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Governor
Cuomo Announces Finalists for
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$2.5
Million Reimagine the Canals Competition
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Selected
Entries Chosen for Visionary Ideas on Transforming the Canal
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System into
Source of New Economic Development and Increased Tourism
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Seven Finalists
Chosen from 145 Entries from Nine Nations
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Albany,
NY – April 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announces
that seven finalists have been chosen for the $2.5 million Reimagine
the Canals Competition, which seeks innovative ideas to transform the
State’s Canal System as it begins its second century of operations. The
competition, managed by the Canal
Corporation and the New York Power Authority, seeks new approaches
for how to both use the canals as an engine for economic development and
also to become a hub for tourism and recreation.
“This
competition to bring new life into the historic Canal System is occurring
in the same year as the System’s centennial, and it’s clear from the creativity
in these entries that the future for the next century is very bright,”
Governor Cuomo said. “With the contributions from these finalists, our
canals will continue to serve a transformative role in helping the Upstate
economy thrive.”
The
seven finalists were drawn from a field of 145 entries from nine countries
and nine states and were announced today in Syracuse during a celebration
at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Each of the
teams will receive up to $50,000 to further develop their entries for the
next stage.
Gil
C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO, which operates the state Canal System
as a subsidiary, said, “The response to this competition is amazing and
it is clear the judges had some tough choices to make. Picking the final
winners will be just as difficult, but we are confident we’ll have some
great ideas for the Canal System that can be put into action.”
Brian
U. Stratton, Canal Corporation Director said, “These entries embrace the
passion and pride in the Canal System that is prevalent in the 225 communities
it passes through. They honor the heritage of the canals while at the same
time offering bold ideas that can make the canals a vital force in the
upstate economy and give people more reasons to visit.”
Final
submissions will be due in early July. The winners, who will receive between
$250,000 and $1.5 million to plan and implement their projects, are slated
to be announced in the early fall.
The
programs and initiatives are intended to promote the Canal System and its
trails as a tourist destination and recreational asset for New York residents
and visitors; sustainable economic development along the Canal System;
the Canal System’s heritage; and the long-term financial sustainability
of the Canal Corporation. Additionally, the competition sought entries
on two separate tracks, one for infrastructure; the other for programs
that have the potential to increase recreation use and tourism.
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The
finalists are:
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Go
the Distance:
this initiative will look to develop overnight accommodations for recreational
users of the canal system. The team includes the Erie Canalway National
Heritage Corridor from Waterford, NY; Gray Slate Partners from Troy, NY;
2K Design from Clifton Park, NY and Dorgan Architecture & Planning
from Storrs, Conn.
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Canal
Winterlocks: seeks to develop winter-time uses for the Erie Canal,
potentially including skating, hockey, winter festivals and cross-country
skiing. The team includes Clare Lyster Urbanism and Architecture and John
Ronan Architects, both from Chicago and Urban Engineers from Philadelphia.
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Great
Erie Canal Race: a multi-day race for many types of watercraft, with
a component for bikers and hikers. The team, led by Parks and Trails New
York, includes Joe Gustainis from Caledonia, NY and Karthik Namasivayam
from Pittsford, NY, as advisors.
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Intra-Works:
installations of art and sculpture to forge a cultural identity that links
up the Canal System. The team includes the architecture and planning firms
Collective Studio from New York City and WRT and Interface, both from Philadelphia.
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Pocket
Neighborhoods: a model for canal-side neighborhoods that have the Erie
Canal as the core of their identity. The team includes the Madison County
Planning Department and Stream Collaborative, an architecture firm in Ithaca.
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Western
New York Irrigation: this plan will build off the canal’s water infrastructure
to expand its irrigation capabilities. The team includes SUNY ESF Professor
Stephen Shaw, C&S Companies of Syracuse and the Cornell Cooperative
Extension.
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Upstate
Archipelago: this team is developing designs for resilient water landscapes
that also provide public recreation space and wildlife habitat. The team
includes Cornell Design, Ithaca; Cornell Cooperative Extension and H+N+S,
a landscape architecture firm based in the Netherlands.
The New
York State Canal System, formerly known as the Barge Canal, opened on May
15, 1918. To mark the occasion, the Canal Corporation will waive tolls
for the 2018 navigation season, which begins May 15 on the eastern Erie
Canal and May 18 on the rest of the 524-mile system.
For
more information about the competition, go to www.canals.ny.gov/reimaginethecanals.
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