Phase II of Brockport's Canal Master Plan was ceremoniously begun on June 14. Participating in the ground breaking at Harvester Park were (l to r) County Legislator Wayne Zyra; Darlene Moore representing Assemblyman Charlie Nesbitt; Robert Brooks, Director of the NYS Canal Corp., Brockport Mayor Mary Ann Thorpe; Trustee Norman Knapp; Robert Waters representing Senator George Maziarz; and Trustee James Whipple. The project will stretch from the Main Street bridge to the Park Avenue bridge and includes an amphitheater, benches, lighting and landscaping. Photo by Leisa Strabel.

State to repair south wall

Phase II of Brockport’s canal revitalization plan began June 14 with a ceremonial ground breaking at Harvester Park. In attendance was Robert Brooks, director of the New York State Canal Corporation.

"This is a village board that understands the importance of the canal," Brooks said at the ceremony. "This is a great canal community and it’s only going to get better."

Phase II features improvements to the south canal bank from the Park Avenue bridge to the Main Street bridge. Plans include a small amphitheater, landscaping, park benches, lighting and a paved walkway. The village received a $105,412 grant from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund for the project and will construct it with department of public works labor.

Phase I of the plan, completed two years ago, lies directly across the canal – benches, lighting, landscaping and pavement from Main to Park on the north bank.

Brooks said he deals with 200 communities along the canal, and he ranks Brockport officials in the top five percent for "having the vision and leadership" to revitalize the canal.

Because of Brockport’s commitment to canal improvements, Brooks said, it has received and will likely continue to receive funding from state sources. Brooks also announced that the state will repair the crumbling north wall adjacent to the Main Street bridge next summer.

In addition, Brooks said that next summer will see the completion of canal path paving between Adams Basin and Albion.

Brockport’s canal side Harvester Park has great historical significance, according to Village Historian Bill Andrews. It was on that site in 1846 that the first 100 McCormick reapers were manufactured by the Seymour and Morgan foundry. Cyrus McCormick lived in Brockport for a time before moving on to Chicago.

The reaper is credited with releasing hundreds of thousands of farmers from field work paving the way for the agricultural and industrial revolutions, according to Andrews. "History of global importance was made here in Brockport," he said.

Construction of Phase II will begin in a few weeks. Mayor Mary Ann Thorpe said the village has undertaken canal improvements for both the enjoyment of residents and to capture some of the increasing tourism business on the canal.

"This mayor and the village trustees should be thanked," County Legislator Wayne Zyra, said at the June 14 event. "Because of their perseverance, some of the state’s investment in the canal is coming here."