Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The truss on the west side of the Main Street lift bridge is hoisted this afternoon at about 2:30. The first one was removed with a crane at about 11:45 a.m.

Both trusses have been set on a cradle on the north side of the canal where they will be either rehabilitated or the corroding steel will be taken off and replaced with new high-pressured beams and other steel.

The state Department of Transportation is having a major overhaul of the bridge from 1914. It last received extensive work in the 1980s and has had frequent repairs since then, said Jon Long, engineer in charge for the state DOT.

Editor’s Note: Matt Ballard, a former Orleans County historian, thinks the removal of the bridge today is more likely the first time there hasn’t been a Main Street bridge over the canal since 1859. When the 1914 bridge was built, there also was a temporary bridge in place to allow for some traffic.

Ballard suspects Albion last didn’t have a bridge across Main Street after the bridge collapse on Sept. 28, 1859. That day there were 250 people crowded on the bridge, and five horses. The crowd assembled to watch a tight-rope walker west of the bridge. He took a few steps on the tight rope and then the bridge collapsed, killing 15 people.

Here is how the bridge looked this morning before the trusses were removed. This is looking west from the Ingersoll Street bridge.

Clark Rigging & Rental used a big crane with a 400-ton capacity to lift the trusses, which each weighed an estimated 53,000 pounds.

Here is the scene soon after the second truss was removed this afternoon.

The rebuilt trusses are expected to be put back across the canal in August or September, with additional work on the bridge to follow. The bridge closed to traffic in November for the 18-month rehabilitation project. A similar effort will start in April in Brockport.

The state DOT is paying $28.3 million to contractors for the two projects.

Crane-Hogan Structural Systems of Spencerport is general contractor for the project, with BVR Construction Company in Churchville hired as a subcontractor for the structural steel work on the bridge rehabilitation.

Here are some other photos this afternoon during the removal and lifting of the second truss.

The trusses had to be cut free from the lifting frame at each end of the bridge.

The 115-foot-long truss is lifted over the control tower and wires stretched across the canal.

The lifting of the trusses drew many onlookers throughout the morning and afternoon.

Ken Pettine and Junior LaMartina of Albion missed the first truss in the morning but they camped out in the village parking lot by the canal for about an hour to watch the second truss be removed.

“It’s amazing to see what they do,” Pettine said. “These guys were unbelievable. They know exactly what they are doing.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A 53,000-pound truss from the Main Street lift bridge in Albion was moved to land just north of the canal today.

The much-anticipated project had been delayed by windy conditions in recent days. Today there is barely any wind and Clark Rigging & Rental was able to use a big crane with a 400-ton capacity.

The 115-foot-long truss on the east side rises in the air above the truss on the west side.

Before the truss was picked up by the crane, an employee with BVR Construction Company in Churchville cut the end free on the north side. BVR is doing the structural steel work on the bridge rehabilitation.

The truss is slowly lifted above wires and the tower, to be set on land on the north side of the canal.

The truss is set on a cradle where BVR can more easily work on replacing the bottom steel beam. Most of the diagonal steel beams also will be replaced. The top beam doesn’t need to be replaced and is in good shape because it doesn’t have much exposure to road salt.

Click here for a short YouTube video of the truss being hoisted in the air.

Jon Long, engineer in charge for the state Department of Transportation, said the trusses will be worked on over several months and expected to be reset over the canal in late August or September. At that point they will have new steel on the bottom and most of the diagonal pieces.

BVR will also put in new stringers, a new deck (flooring system) and cross beams and the bridge will be repainted.

Crane-Hogan Structural Systems in Spencerport is the general contractor for the project and will be doing the concrete work on each side of the bridge, as well as ordering the materials for the project.

BVR is a subcontractor doing the structural steel work. O’Connell & Electric will be doing the electrical work, which is primarily with the lifting system.

The 18-month rehabilitation project started in November. The Brockport lift bridge on main Street will be getting a similar overhaul with that bridge expected to close in April. It also will be taken apart and moved offsite on land for most of the repair and replacement work.

