On November 17, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and New York State Canal Corporation announced the beginning of a multiphase effort to enhance the Village of Medina’s connection to the Erie Canal through the Reimagine the Canals initiative. In partnership with local municipal and philanthropic leaders, as well as assistance from regional educational, civic, and cultural institutions, NYPA and the Canal Corporation are pursuing plans to improve the connectivity and access to the canal waterfront and adjacent Erie Canalway Trail through the village. In addition, a series of enhancements through safety upgrades along the trail, new boater and trail amenities, and curated public art installations will encourage boaters, trail users, and other visitors to experience and enjoy the Orleans County community’s canalside business district.
“Our efforts in Medina reflect the goals of the Reimagine the Canals initiative – we are working collaboratively with local stakeholders to enhance and reenergize the Erie Canal so that it remains a vibrant driver of economic activity for decades to come,” said New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “The initial art sculpture unveiled today, and the preliminary ideas being considered to improve the village’s connection to the canal, underscore NYPA and the Canal Corporation’s commitment to leveraging canal infrastructure as a way to encourage year-round visitation to our historic communities.”
The preliminary scope of the multiphase project includes:
•Rehabilitation of the Erie Canal’s northern concrete “highwall” (aqueduct that carries the Erie Canal over Oak Orchard Creek in the village), including safety improvements and increased viewing access of Medina Falls
•Rehabilitation of the Erie Canalway Trail & Empire State Trail from the Horan Road bridge to the Bates Road bridge, leveraging a $411,495 Federal TAP Grant
•A $2.654 million grant secured from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation (RCWJF), through the Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF), poised to establish a vibrant public waterfront park that seamlessly links the gateways at the Medina Lift Bridge and Horan Road bridge to downtown Medina in an accessible loop designed to unify the community around the Erie Canal. Designed by City Architects of New York City, the initiative places a premium on recreational amenities for boaters and trail users, promoting a dynamic public space and enhancing the quality of life for residents.
•An Art Triennial event representing Western New York with support of local municipal leaders, the RCWJF, NYS Council on the Arts, and institutional partners from Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery and the Buffalo AKG.
New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “For generations, Medina thrived as a canal port exporting sandstone to support construction projects around the world, and now this picturesque canalside village is evolving to rediscover itself as an emerging center for arts and culture in Western New York. By initiating the preliminary design work that will guide future projects that aim to improve and rehabilitate our infrastructure, the Canal Corporation is demonstrating its commitment to Medina, and we are building upon a great foundation already laid by the community.”
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Director of Parks & Trails Initiative JJ Tighe said, “The new waterfront promenade will enhance the quality of life for Medina residents and neighboring communities by providing a key connection along the Erie Canal and Empire State Trail, while creating a recreational loop that strings together improved park space and other recreational opportunities. These enhancements provide an exciting opportunity to grow and invigorate tourism and the local economy in Medina and will kick off the next 100 years of the Erie Canal as a recreational asset for communities across the State of New York.”
For the initial public art installation, NYPA and the Canal Corporation brought together students from the Medina High School art program and graduate students from the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Architecture and Planning in a collaborative design effort that allowed young individuals within the community to actively engage in defining the key elements of this new public art piece.
Thanks to a partnership with the Medina Lions Club, the Sydney Gross Memorial was unveiled November 17 during a public reception at Lions Park along the Erie Canal. The memorial is an interactive sculpture composed of 23 precast concrete modules arranged in clusters that create a furniture setting. The arrangement is designed for recreation, reflection, and relaxation for anyone traveling on the canal or trail or as a local resident enjoying the canalside park. The memorial was inspired by and named for Sydney Gross, a UB School of Architecture and Planning student who passed away after a car accident in July 2009. The memorial is the first work of public art to be installed in Medina.
New York State Canal Recreationway Commissioner and Orleans County resident Ken DeRoller said, “The New York Power Authority and Canal Corporation’s Reimagine the Canals initiative continues to expand opportunities to promote and support outdoor recreation and investment not only here in Orleans County, but also across the entire Canal corridor. As communities put together their Local Waterfront Revitalization Plans, which Medina has successfully done, the possibilities are truly endless as we collectively work to ensure the canal waterway continues to support our local economies.”
Planning and design work will continue throughout 2024 with a formal construction schedule to be determined after all approvals are secured with an aim to have an announcement in conjunction with the Erie Canal’s bicentennial in 2025. In addition, the recurring Art Triennial will launch in 2025.
Through the Reimagine the Canals initiative, the New York Power Authority committed $300 million to revitalize the Erie Canal corridor as a tourism and recreation destination while simultaneously boosting economic development and improving the resiliency of canalside communities.
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The Sydney Gross Memorial in Medina. Provided photo
