City Newspaper Archives - 4/2008
Canal hours restored
Published by Jeremy Moule on Apr 07, 2008
While the state's canals remain stuck in the middle of a battle over Thruway tolls, boaters and communities along the waterways have scored a not-insignificant victory. The State Canal Corporation has backed away from a proposal to cut canal operating hours.
Now, peak season hours - from May 23 to September 3 - will be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The canals will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the May 1 opening to May 22 and from September 4 to the November 15 end of the season.
The corporation, a subsidiary of the State Thruway Authority, wanted to cut canal operating hours to save about $1 million. But the plan received intense criticism from canal advocates, politicians, and commercial and recreational boaters.