DOT staff and many of the workers took videos of the truss being removed at about 11:45 a.m. The other truss is expected to be lifted this afternoon.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – One of the big beams on the Main Street lift bridge is moved to a spot on land, north of the canal in Albion this morning.

The much-anticipated removal of trusses and beams is happening today. Clark Rigging & Rental has a crane in Albion with a 400-ton capacity.  Windy conditions in recent days delayed the truss removal, but today there isn’t much wind so the work is proceeding.

The beams and trusses are expected to be removed by late this afternoon.

The trusses, the long horizontal steel going across the canal, each weigh an estimated 53,000 pounds. This isn’t one of the trusses, but one of the cross beams.

The crane has a 257,000-pound counterweight.

Construction workers cut through the steel to take apart the bridge today.

There is a live stream of the bridge available by clicking here.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A large crane is in place north of the Main Street lift bridge in Albion. The contractor for the project, Crane-Hogan Structural Systems in Spencerport, and the state Department of Transportation are planning for Friday to lift the bridge from its current spot over the canal to land north of the site.

The lift has been delayed due to weather. It was planned for earlier this week.

Crane-Hogan is doing a major rehabilitation of the bridge that was originally built in 1914. The span has been closed since Nov. 14 for a major rehabilitation project expected to last 18 months.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Thrive Foods is looking to make a $3 million upgrade at the Freeze-Dry facility on Route 31 in Albion.

Company looks to invest $3 million in Albion, add 45 jobs

ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature is supporting an application for a $675,000 grant to assist with a $3 million expansion at Freeze-Dry in Albion, a company that was recently acquired by Thrive Foods.

Thrive is looking to invest in new dryers, machinery and other equipment, as part of a plan to expand operations at 111 West Ave., and add 45 employees as part of the first phase of growing in Albion, said Gabrielle Barone, vice president of the Orleans Economic Development Agency.

“This is concerning a wonderful project that I think will make everybody very, very happy,” Barone said during a public hearing on Tuesday about the application.

The county will apply for the grant funding from the state Office of Community Renewal. The Orleans Land Restoration Corporation, which is under the EDA umbrella, will assist the county with the application.

Barone said she is hopeful for a quick turnaround from the state, perhaps in three to four months on whether the funding is approved.

Thrive Foods in early September announced it acquired Freeze-Dry, which operated for the past 20 years in Albion at the former Lipton’s plant. Freeze-Dry Foods specializes in freeze-dried products, including pet treats, proteins and ingredients. The products have a shelf life of up to 25 years because Freeze-Dry eliminates moisture and oxygen, while preserving nutrients, flavor, taste, color and aroma.

Thrive Foods recently expanded into a new facility in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Now the company wants to upgrade the Albion facility.

“Hopefully there will be a need for additional phases to follow,” Barone said at the public hearing.

ALBION – Many people were hoping to see history today with the lifting of the Main Street bridge by crane, and seeing it moved to land north of the canal.

Onlookers will have to wait a little longer because the lift has been pushed back due to the weather today with snow in the forecast.

The state Department of Transportation said the bridge lift will likely be later this week but doesn’t have a set date yet.

Crane-Hogan Structural Systems in Spencerport is general contractor for the project and has brought in a very large crane to move the trusses of the bridge.

The company will be doing a major rehabilitation of the bridge from 1914. The span has been closed since Nov. 14 for a repair project expected to last 18 months.

Provided photo

ALBION – Ron Albertson (center), president of the Albion Lions Club, this evening presented awards to two long-time members, Dennis Smith (left) and Lloyd Wright. Smith has been an active member for 35 years and Wright for 25 years.

The Lions Club also will recognize the Rev. Wilfred Moss for 30 years of service to the club.

Albertson said all three of the long-time members remain active with the Lions, all three “are great community people.”

Wright is the treasurer. He also hauls the trailer carrying the club’s signs, grills and tables.

Smith organizes and oversees the annual geranium sale.

Moss leads the group in prayer at most of their meetings, which are held at the Masonic Lodge on Platt Street.

“He is a wonderful human being,” Albertson said about Moss. “He is very revered among the Lions.”

