard River this afternoon.
Many of the anglers were participating in the 16th fly fishing tournament at St. Mary’s Archer’s Club. There were 53 participants in the three-day tournament with prizes awarded for the biggest Chinook salmon, brown trout, steelhead and Atlantic salmon. A 25-pound, 5-ounce Chinook salmon led the derby.
The Archer’s Club said there were participants from several states, including New York, Maine, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Ohio and Arizona.
The anglers said the fishing was good, but it hasn’t hit its peak yet because the water is a little too warm. When the temps drop, they said more fish will be in the Oak Orchard River.
Shane Smith helps his son Beckett, 8, try to reel in a Chinook salmon, also known as a King salmon. The fish managed to slip the hook and get away. Smith, who is from near Harrisburg, Pa., has been coming to the Oak Orchard annually for about 30 years. His other son Ben, 13, is at left with the net. Ben was on the leaderboard for five different fish in the three-day tournament.
Even if the fish are elusive, anglers say they enjoy being in the outdoors, especially when a blue heron passes by.
The Oak Orchard River is a popular spot during the fall and also in the early winter.
One fly rod is set down for a break in the action today.
Photos by Tom Rivers: The leaves on the trees at Letchworth State Park are just starting to change colors or reaching midpoint in some areas. The leaves are farther along in northern New York.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 October 2018 at 6:58 pm
Beautiful colors for fall foliage are starting to appear around most of the state, according to I LOVE NY. In Orleans County and Western New York, the leaves are just starting to change, according to I LOVE NY.
Near-peak foliage is expected this weekend in some areas of the Adirondacks, while near-peak colors will emerge in the Thousand Islands-Seaway region and parts of the Catskills, according to observers for I LOVE NY.
In Orleans County, spotters in Albion are expecting 25 percent color change with average shades of gold and red starting to pop, I LOVE NY said in its fall foliage report.
Letchworth State Park in Wyoming County, shown this afternoon, will be a hotspot as the colors change on the trees.
Courtesy of I LOVE NY: This is the NY fall foliage map for week of Oct. 3-9.
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Holley Canal Park is pictured in June. The site includes a gazebo, public bathrooms with showers, boat tie-ups and camp sites.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 October 2018 at 10:40 am
Several canal communities in Orleans County will soon get to work on a waterfront revitalization plan.
The Orleans County Legislature has approved an agreement with NYS Department of State to create the Erie Canal Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan.
The plan will provide a clear direction for suitable future development, reflect a community consensus, and establish a long-term partnership among local governments and the state.
In a resolution last week, the Legislature states, “the Erie Canal was critical to early community settlement and commerce in Orleans County and remains an essential asset for the purposes of economic development, recreation, tourism and cultural heritage.”
The state is providing a $62,000 grant for the plan, while the county contributes $10,000 in cash, and the participating towns and villages pay $10,500. The county Department of Planning and Development will also provide $167 of in-kind services.
The Village of Medina also is working on a Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan and received a $37,500 state grant for the effort. Medina has already formed a committee and hired a consultant, Bergmann Associates.
Medina will have a meeting on Oct. 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Medina High School, 2 Mustang Drive, welcoming the public to discuss how to best utilize the waterfront in the community, including the canal, Oak Orchard River and Glenwood Lake.
The Orleans plan will focus on the villages of Albion and Holley, and towns of Murray, Albion, Gaines, Ridgeway and Shelby.
The county expects to hire a consultant and start work on the plan in early 2019. Ken DeRoller, a county legislator, said the two planning efforts will work together.
There may be less than obvious ways to better capitalize on the canal, such as allowing more siphons for farmers to irrigate crops, DeRoller said.
“We are looking forward to enhancing the use of this asset in our county,” he said.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Madison County Assistant Planning Director Jamie Kowalczk accepts the $1.5 million first place prize in the Reimagine the Canals competition. Madison County proposed the development of “Pocket Neighborhoods” which would be attractive to millennials, families and seniors who want to live in places that are walkable to shopping, restaurants and other amenities. Kowalczk is joined on stage by Gil C. Quiniones (left), who is president and CEO of the New York Power Authority. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul also celebrated the winning proposals today.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 October 2018 at 10:25 pm
State announces winners of Reimagine the Canals contest
ROCHESTER – A reimagined Erie Canal includes an armada of boats passing along the canal carrying people tasting craft beers. The future also will see some of the open spaces and former industrial areas along the canal turned into “pocket neighborhoods,” which are within walking distance to shopping and amenities.
The State Canal Corp. and New York Power Authority today announced the winners of a Reimagine the Canals competition. The two winners were picked from seven finalists and 145 initial entries.
The $2.5 million competition shows the state isn’t content to have the canal be a historical piece, said Gil C. Quiniones, New York Power Authority president and CEO.
“The message from the governor is clear: the canals still matter,” Quiniones said at today’s announcement.
The second-place winners of the Reimagine the Canals competition walk across the stage at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester to accept their award. The Erie Armada team, led by Parks & Trails New York and the event-planning firm Area4 based in New York City will receive $500,000 to implement their proposal. Rory McEvoy, left, is co-founder of Area4 and James Meerdink is project director for Parks & Trails.
The Imagine the Canals competition surpassed its goal of drawing out ideas to better capitalize on the canal system, which Quiniones said is an important asset for economic development, tourism and to support agriculture.
