the long and winding path

by Dave Harney

Slowly but surely changes are happening to one of the area’s most exciting resources, the fabled Erie Canal. I discovered this recently when my daughter and I began a bike ride at the Port of Pittsford heading west. Lo and behold, at Lock 32, near Clover Street, a whole new path lay ahead of us. Gone were the pavement heaves caused by tree roots and erosion that made the legendary towpath often difficult to navigate for modern day wheels. It had also been fairly narrow and bicyclists often had difficulty riding together. Well, not only was it new blacktop, but the path appeared to have been widened by at least 18 inches. As “Seinfeld”’s Kramer said of Highway Mile 114 he cared for, it was “a two-lane comfort cruise.”

Pieter Smeenk, a Rochester area resident and board member of the NYS Canalway Recreation Commission, says we discovered only a part of what is happening with Monroe County’s section of the trail. He says work will continue on the trail throughout this season. The eastern section, from Lock 32 to Genesee Valley Park, is almost done. The section in the park was rebuilt by the city two years ago, so that will not be re-paved. However, the sections of the county’s portion of the trail from Gates westward will be repaved and possibly widened by the end of the construction season. It is likely that the rehab work will extend to the edge of Monroe County, thinks Smeenk.

All of this is part of New York State’s Canal Revitalization Plan and Governor Pataki’s vision to create an “Erie Canal Greenway.” The New York State Canalway Trail System is comprised of approximately 260 miles of multi-use recreational trails across upstate New York. Major segments are adjacent to the waterways of the Canal or follow remnants of the original canals of the early 1800s. When completed, the Canalway Trail System will provide nearly 500 miles of trails for outdoor recreation enthusiasts. The segments will connect with other trails leading throughout New York State, forming one of the most extensive trail networks in the country. Beyond that, says Smeenk, this network will ultimately be part of a federal area known as the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

Our bike ride was wonderful. No longer did I fear getting a flat tire or breaking something on my bike because of hitting a bump the wrong way. And bikers aren’t the only ones who benefit. We saw several rollerbladers taking advantage of what is possibly the best surface in town for that sport!

So at some point this summer, hop on your manuallypowered wheeled vehicle (or your two feet) and head over to any section of the path between Lock 32 and Adam’s Basin. Take advantage of some of the hard-earned tax dollars you’ve contributed to the state and enjoy a very nice new Rochester resource!