Albion man was tasked with bringing Howard’s ideas to reality

Photo by Tom Rivers: Mickey Tower, 87, looks over a newspaper section that detailed Christmas Park and the Santa School in Albion. Tower was in his early 20s when Howard hired him as an electrician and carpenter, tasking him with bringing Howard’s ideas into reality.

ALBION – Mickey Tower remains thankful for Charles Howard, the founder and visionary behind a Santa School in Albion and later a Christmas Park.

Tower was 20 when Howard hired him as a carpenter and electrician to be part of a team in building rides and other attractions at Christmas Park at the corner of Phipps Road and Gaines Basin Road in Albion.

Tower, now 87, said Howard was amazingly creative. He cast a vision for how a ride should look, and he told Tower, his brother Arnold Tower and Norman Starkweather to make it happen with no blueprints to go by.

“He had a very big imagination,” Tower recalled. “He wanted to build the world’s biggest apple pie and he did.”

The trio worked there about two months a year for about a decade. Working for Howard helped the three young men gain a reputation locally for challenging construction projects.

Photos courtesy of Orleans County Department of History: Charles Howard in the mid-1950s converted part of his farm into Christmas Park with amusement park rides, a petting zoo and other attractions.

They helped build the track for a train at Christmas Park, a tunnel, wooden snowflakes, wooden icicles hanging down from the roof, the fire place, and many other projects. There was never a slow moment. Howard had short- and long-term projects. Tower recalled the effort in turning a pond on the property into Snowflake Lake.

The fire place is one of the few remaining pieces of Christmas Park. Tower remembers filling Charlie Howard’s car and trailer with stones from Howard’s fields for the fire place.

Tower and his two colleagues would make the pieces for the attractions and exhibits, and set up gears and wires to make many of the parts move and light up.

This photo shows Charles W. Howard with a Santa at Christmas Park in Albion. Howard operated the Park and a school for Santa Claus in Albion until his death on May 1, 1966. He wanted wooden icicles on the school and barn.

He remembered “Santa’s Castle” where Howard told the trio to put a cloth on the ceiling to resemble clouds, and then he wanted flickering lights to look like stars. Howard told them what he wanted, and left them to work out the details.

Tower also remembered Howard buying a “Christmas tree ride” and telling his construction crew he wanted a large metal Christmas tree in the center. The carpenters and electricians were tasked with getting elements of the rides have a magical element – to go up and down with lights. Howard created the park in Albion before Darien Lake and when Disneyland was in its infancy.

Howard opened the Christmas Park at his farm on Sept. 2, 1956. The Santa-themed amusement park welcomed about 80,000 visitors annually.

“People came from all over the world, but the Albion people didn’t patronize like they should have,” Tower said. “It was very entertaining. It was something for your imagination.”

Howard ran the park as executive director until 1964. He died of a heart attack on May 1, 1966.

Tower said the crew was kept busy by Howard. Now, at 87, he regrets he never took photos of the crew in action. This was long before social media when now so much of life, even the mundane, is photographed and shared with others.

“At that time it wasn’t important,” Tower said about taking photos.

Tower recalled when Howard wanted reindeer antlers to be mounted and moving slightly as part of a sleigh for a float in a parade. He left it to Tower and his two buddies to figure out how to make that happen.

“He didn’t like anything fake,” Tower said. “He wanted it to be nice and to look like Santa.”

He remembers going with Howard to Watertown and filling two tractor trailers with amusement rides. Tower and his co-workers needed to get them into shape, and add some of the Christmas features envisioned by Howard.

“He was pleased with what we did,” Tower said. “He told us what he wanted, but didn’t tell us how to do it.”

The crew would transport rides and displays to the State Fair for Howard, and set them up. They did the same for Howard in building exhibits for fruit and muck farms. Howard was respected for telling a story, even about growing onions and apples, in a captivating way.

When Tower, Starkweather and Tower weren’t working for Howard, they built and remodeled houses.

Tower in the mid-1960s got out of the construction business and went to work for 10 years at Wolcott Dairy, and then worked 8 years in maintenance for Bayex in Albion,. He ended his career with Tower Electric.

He said Howard was a one-of-kind visionary whose mind was always racing.

“He had so many ideas,” Tower said.