Couple committed to sustainability taking small boat from Buffalo to New York City

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Richard Scotten explains to Cora Goyette of Medina what “GENNY-DELIGHT” means on his collapsible solar-powered boat. His wife Jennifer graduated from Geneseo State College. They later learned the area was also the home of “Genny” beer. By logging on to the site, viewers can watch a video of their progress.

MEDINA – Cora Goyette of Medina was out for a walk Monday afternoon when she spotted an unusual watercraft docked in the canal basin.

Walking over, she met Richard and Jennifer Scotten of New York City, who are spending the next four weeks traveling the canal from Buffalo to New York City in a collapsible solar-powered boat he built.

After welcoming the couple to Medina, Goyette learned how their trip came about.

Richard, owner of a software company, and Jennifer, a classical singer, had been living in an apartment in New York City when their lease ran out, and they decided to move into their fifth wheel. Recently, after two and one-half years of living in their fifth-wheel, they learned it had to have warranty work, which would take six weeks.

“We had to decide what to do for six weeks,” Richard said. “We had two options. First, was to go to England. Second, we could build a collapsible solar-powered boat and travel the Erie Canal.”

 Cora Goyette of Medina, left, was out for a walk Monday afternoon when she spotted this unique craft docked in the canal. Here, she welcomes Richard and Jennifer Scotten of New York City to Medina. The couple is making a four-week trip down the Erie Canal from Buffalo to New York City.

The couple loves to travel, combining work with pleasure. They have traveled across the United States and Canada, seeing the sights, while pitching their software to new clients and visiting old ones.

“New York is our favorite state,” said Richard, who comes from California. “Last year we spent all summer and fall in New York and loved the Erie Canal. We visited the Canal Museum in Syracuse.”

Richard said they had been interested in boating and he had already done a complete solar re-build of their RV for off-grid camping.

“We call it ‘boondocking,’” he said.

Richard and Jennifer Scotten of New York City are traveling the Erie Canal and living on this small collapsible solar-powered boat he built. Here, it is docked in Medina for the night, covered with the camping tent he retro-fitted to provide privacy.

Richard started building their boat in January, complete with electric motor.

“There is a lot of interest now in electric vehicles, with gas prices rising,” he said. “I thought it would be interesting to build an electric solar-powered boat. I had seen a guy at an RV show selling inflatable boats you could pack up and take with you.”

He already had solar panels from his RV and acquired a bimini (collapsible tubing with attached covering) used as boat canopies.

“I bought two from Amazon and cut them down so I could fit solar panels on top,” Richard explained. “I built all the electronics which tied it all together.”

He also had to construct a steering wheel and throttle, as there is no tail rudder for steering. This also had to collapse at night, like the rear seats in a car, which then becomes the base for the pump-up air bed, Richard told Goyette.

To cover the boat at night, they bought a camping tent, in which Richard cut out the bottom and tailored the tent to fit the boat. An inflatable mattress, non-perishable food and minimal clothing are their luxuries for the next few weeks.

Richard Scotten of New York City kneels by the collapsible solar-powered boat in which he and his wife Jennifer are calling home as they travel the Erie Canal for the next four weeks.

Jennifer said she had wanted to go to London, but Richard convinced her to experience the Erie Canal.

“London would have been easier and more comfortable,” he said. “This trip is much more difficult, complicated and uncomfortable. People had told us the Erie Canal was a death trap.”

Regardless, the Scottens wanted to experience the legendary Erie Canal.

They had dropped their RV off in Indiana for repairs and drove to Buffalo, where they spent five days at a marina, preparing for their trip down the Erie Canal.

They started their journey where Lake Erie funnels into the Niagara River, and the currents and eddies are strong.

“We were told not to do it, but we had no problem,” Richard said.

Jennifer said they plan their “necessary” stops to places along the canal, like Medina, where there are showers and bathroom facilities.

Goyette, who has joined the Medina Triennial as a guide, wasted no time in informing the Scottens where to visit while they were spending the afternoon and evening in Medina.

“Their’s is a great story, given their commitment to a lifestyle of sustainability,” Goyette said. “It’s a great tie-in to our Triennial.”

The Triennial theme for its arts exhibition: “All That Sustains Us.”

Fee for whole season includes dedicated dock space and utilities

Photo by Tom Rivers: This 34-foot-long yacht was in Medina’s Canal Basin over the weekend. Brian Hellner and his son Rollin want to make it available as an Airbnb for short-term overnight rentals.

MEDINA – The Village Board, after months of discussion and research, on Monday evening approved a fee for leasing dock space in the Canal Basin. Medina will be charging $35 per foot for boats to have exclusive access to a dock for the entire canal season.

That $35 a foot also includes utilities – water, electricity and a dump station to pump out sewage.

Medina has two requests to have boats utilized as Airbnbs or short-term overnight rentals for the canal season, which runs until Oct. 14.

Brian Hellner and his son Rollin want to make a 34-foot-long yacht available for rent. At $35 a foot, the fee for dedicated dock space will be $1,190 for the season.

