Seventh Annual Canalway Trail Celebration to Take Place June 5

ALBANY, NY (06/01/2010)(readMedia)-- The New York State Canal Corporation, in conjunction with Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), the Canalway Trails Association New York (CTANY) and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, is organizing the seventh annual statewide Canalway Trail Celebration on National Trails Day, Saturday, June 5, 2010.

This year's celebration includes more than 50 events and festivities scheduled to take place throughout the region to recognize the growing prominence of the Canalway Corridor as a world-class recreationway and tourist destination for visitors and residents. Events range from family bike rides and boat tours to interpretive history walks, and arts and crafts festivals. With more than 270 miles of developed trail, the Canalway Trail is fast becoming one of the nation's premier cycling and multi-use trail destinations.

Carmella R. Mantello, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation said, "With a variety of events taking place this weekend, the Canalway Trail Celebration is sure to attract countless visitors to the Canalway Trail and Canal communities across the State. The Canalway Trail offers recreational opportunities, and also fosters tourism and economic revitalization throughout the Canal Corridor. The Canal Corporation is pleased to work with its partners, local Canal communities and volunteers to promote and celebrate the Canalway Trail. I encourage everyone to enjoy the outdoors this weekend at an event happening near you."

Robin Dropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York, said, "We are pleased that the Canalway Trail Celebration offers New Yorkers multiple opportunities to explore and enjoy local communities with close-to-home events this summer. This event also

reflects the increasing enthusiasm for the many benefits that the Canalway Trail brings to upstate communities."

Alan Vincent, President of the Canalway Trails Association New York, said, "It's exciting to see so many communities eager to participate. We will have a wide range of events occurring on the same day across the entire Canalway Trail system. There will truly be something for everyone along the Canalway Trail."

Beth Sciumeca, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, said, "We're fortunate to have one of the country's greatest bicycle and multi-use

trails right here in New York State with the Canalway Trail. We hope many people come out for some healthy, outdoor fun as part of the Canalway Trail Celebration and throughout the summer season."

Individuals and trail groups across the Canalway Trail Corridor are encouraged to participate in one of the Canalway Trail Celebration events planned for National Trails Day. A list of events can be found at http://www.ptny.org/canalway/celebration/index.shtml.

To learn more about the Canalway Trail Celebration, please visit www.ptny.org or contact Parks and Trails New York at 518-434-1583 or email Wally Elton at welton@ptny.org.

The New York State Canal System is comprised of four historic waterways, the Erie, the Champlain, the Oswego and the Cayuga-Seneca Canals. Spanning 524 miles across New York State, the waterway links the Hudson River, Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes and the Niagara River with communities rich in history and culture. When complete, the New York State Canalway Trail System will span more than 500 miles and connect numerous cities, towns, and villages along the Erie, Cayuga-Seneca, Oswego, and Champlain Canals, making it one of the longest multi-use recreational trails in the country.

The New York State Canal Corporation is a subsidiary of the New York State Thruway Authority (Authority). Since 1992, following State legislation transferring the Canal System from the New York State Department of Transportation to the Authority, Canal operating and maintenance activities have been supported by Thruway toll revenue.

For more information regarding events, recreational and vacation opportunities along the Canal System, please visit www.nyscanals.gov or call 1-800-4CANAL4.

Parks and Trails New York is the only statewide not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the health and quality of life of New Yorkers through the use and enjoyment of a growing network of parks, pedestrian and bicycle trails, greenways and heritage corridors around the state.

The Canalway Trails Association New York (CTANY) is a volunteer organization dedicated to making the Canalway Trail a world-class, multi-use recreational resource. CTANY acts as a coordination and communication group for Canalway Trail stakeholders, including state agencies, local municipalities, civic organizations, individual volunteers, and trail users. In cooperation with the New York State Canal Corporation, CTANY also organizes and guides participation in the Canalway Trail Adopt-A-Trail Program.

The New York State Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation offers a free email service called TRANSalert to its customers via email or text messaging to inform them of major incidents and emergencies that may affect travel on the Thruway or navigation on the Canal System. To sign up for the Canal TRANSalert service, customers can visit the Corporation's website at www.nyscanals.gov/tas/. To sign-up for Thruway TRANSalerts please visit the Authority's website at www.nysthruway.gov/tas/.

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