For Immediate Release:
06/30/17
Contact:
Steven Gosset
| Steven.Gosset@nypa.gov
Media Realations | (914) 390-8192
CANAL CORPORATION ANNOUNCES EXTENDED LOCK HOURS IN OSWEGO
ALBANY—The New York State Canal Corporation today announced that locks in the Oswego region will have extended hours over the Independence Day, Harborfest, and Labor Day weekends. This will enable boaters cruising in the area, or visiting local attractions, to safely travel to and from waterfront destinations by boat.
Oswego Canal locks O-5 through O-8 are normally open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, but will be open until 10 p.m. daily over the Independence Day and Labor Day weekends and for Harborfest, an annual celebration that usually brings about 100,000 people to the Oswego area. The locks will stay open until midnight on July 2 and July 29 for fireworks displays.
In recognition of the 200th anniversary of the groundbreaking for the Erie Canal, there are no fees for recreational vessels using the Canal System in 2017.
“We are pleased to support and enhance the economic activity generated by our Canal System in Oswego and the surrounding communities,” said Brian U. Stratton, Canal Corporation Director. “Providing these additional hours of operation will help area boaters return safely to their marinas or home docks in the evening.”
Oswego Mayor William J. Barlow said, “We can’t thank Governor Cuomo and the Canal Corporation enough for their continued commitment to ensuring that communities like Oswego can grow and prosper. These extended hours will be critically important in allowing local and visiting boaters increased access to Oswego’s thriving businesses and attractions.”
The extended hours of operation at Locks O-5 through O-8 are as follows:
Independence Day Weekend Saturday, July 1 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday, July 2* 7 am - Midnight Monday, July 3 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Tuesday, July 4 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Harborfest Weekend Friday, July 28 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday, July 29* 7 a.m. - midnight Sunday, July 30 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Labor Day Weekend September 1 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. September 2 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. September 3 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. September 4 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. *denotes fireworks display, lock hours extended to midnightFor more information, go to www.canals.ny.gov
About the New York State Canal Corporation
The New York State Canal system includes the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca canals. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. In 2017, the Canal Corporation will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the groundbreaking for the Erie Canal, which occurred in the city of Rome on July 4, 1817.