The Erie Floatel, LLC also is seeking a lease for its house boat. That 24-foot-long boat will have to pay $840. The Erie Floatel is operated by Andrew Meier and Svein Lilleby

The Erie Floatel debuted last year as the first short-term rental to be stationed at Medina in the Erie Canal. Last year, the lease agreement was $220 for dedicated space at the south end of the canal, plus $100  for electric and water consumption for the season.

The two boats will be on the eastern end of Medina’s docking area to free up space along the basin wall for transient users. Village Trustee Jeff Wagner said transient users who are visiting Medina can continue to use the docks for free.

Wagner said he was in frequent discussions with the State Canal Corp. about a lease fee and dedicated dock space for long-term users. The Canal Corp. told him there has been a surge in requests to have boats used as short-term rentals on the canal.

The boat owners who want to use them as Airbnbs also need to get a permit from the Canal Corp.

Brian Hellner, owner of the North Star II boat, asked the Village Board to prorate the charge and knock a third off the cost because the canal season started on May 15.

But Wagner said the season is still in the early stages with the whole summer ahead. The board declined Hellner’s request.

Hellner operated a boat ride business from a 20-foot-long pontoon boat in the basin from 2023 to 2025 but is taking a break from that this year. With that business, in 2023 he was charged $125 a month or $625 for the season to have exclusive access to one of the docks.

Peters House considered outstanding example of Queen Anne style architecture

Photos courtesy of Christopher Schmidt: This Queen Anne-style residence on Salt Works Road has been recommended by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation to be included on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

MEDINA – A Medina home in the Queen Anne architectural style has been recommended for inclusion on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

The NYS Board of Historic Preservation met on June 4 and recommended the approval of the Peters House at 4018 Salt Works Rd. in Medina. The Board for Historic Preservation also recommended 19 other properties and districts for State and National Registers of Historic Places.

Constructed circa-1910 by George G. and Anna Peters, the two-story wood-frame residence is considered one of the finest and most intact examples of Queen Anne architecture in Western New York, said Christopher Schmidt, the current owner of the home.

More than a century after its construction, the houses continues to retain an exceptional degree of historic integrity, preserving many of the character-defining features that make the style so recognizable, he said.

“The Peters House is a fine example of the quality and craftsmanship that characterized residential construction during Medina’s period of growth and prosperity in the early twentieth century,” Schmidt said. “Its preservation allows future generations to appreciate both the architectural heritage and community history that helped shape Medina.”

Among the home’s most notable architectural elements are its asymmetrical façade, steeply pitched box gable roof, turret, bay windows, wrap-around porch, second-story porch alcove, overhanging eaves, classical columns, and decorative mix of clapboard siding and patterned shingles.

The residence is about 1 mile from Medina’s urban core. The house retains much of its original interior craftsmanship, including pine floors, wood trim, pocket doors, staircase, four-panel doors with original hardware, and extensive parlor woodwork, he said.

The property was recognized under National Register Criterion C for Architecture, reflecting its significance as a well-preserved example of the Queen Anne style. Despite modest updates over the years, including kitchen and bathroom renovations and porch modifications, the home continues to convey its historic appearance, materials, workmanship, and sense of place.

This photo from 1955 shows the horse racing oval by the property.

Beyond its architectural significance, the property occupies a site connected to an important chapter in Medina’s history. Prior to construction of the residence, portions of the property were part of the Medina Driving Park, a popular horse-racing and recreational venue established in 1871, Schmidt said. The Driving Park served as a social and entertainment center for the community, hosting horse races, bicycle competitions, football games, and other public events that drew visitors from throughout the region.

The listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places recognizes the Peters House as an important cultural and architectural resource. Today, the Peters House stands as an enduring reminder of the village’s rich architectural legacy and the craftsmanship of a bygone era, ensuring that one of Medina’s historic treasures will continue to be appreciated for generations to come.

State and National Register listing can assist owners in revitalizing properties, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits.

“I encourage other owners of historic properties to explore historic designation and celebrate the unique history of their buildings,” Schmidt said. “There are many remarkable properties that deserve similar recognition.”

Once recommendations are approved by Kathy Moser, the commissioner of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the sites will be listed in the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, where they are reviewed by the National Park Service. If approved they will be entered in the National Register.

Some other nearby sites that were recommended on June 4 for the State and National Registers of Historic Places include:

• Cobb’s Hill Historic District in Rochester, Monroe County
• Dunkirk Macaroni and Supply Company Building in Dunkirk, Chautauqua County
• Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank in Lockport, Niagara County
• Bennett Apartments in Buffalo, Erie County
• Gates Manor Apartments in Buffalo, Erie County
• Perry High School in Perry, Wyoming

Photos by Tom Rivers: Visitors of the Medina Triennial on Friday walk in “Reflection,” a piece created by artist Asad Raza of Buffalo. Raza made the 70-foot water channel in the former NAPA Auto Parts building at 345 Main St., which is the Hub for the Medina Triennial. Raza sought to mimic the Erie Canal and urges people to remove their shoes and walk on Reflection and feel the slow current. This is one of 39 works created by artists and featured in the Triennial, which opens today and runs through Sept. 7.

MEDINA – A major arts initiative will open today in Medina and the public is welcome to visit 39 arts installations around the village.

The Medina Triennial is free to visit, and organizers are anticipating 50,000 people will come to Medina during the Triennial’s three-month run. The project’s main sponsors include the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation. Many other sponsors also are supporting the initiative.