The canal system now falls under the domain of the Power Authority. Quiniones embraced the reimagine competition. NYPA and the Canal Corp. are working on the long-term strategy for the canal, and Quiniones said many of the proposals in the competition may be included in the long-term plan.
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul is greet by Brian Stratton, director of the State Canal Corp.
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said she is optimistic the state will continue to make funding available to help finance some of the initiatives in the Reimagine competition.
The canal, which opened in 1825, was critical in the development of the state and nation. Hochul said the canal did more than move goods.
“It is the flow of ideas,” she said.
Many of the human rights movements, including abolition and women’s suffrage, gained momentum because the canal allowed leaders and residents to promote those ideas.
“It’s the Equal Rights Inspiration Corridor,” she said.
The canal competition put “actionable” ideas for review. The following were the winners:
• Pocket Neighborhoods: The first place entry seeks to build pocket neighborhoods along the Erie Canal and Erie Canalway Trail. Homes would surround a common greenspace and have direct access to the Canal to respond to the growing preference of millennials, families, and seniors to live in a place that is walkable to shopping, restaurants and other amenities.
A pilot project would be built in the Village of Canastota, Madison County, about 25 miles east of Syracuse. The expectation is this project—which would involve a public-private partnership—could be replicated in other communities.
“The pocket neighborhoods project will remind people that the canals are not only a great place to visit but a great place to live,” Quiniones said.
The team, which will receive $1.5 million to further develop its plan, includes the Madison County Planning Department, STREAM Collaborative – an Ithaca architecture and design firm, and Camoin Associates – an economic development consultancy based in Saratoga Springs. The judges cited the project as a model for how land use could be shifted away from the canals’ industrial past to residential and mixed uses.
• Erie Armada: The second winner seeks to create Erie Armada, a multi-day festival and boat race centered on breweries creating human-powered boats that could be made from items common to the industry, such as barrels and beer cans. The race would include parties at the start and end of each 15-mile race that would feature music, local food offerings and craft beverages, including beers created specifically for the armada. The first armada is planned to go between Baldwinsville and Phoenix in Central New York, but other locations are being considered for the future.
Brian Stratton, Canal Corp. director, said the canal is an important asset for the state for tourism, recreation, economic development and agriculture.
The jury commented that the proposal would support new recreation and tourism in the canal corridor and bring a younger audience to the region, while also supporting the local heritage of the canal system. New York was once a leading grower of hops, which were shipped across the nation and abroad via the Erie Canal. The Erie Armada team, led by Parks & Trails New York, event-planning firm Area4 based in New York City and advisor Joe Gustainis of Caledonia, will receive $500,000 to implement their proposal.
New York is home to 400 breweries, up from 95 just six years ago, as well as for the growing number of wineries, distilleries and cideries in the state.
“The canals have long been a source of inspiration and wonder,” said Brian U. Stratton, New York State Canal Corporation director. “The projects that were announced today are poised to make a real difference in how people use and interact with our canals.”
The state announced the Reimagine competition last year. It sought unique ideas to continue to transform the New York State Canal System into an engine of economic activity and a magnet for tourism and recreation.
“With the winners of the Reimagine the Canals competition now selected, we can continue to tap into one of New York’s most underutilized assets and help this statewide resource reach its full potential,” Governor Cuomo said in a statement. “There is no doubt these winning ideas will continue to inspire new, creative ideas that will invigorate the canals and draw visitors to one of our most iconic assets for years to come.”
In all, the competition drew 145 entries from nine states and seven nations, with an international panel of judges—including some of the world’s leading canal experts—narrowing the field to seven finalists.
The competition was held as New York celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Barge Canal—now known as the New York State Canal System—which includes the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Champlain and Oswego canals. The state also continues to mark the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, construction on which began 201 years ago. Next year, will mark the 200th anniversary of the first boat trip taken on the Erie Canal, from Rome to Utica.
John Kast, an Albion fruit and vegetable farmer, was featured in a video promoting using the canal to help irrigate farms. That project was a finalist but wasn’t picked for financing.
Other finalists included:
• Go the Distance: this initiative will look to develop overnight accommodations for recreational users of the canal system. The team includes the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor from Waterford, NY; Gray Slate Partners from Troy, NY; 2K Design from Clifton Park, NY and Dorgan Architecture & Planning from Storrs, Conn.
• Canal Winterlocks: seeks to develop winter-time uses for the Erie Canal, potentially including skating, hockey, winter festivals and cross-country skiing. The team includes Clare Lyster Urbanism and Architecture and John Ronan Architects, both from Chicago and Urban Engineers from Philadelphia.
• Intra-Works: installations of art and sculpture to forge a cultural identity that links up the Canal System. The team includes the architecture and planning firms Collective Studio from New York City and WRT and Interface, both from Philadelphia.
• Western New York Irrigation: this plan will build off the canal’s water infrastructure to expand its irrigation capabilities. The team includes SUNY ESF Professor Stephen Shaw, C&S Companies of Syracuse and the Cornell Cooperative Extension.
• Upstate Archipelago: this team is developing designs for resilient water landscapes that also provide public recreation space and wildlife habitat. The team includes Cornell Design, Ithaca; Cornell Cooperative Extension and H+N+S, a landscape architecture firm based in the Netherlands.
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