Alan Chartock, President of WAMC, Joins Quadricentennial Effort to Honor Folk Legend Pete Seeger

ALBANY, NY (04/16/2009)(readMedia)-- With the help and support of Congressman Maurice Hinchey of the 22nd district of New York and many others, Alan Chartock and the team at WAMC Northeast Public Radio have announced their support in naming the new "Walkway Over The Hudson" after legendary folk-singer, environmentalist, and Hudson Valley resident Pete Seeger. The "Pete Seeger Walkway Over The Hudson" is to be a rebuild of one of the oldest railroad bridges in New York.

Alan Chartock, President of WAMC stated, "I can't think of anyone who deserves to be honored by all of this more than Pete. I believe this is true not only because he has done more to bring the Hudson back to life than anyone else, but for all the other things he has done for all of us. In a way, we are all his children. We have learned from him and we love him."

The "Walkway Over the Hudson" project will transform an abandoned railroad bridge into a linear park and trailway along the Hudson River connecting the City of Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County with the Town of Lloyd in Ulster County, New York. When completed, it will provide access to the Hudson River's scenic landscape and connect communities on both sides of the river. The project remains on schedule for completion in September 2009 in time for the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage up the river. For more information, please visit http://www.walkway.org.

Congressman Hinchey added, "I think naming the walkway for Pete Seeger provides a clear understanding of everything that he's done and all of the debt we have to him and all of the thanks we need to put out to him for all of the wonderful things that he's done. I don't know of anyone who has made a more significant contribution to the upgrading of the Hudson River over the course of the last forty years than has Pete Seeger."

Since Chartock and Hinchey discussed the idea on a WAMC interview and again on WAMC's Roundtable program yesterday, the station has been inundated with emails and phone calls of support. There have been offers to start petition drives, phone campaigns and e-blasts to make sure that the legacy of this great American icon is remembered way past his 90th birthday, being celebrated during the Quadricentennial year of New York's waterways.

"I am passionate about this idea," added Alan Chartock, "I couldn't think of a better way of honoring Pete at 90 who has done more to clean up the Hudson than any other human being. "

For more information check out Alan's blog, alanchartock.wordpress.com, where Alan will be keeping everyone updated on the progress of this project.

WAMC/Northeast Public Radio is a non-commercial, listener supported public radio network broadcasting 24 hours a day to portions of seven New England and Middle Atlantic States. All broadcasts can also be heard on-line at http://www.wamc.org/.

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