It will be a busy weekend of exhibitions, performances, talks, tours, and gatherings with artists, organizers and the Medina community.

Today’s schedule

• 11:30 a.m. – Ribbon-cutting ceremony with public officials, the Medina Triennial team, and artists at the front lawn of the historic Medina High School, 324 Catherine St.

• Noon to 8 p.m. – Exhibitions open at all sites with extended hours

• 1 p.m. – Guidebook launch with designers Other Means, editor Sarah Demeuse, and writer Laura Marris at Medina Triennial Hub, 345 Main St.

• 2 p.m. – Live Work: Faithfully Recording by Lina Lapelytė at Medina Railroad Museum Grounds, 530 West Ave. Faithfully Recording unfolds through a small team of people coming together to sing while constructing a sculpture from fragments of reclaimed Medina sandstone.

• 3:30 p.m. – Curatorial Tour with Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo, co-artistic directors of Medina Triennial. The tour will be at the historic Medina High School, 324 Catherine St.

• 6 p.m. – Undigging with Futurefarmers starts at the Medina Triennial Hub, 345 Main St. The Futurefarmers will start from the the exhibition space of their artwork, 48 Encounters, and then move with props in a dérive: an un-digging of the Erie Canal.

• 8 p.m. – Opening Party at Mile 303 Cantina at 416 Main Street. Celebrate the opening of the Medina Triennial with artists, organizers, and the community. RSVP is required here.

Sunday, June 7

• Noon to 6 p.m. – Exhibitions Open

• 12 p.m. – Richard Ibghy & Marilou Lemmens talk and birdwatching at Rotary Park, 507 Main S. Ibghy and Lemmens will lead an artist talk and birdwatching session in collaboration with Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and the New York State Bluebird Society. Beginning in front of their installation, Community Toolshed for the Birds, the artists will discuss their research into how birds use tools and transmit knowledge across generations, challenging human-centered ideas of intelligence. Afterwards, participants are invited to join the artists and local experts for guided birdwatching in nearby habitats. Binoculars will be provided to participants.

• 2 p.m. – Artist AKI INOMATA and writer Lilia Rocio Taboada will have a conversation at Medina Triennial Hub, 345 Main St., about the artist’s ongoing interest in forms of collaboration across species and environments. The artist’s ongoing project How to Carve a Sculpture, a collaboration with beavers, is on view at the Historic Medina High School.

The “Reflection” piece created by Asad Raza was popular during a preview of the Medina Triennial on Friday. He created a pebbled bottom on the 70-foot-channel that uses water from the Erie Canal. The water will be pumped out and replaced each week.

“There is something intimate and real about walking in flowing water,” Raza said.

Raza, a Buffalo resident, has been in other biennials or triennials in New York City, Cleveland and Pakistan.

He urges local residents to go see all the arts installations and they will discover a deeper appreciation for Medina.

“The Triennial gives people in an area a reason to explore their own community and see it from the eyes of an artist,” he said.

Mary Mattingly greets people who are ready to explore the “Floating Garden.” She repurposed a 30-by-80-foot industrial barge into a vessel with plants, fruit trees, herbs and vegetables. The public is welcome to forage from the plants throughout the summer.

People explore the old barge that Mattingly has repurposed into one filled with plants. Mattingly said she wants people to think about the canal as a potential food way where more fruits and vegetables could be grown for the local community. Some of the plants on the barge were shared by residents of Medina, who dug them out of their yards.

Mattingly started working on site last September and spent three months in Medina. She is one of five artists working on projects in residency as part of the Triennial.

Kari Conte, left, and Karin Laansoo are co-curators of the Medina Triennial, which has a theme, “All That Sustains Us.” They are shown inside the Triennial Hub building, greeting about 50 visitors who attended a preview tour.

Laansoo said she thinks Medina is the first smaller village to host a triennial arts project. The events are typically in large cities.

Medina was picked to host the Triennial of contemporary art partly due to its location between Rochester and Buffalo, and mainly because Medina is viewed as a model community that embraces its historic resources while welcoming offering a vibrant downtown and strong agricultural and manufacturing resources.

Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo welcome the visitors – media members and many arts professionals and partners in the Triennial.

Conte writes in a guidebook about the Triennial that Medina is the perfect place for the initiative.

“The Triennial was an ambitious idea from the start: an international contemporary art triennial in a rural, post-industrial canal village between Buffalo and Rochester, with a population of 6,000, a limited art infrastructure, and no regional precedent at this scale,” Conte writes. “However, Medina offered something more important. It had a historic Main Street with preserved sandstone buildings, a working canal, orchards and farms, and a hundred-year-old, light-filled former high school that seemed built for an exhibition. Above all, it had a community—good neighbors—that had been quietly tending these places for generations.”

Jean Shin, an artist who works out of New York City and the Hudson Valley, has given a new purpose to more than 400 trophies on display in the gymnasium of the old Medina High School. Instead of celebrating athletic achievements, Shin now has the trophies paying homage to everyday professions: caregivers, food service employees, postal carriers, sanitary workers and others whose labor is often unappreciated.

