Canal Corporation extending fall hours of operation

The Canal System will be open for business an additional two hours - from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. - through Sunday, October 15. The extended hours will allow boaters along the 524-mile Canal System to enjoy two additional hours per day of cruising on the historic waterday during the peak fall foliage season in New York. Traditional hours of operation on the Canal System have been from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from September 16 to November 15, when the system generally closes for winter maintenance.

Heavy rains and severe, record flooding forced most of the Canal System to close in late June with a section of the Erie Canal between Lock E-9 and E-11 remaining closed for nearly two months. These closures, combined with high fuel prices and poor weather, has had a detrimental impact on recreational boating on the Canal this summer. Lock E-9 through E-11 reopened on Saturday, August 19 and the entire Canal System is now open to boating traffic.

"We stayed open later in the spring and waived recreational tolls on the Canal System this year in an effort to attract more visitors and help reacquaint New Yorkers with this historic, cultural and recreational treasure that is in their own back yard," Carmella Mantello, director of the Canal Corporation said. "There is still some great boating left in the season, and we want to encourage people to come out and take advantage of all of the wonderful events and attractions along the Canal System this fall."

For news and information about events and attractions along the New York State Canal System, call 1-800-FCANAL4 or visit www.canals.state.ny.us.

September 24, 2006