Shin’s trophy collection was first presented in 2009. Her installations use discarded materials – pill bottles, bottle caps, old shoes, worn garments, outdated phones and broken records – which are then used for new material explorations.

Shin is one of about 30 artists with work on display in the old high school.

Selva Aparicio, a native of Spain, created this piece called “Maintenance” that features a sculpture carved from anthracite coal, steel rail fragments and a railway sleeper.

This broom was inspired when Aparicio visited the Medina Railroad Museum and learned about a set of four brooms from more than a century ago that were found between the walls of the museum, a former freight house. The brooms were discarded when they were no longer usable.

Aparicio created the broom out of coal to recognize the workers who used them. The broom is at the railroad museum.

Erica Wanecski of Medina is a tour guide for the Triennial and she showed people the broom on Friday. Wanecski said she has enjoyed meeting many of the artists at the Triennial.

“The people who come up with this kind of art are deep thinkers,” she said. “She was able to use an everyday broom to highlight the labor. The artists are trying to integrate the history of our community. It’s so cool.”

MEDINA – Today is shaping up to be a banner day at the Canal Village Farmers’ Market.

Taking place in its summer home at the corner of West Center and West Avenue, the market today will have several special features, according to market manger Gail Miller.

For the first time, there will be a food demo from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., featuring Chef Caitlin from Shelridge Country Club. She will be making a dish from local seasonal vegetables and fruit. She has previously appeared in “Chopped” on the Food Network on TV.

A new crafter who does watercolor cards will debut at the market, and Greenlief’s on the Go will be on site with a food truck

“We are very excited to have Oakfield Artisanal Cheese at the market for the first time,” Miller said. “It is very nice cheese.”

Another feature will be music by Steve Novak.

“The market will be full,” Miller said.

Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – A group of artists met on Thursday at Nola’s Gaming & Crafting Café in Medina to display artwork this month.

The group, the Medina Art Initiative, formed to promote local artists and to piggyback on the visitors who will be in the area for the Medina Triennial. That arts initiative opens on Saturday and runs through Sept. 7 and is expected to bring 50,000 people to the community to see work from 39 artists from many countries.

Pictured from left at Nola’s include Rosie Patronski, Arthur Barnes, Patrica Greene, Amirah Hicks, Kira Sinclair, Shirley Nigro and Amy Mayne.

Additional artists with work that will be featured include Mike O’Keefe, Ninandre Bogue, Amy Belotti, Terry lake, Angela Udell and Rhonda Parker.

“We want to make the most of the opportunity we have with people coming into Medina who love art,” said Mayne, who is leader of the local group. “We want to share it.”

Mayne created a large oil painting, 4 by 3 feet, of her family’s cat named Calico. That cat was orphaned and in rough shape when it was rescued by the Mayne family.

“She was ugly and sickly,” Mayne said. “But then she turned into a sumptuously coated cat. She has never met someone she didn’t like.”

Mayne said the painting has a message that everyone has intrinsic value and shouldn’t be cast aside even when things may be going rough.

The art show features about 30 pieces altogether. It will be on display until July 5 at Nola’s, 525 Main St.

That business is a creative location that works as an ideal spot to display artwork, the artists said.

Steven Sones, co-owner of Nola’s, said he is pleased to welcome the local artists and also is excited about the Medina Triennial.

“Anything that brings people to Medina is a good thing,” he said.

The Medina Art Initiative will see how the first art show goes before looking at their next venture. Some of the artists said they hope it is a springboard for more shows and arts programs in the community.

Photos and information courtesy of Medina Marching Band

The Medina Mustang Marching Band traveled to Hershey, Pa. on May 29-31 for their annual spring trip and competition.

On Friday they visited Zoo America which covers 11 acres and home to 75 species and 200 animals.

On Saturday they were engaged in competitions.  Marching Band and A’Cappella won their classes.

The marching band won best overall in parade band. Adler Class won the high school student accompanist award.

Provided photo: Volunteers join students with disabilities as they parade in the Special Tracks event Thursday at Wise Intermediate School.

MEDINA – The 2026 Special Tracks event took place at Wise Intermediate School on Thursday afternoon, with 49 kids signing up to participate.

Special Tracks for children with disabilities has taken place in Medina since 2006, with the exception of 2020 because of Covid restrictions.

Mary Lou Tuohey, whose daughter Nicole was born with Triple X Syndrone, first learned about Special Tracks when Nicole attended Summit Educational School in Amherst.

“They did Special Tracks there, but there was nothing like that here then for special education kids. I talked to the school here, but they said they couldn’t afford it,” Tuohey said. “Then the PTSA stepped in and did fund-raising for the event.”

Now Debbie Tompkins, secretary at the High School, funds it, Tuohey said.

Travis Phillips and Alex DiLaura now coordinate the event, and Tuohey supports it in the background, she said.

Tuohey said participation in Special Tracks has steadily increased. Students get to choose three events in which to take part. Choices are 40-, 60- and 100-meter runs, softball throw, distance kick, standing and running long jump and relay race. Favorite events are the 40-meter run, distance kick and softball throw, Tuohey said.

Each student gets a ribbon for each event in which they participate, a medal and certificate with their name, event and date on it. Participants also get a cookie from Hans’s Bakery and free pizza.

Buddy volunteers are sought for each child.

“It’s a lot of fun to see the kids’ faces when they compete,” Tuohey said. “Even if they don’t win, they get a ribbon and a T-shirt which reads, ‘Special Tracks’”. They get so excited.”

Originally, Special Tracks was managed by Pam Maryjanowski, retired gym teacher at Medina Central School. Maryjanowski has always had an interest in children and adults with special needs. Early in her career, she was instrumental in getting sleds built by inmates at the prison for sled hockey participants. She also ran the Special Olympics for a number of years. She just returned from Nassau County where she attended their physical challenge games. She directed the special games at Brockport for 14 years. As a graduate student, it was her job to organize the games at Brockport, she said.

Maryjanowski retired from the Medina School System six years ago, but continues to support games for the physically challenged.

“I’m happy to see Special Tracks still going,” she said. “I am thrilled there are still people willing to organize and recruit volunteers for this program.”

Provided photo: The Mini Mustang Marching Band was formed to allow fifth- and sixth-graders to become familiar with marching band before they become eligible to join the Mustang Marching Band in seventh grade. They are shown by the Olde Pickle Factory before the Memorial Day parade a week ago.

MEDINA – A new group of musicians has joined the band program at Medina High School – the Mini Mustang Marching Band.

Two music teachers – Andrea Busch, music teacher at Oak Orchard School, and Kyla Leno-Denise, assistant band director at the Junior-Senior High School – worked together to start the Mini Mustang Marching Band this year.

“Kyla and I wanted to find a way to get young students excited about marching band,” Busch said. “This gives them the opportunity to try it out before they are eligible to join the Mustang Marching Band in seventh grade.”

She said fifth and sixth grade students were invited to join, and 24 signed up.

“We didn’t know what to expect, this being the first year,” Busch said. “We are hopeful more will become involved next year.”

The Mini Band has already performed for their parents on a special preview night and in Medina’s Memorial Day Parade. Parents are also welcome to come to rehearsals to see what students do. They will perform again at Oak Orchard Elementary School and Wise Junior High on Flag Day.

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Mini Mustang Marching Band heads down main Street and gets ready to make the turn on East Center Street during the Memorial Day parade.

The Mini and regular Mustang Marching Band got to perform their spring shows for each other during warmup for the Memorial Day Parade.

“It was a wonderful moment to see the high school students supporting the younger students, and then to see the younger students in awe of the older students,” Busch said. “We hope this helps build excitement in our music program and encourage more kids to join the Mustang Marching Band when they are finally old enough.”

“They are not a competitive group,” Busch said of the Mini Marching Band. “This just gives them a platform to have fun and perform before a crowd before joining a competitive group.”

The Mini Marching Band students practice from 5 to 6 p.m. two nights a week. Many have already signed up for fall marching band, Busch said.

“Kyla and I are so proud of the students,” Busch said. “We really are excited about their bright future with the regular Mustang Marching Band.”

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Jim Hancock helps Barb Gorham ready the Tourism Visitors’ Center for its season opening on Tuesday. The booth is now open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays until Labor Day, after which it will be open on Saturdays through September.

MEDINA – The Medina Tourism Committee is anticipating a record-breaking visitors’ season this summer, as they open the Visitors’ Center in Rotary Park.

Jim Hancock, chair of the Tourism Committee, and Barb Gorham who oversees volunteers for the Visitors’ Center, officially opened the booth for the season on Tuesday. Assisting them were Dawn Borchert, Orleans County Tourism director; Isabella Zasa, Tourism assistant; and Maureen Sanderson, tourism booth volunteer.

Medina’s Tourist Visitors’ Center in Rotary Park opened for the season on Tuesday. Tourist personnel on hand to help with the opening are, from left, Jim Hancock, chair of the Medina Tourism Committee; Barb Gorham, who oversees volunteers for the season; Dawn Borchert, Orleans County Tourism director; Isabella Zasa, tourism assistant; and Maureen Sanderson, volunteer.

Tourism is on schedule to have one of the busiest seasons in Medina this summer, with the return of 650 cyclists in July and the first-of-its-kind event in a small town – the Medina Triennial. The Triennial itself is predicted to bring 50,000 people to Medina from June 6 though Labor Day.

Hancock said they have 16 volunteers signed up for the season, but still welcome anyone who would like to become a volunteer.

“We can always use substitutes,” Gorham said.

This summer, the Arc GLOW is sending volunteers under the guidance of Tracey Hendrick with Arc’s Pre-Vocational Program and Terry Kingdollar with a Self-Advocacy group.

“This is a wonderful way for them to get volunteer experience and gain social and leadership skills,” Gorham said.

Gorham started as a volunteer five years ago, and last year offered to take over scheduling volunteers.

“I was surprised how many people come here, not only from all over the United States, but the world,” Gorham said. “We have had people from Argentina, France, England and Australia, as well as other countries.”

Maureen Sanderson is one of the dedicated volunteers.

“I love meeting people,” she said. “They always have an interesting story to tell.”

The Visitors’ Center first began in 2009, when they shared space with United Way on Main Street, then were located at City Hall for a time. Their move to Rotary Park came about after Tourism got permission from the village to use the Santa House as a Visitors’ Center during the summer.

The move proved to be a popular one, with hundreds of tourists visiting the site each year. Last year, 328 visitors signed the book, and there were many more who did not.

Volunteers work three-hour shifts, either from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday until Labor Day.

Last year, for the first time, the booth stayed open on Saturdays during September, and that proved very successful, Hancock said.

“We will do that again this year,” he said.

Dawn Borchert, Orleans County Tourism director, and Jim Hancock, chair of Medina’s Tourism Committee, compare notes while assisting with the opening of the Tourism Visitors’ Center in Rotary Park on Tuesday.

Arts initiative expected to bring 50,000 visitors from June 6 to Sept. 7

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Quincey Miracle, co-artistic director of the Triennial, works on a model of the Erie Canal, titled “Diversion”, in the Triennial Hub headquarters, located in the former NAPA building at the foot of Main Street. When complete, it will be filled with filtered water from the canal.

MEDINA – There’s been a buzz in the air around Medina for the past year, and it centers around what is being called “The Medina Triennial,” which the nation’s premier art publications Art in America and ARTnews have featured as one of the best art events to visit in the country this summer.

In the fall of 2025, the Triennial was announced and the former NAPA building on North Main Street was identified as the Medina Triennial Hub. Headquartered there is Federico Rosario, community engagement and program coordinator for the Triennial, and in the back space is a giant project in the works called “Diversion.” It is a replica of the Erie Canal with filtered water from the canal, in which people may walk.

Sculptors Tim Noble and Trevor Gross from the University of Buffalo are collaborating with James Beckett on this exhibit on digital quarrying on the lawn of Mustang City (former Medina High School).

In spite of many articles on the Triennial, many people are still asking, “Just what is this Triennial?”

Basically, it is an initiative of the New York Power Authority and Canal Corporation who was looking for a way to re-imagine the canal by creating a contemporary arts event with a triennial structure which would tie in with the canal’s 200th anniversary, according to Lielle Berman, Sustainability Project Manager at the New York Power Authority.

The inaugural 2026 Triennial is titled “All that Sustains Us,” and features more than 100 artworks across 10 sites in Medina, curated by Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo. Sites include Rotary Park, State Street Park, Mustang City (the old Medina High School), Medina Railroad Museum, Triennial Hub (former NAPA Auto Parts), floating barge in the Erie Canal basin, YMCA, Sacred Heart Church, Medina Memorial Hospital and Medina Theater.

At its core, the Triennial asks, “What essential efforts and commitments are required to sustain life in our fractured world?”

Of course, “triennial” means three, and the Medina Triennial, the first of its kind in the United States in a small town, will return every three years for two more times. Previous triennials in the nation were held in Boston, New Orleans and St. Louis.

One question on everyone’s mind is, “Why was Medina chosen?”

Berman’s answer was, “Medina is the widest part of the canal’s 363 miles. It has the only aqueduct, Medina Falls and the culvert. This is a very rich spot,” she said. “Medina is going through a renaissance, with culinary arts and community events.”

Conte explained the curatorial approach grew from close attention to Medina’s landscape and material culture – its historic sandstone, canal infrastructure and agricultural traditions. She added her experience with the village has been extraordinary.

The event is drawing international interest. Thirty-nine artists from around the world were invited to participate in Medina’s Triennial, and only two declined.

“That is incredible,” Conte said.

While several participating artists are from across the globe, some are from Western New York, Toronto and Detroit. A participating artist from Ireland is showing her work in America for the first time.

Some of the Triennial’s highlights are Mary Mattingly’s “Floating Garden,” a barge-based living artwork in the canal; James Beckett, who is working on “digital quarrying” of Medina sandstone; Selva Aparicio, whose residency is in collaboration with Medina Railroad Museum; and Michael Wang, who is researching maple sap production in the region.

Working at the Railroad Museum is Lina Lapelyte, who recently won the Golden Lion Award, the highest prize given in the Venice Biennale. Her workers are constructing a Medina sandstone walkway and singing while they work. Their performances at 2 p.m. on Saturdays are tentatively scheduled to air on Medina’s downtown speakers.

“So much of this is behind the scenes,” Conte said. “The artists are coming to Medina because they want to show their work here. This is first and foremost about art.”

At Medina High School, Beckett’s project is dominating the front lawn. There, he is collaborating with Tim Noble and Trevor Gross from the University of Buffalo in building a sculptural wall, using limestone slabs sandwiched with a top layer of Medina sandstone. All the material is reclaimed building pieces from across Western New York, Noble said. Its total weight is in excess of 60,000 pounds.

The Triennial officially opens to the public on June 6 and will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Regular hours throughout the summer will be from noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays to Sept. 7. Programs, maps and other information on the Triennial will be available to visitors at the Triennial Hub on North Main Street.

Mary Mattingly walks away from the barge in the canal basin, which she is transforming into a floating garden.

Press Release, Orleans Renaissance Group

Dave Viterna Group, Eric Weinholtz Band, The Growlers Blues Band will be performing at State Street Park in Medina as part of the Blue Thursdays concert series.

MEDINA – Blue Thursdays, the highly anticipated summer music series in Medina, is returning in 2026 with a lineup– six of the top blues bands from Buffalo and Western New York, featuring nationally touring musicians.

The free summer blues concerts take place Thursday evenings, June 18 through August 6 at the State Street Park Pavilion in Medina. The event attracts between 600 to 1,000 each week.

The Print Shop of Medina partners with the ORG/Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc./medinaalive.com in producing the series, booking and coordinating top blues talent from the Buffalo/Niagara region.

As before, this year’s slate of bands feature a mix of returning Blue Thursdays favorites along with bands not previously seen at Blue Thursdays.

The artists booked for the event are highly acclaimed, award-winning blues bands from the Buffalo/ Niagara area, many of whom have toured nationally.

“We’re committed to bringing top-tier, exceptional talent that people would otherwise not have had the opportunity to experience locally,” said Chris Busch of ORG/medinaalive.com. “Many of these artists are hall-of-famers, nationally acclaimed, and award-winning musicians, songwriters, and recording artists. They’ve been performing alongside some of the biggest names in the industry for decades, and we’re thrilled to bring such high-caliber bands to Medina.”

June 18: Opening Night – Dave Viterna with the Dave Viterna Group. Performing since 1979, legendary guitarist and recording artist Dave Viterna and DVG have been defining the WNY band scene for decades! DVG brings a high-energy performance, soulful vocals, skilled guitar work, and a mix of originals and classic rock covers! Always drawing one of the biggest crowds of the series, the hometown boys Dave, Scooter and Marty know how to kick it off with a bang!

June 25: Growlers Blues Band – recognized as a top band in Buffalo, awarded “best traditional blues band” and “best cross over band. The Growlers Blues Band are hotter than ever– headlined and opened for several national acts at The Tralf, including contemporary blues masters Brandon Santini and Watermelon Slim. The band has performed at the Red White and Blues Festival, The Crossroads Festival, The Blues and Roots Festival at Riverworks.

Grosh, Miller and The Other Sinners, Pat Harrington Trio will be performing as well in ths year’s concert series.

July 9: Miller and The Other Sinners – nationally touring band from Buffalo and a staple at Buffalo’s Sportsmen’s Tavern, bringing a blend of gut bucket delta grit, Memphis soul, and funky rhythm and blues. David Michael Miller, founder, lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter has shared the stage with artists such as Tedeschi Trucks Band, Joe Bonamassa, Gary Clark Jr., Jimmie Vaughan and others.

Miller represented the WNY Blues Society in 2013 and 2014 at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in both the Band and Solo/Duo categories. In 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, he was presented with the best Male Blues Vocalist Award by Buffalo’s Night Life Magazine and in 2015 was presented with the Arts Services Institute award for “Artist of the Year.”

July 16: Pat Harrington Trio – featuring Pat Harrington, lead guitarist with Grammy Nominated and Multi-Blues Music Award winning band Victor Wainwright & The Train as well as several other of the Blues world’s most notable names. Pat blends rock, jazz, and blues with “smoke-soaked solos” with improvisational fluency and high-octane blues. He has performed with artists including Bobby Whitlock and Gary Clark Jr. and has become a part of the national conversation as one of the most inspiring, versatile and distinctive players in the American Roots music genre today. The Trio features Owen Eichensehr (drums) and Paul L. Yates (bass). A BT favorite band!

July 23: Eric Weinholtz Band – Guitarist and recording artist Eric Weinholtz is described as one of the most talented musicians in Western New York. After releasing his first album, Same Old Mistakes, in March 2026, Eric won the prestigious 2025 Buffalo Music Hall of Fame Yellen Songwriter Award for his song “Louisiana.” The band features a stand out lineup of some of WNY’s top musicians – Ed Croft, Nelson Rivera, Jason Moynihan, Tina Williams.

August 6: Grand Finale – Grosh – Back by popular demand– featuring the phenomenal award-winning guitarist, songwriter & recording artist, Grace Lougen. Described as “a force to be reckoned with”, power vocalist Megan Brown, guitarist Grace Lougen, bassist Dylan Hund, and drummer Josh English, bring tight musicianship, powerful vocals, and a “classic rock” sound for an electrifying performance experience.

Voted “Best Original Band 2024” (Grosh) and “Buffalo’s Best Blues Guitarist 2023” by Buffalo Night-Life Music Awards. Recognized by regional media and embraced by fans across the Northeast, GROSH continues to expand their touring reach and strengthen their presence as one of the region’s most compelling original rock acts.

All shows will feature professional sound provided by Curly Pfalzer of Pro Sound and Lighting.

The concerts are free and open to the public. Shows run from 6 to 8 p.m. A variety of food and beverages will be available on site. Food vendors include Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza, Greenlief’s On The Go, Hazel and Honey Bakes, Nana & Papa’s, Big Dan’s Smokin’ Barbeque, and LuGia’s Ice Cream (1 day). Beverage vendors include Northridge Distillery and Schulze Vineyard & Winery.

“We recommend arriving by 5:30 or earlier to secure a good spot on the lawn and enjoy some of the many great food vendors we’ve booked,” said Mike Fuller of The Print Shop. “Kick off your weekend on Thursdays at BT– great food, drinks, chill vibe, family friendly and the best blues music in WNY! BT is the must see event of the summer!”

There are no rain dates. Event updates, any cancellations and venue information will be posted at ‘Blue Thursdays Medina’ Facebook page.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The flags are raised at State Street Park in Medina for a Memorial Day ceremony that started at noon. The flags were raised while the national anthem was played by the Medina Marching Band.

The ceremony is held by the World War I cannon at State Street Park.

The crowd stood at attention while the anthem was played.

The parade procession heads down East Center Street where American flags and Hometown Hero banners lined the street.

The Honor Guard provided a dignified presence at the ceremony and also did a gun salute.

Jim Freas served as the emcee of the service in Medina. The names of Medina veterans who have passed since last Memorial Day were read during the service.

Bill Morgan, a member of the American Legion and VFW, marched with a group of veterans in the parade, which started at the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue and went to State Street Park.

Carmen Stalker, drum major or the Medina Marching Band, leads the group down East Center Street.

The Medina Marching Band played patriotic music during the procession.

The marching band passes by the VFW on East Center Street.

The Medina Lions Club celebrated scholarship winners, Lilah Class (left) and Mackenzie Sword.

Jarred Saj carries the American flag in the parade.

Medina’s new Mini Mustang Band made its debut during the parade. The band includes students in grades 5, 6 and is co-led by teachers, Kyla Leno-Denise and Andrea Busch (in front behind banner).

Dave Sevenski marched with the Knights of Columbus and passed out treats along the route.

A big contingent from Medina youth sports teams marched down Main Street.

Rollin Hellner, owner of The Walsh, drove a vintage fire truck in the parade.

Vendors welcome for flea market at Olde Pickle Factory

Photo by Ginny Kropf: From left, Medina Lions Jason Cogovan, Jim Hancock and Pete Kaiser pose with the sign at the Olde Picke Factory advertising their chicken barbecue, community yard sale and flea market on June 6.

MEDINA – The Medina Lions’ annual Community Yard Sale first kicked off summer events in Medina more than 20 years ago on the first Saturday in June. The addition of a flea market and chicken barbecue at the Olde Picke Factory have made it a popular attraction which grows in popularity every year.

This year’s event on Saturday is co-chaired by Pete Kaiser and Jim Hancock, with help from Jason Cogovan, Randy Reese, Dave Bellucci, and Chris and Julie Keller.

Kaiser has the added distinction of being “Weiner Man,” a title earned by loading a grill on his pickup truck and driving throughout the village during the yard sale selling hot dogs. The theory behind the “Weinermobile” is that shoppers don’t want to leave the multiple yard sales which dot the village streets just to get lunch. It is much more convenient to run to the curb and grab a hotdog, so as not to miss a big bargain.

The flea market annually brings up to 40 vendors who set up on the grounds of the Olde Pickle Factory. Anyone still wishing to reserve a spot may do so by contacting Randy Reese at (716) 471-0524.

The popular chicken barbecue by Chiavetta’s will again be served, beginning at 11 a.m. until sold out. Tickets may be reserved in advance by calling Jim Hancock at (585) 798-2118.

Proceeds from the event are used by Medina Lions for projects to support the community.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Kylee McMullen and her brother Kole McMullen clean a Medina school bus on Thursday as part of annual Medina Jr/Sr High School “Mustangs Make an IMPACT Day.”

There were 160 students from grades 7 to 12 involved in more than 30 service projects at the school and community.

Jeff Dole, a Medina math teacher, and Chad Kowalik, a special education teacher, joined the students in washing  buses. The students in the group included Kylee and Kole McMullen, Brandon LeBron and Kam Lewandowski.

The students and teachers gathered for a group photo in the gym before dispersing on their assignments. The students had the option of volunteering for projects or taking a half day of school and going home for the second part of the day.

This group cleaned up at the Canal Village Farmers’ Market at the corner of West Center Street and West Avenue. Gail Miller, the market manager, holds a large garbage bag at right and teacher Kayla Rosenbeck and is holding a garbage bag in back.

The students helping include, from left, Ashley Brown, Lily Eggleston, Kendra Anderson and Avery Twitchell. Bonnie Lotz, a teacher aide, is in back at left.

Ashley Brown said she enjoyed shoveling the old leaves and pulling weeds rather than in class.

“It’s relaxing,” she said. “You’re outside and you’re getting some Vitamin D.”

Orleans County Historian Catherine Cooper shows this group of students the Medina Historical Society, including the dining room. Cooper pointed out the ingenuity of people from before electricity was common in homes. That cleverness was needed in baking food, cleaning clothes and doing many household tasks.

Alex Wilson, a senior, adds dirt around a grave at Boxwood Cemetery. He teamed up with Xavier Moyer and Chris Bissell to carry buckets of dirt to many of the gravesites, and then spread the dirt around. Many of the sites had dirt eroded away from the headstones.

Xavier Moyer works on spreading out dirt at gravesites.

Alyssa Johnston, left, and Natalie Herbert clean headstones at Boxwood. They scraped off moss and biological contaminants, then washed the stone and added D-2 cleaner which should have the gravestone looking very clean in about two weeks.

“I like helping out and cleaning up,” Johnston said. “It’s very satisfying.”

Savannah Jo Thompson and Brylee Christiaansen work on cleaning a headstone. Jenna Cecchini is in back. There were 13 students total doing projects at the cemetery.