The City of Lockport officially has $1 million for Phase III of the Erie Canal Flight of Five Locks Rehabilitation Project.
The money will be used to build arched pedestrian bridges at Locks 67, 68, and 69, and further restore the locks. The funding, which was included in legislation by the House of Representatives as part of the annual appropriations process, was announced by Representative Claudia Tenney on Tuesday.
Referring to herself as a “canal nerd” during a press conference at City Hall, Tenney said the Flight of Five is one of the most remarkable historic sites in New York state and “the largest remaining intact section of the Erie Canal.” Tenney said she lives on Oneida Lake, “which is technically part of the Erie Canal,” and she loves to read about it.
“For nearly a century, (the Flight of Five) sat as an empty spillway, deteriorating even when residents knew its importance,” she said.
Tenney said the Phase 3 restoration is considered a regional priority project that is part of a broader effort to spark community economic revitalization.
According to an analysis by Camoin Associates, Tenney said the $1 million in improvements would bring 230,000 visitors, generating $17 million annually, with $600,000 generated in tax revenue. The statistics, which were published in the 2010 Economic Impact Analysis of the Erie Canal Flight of Five, predate any restoration.
When asked if the funding could face barriers to approval as part of a Congressional omnibus bill that includes funding for ICE, Tenney said that Homeland Security funding, which includes ICE, was approved last summer.
Vicki Smith, the city’s director of planning and development, said she submitted the proposal to Tenney’s office last April, requesting $1.5 million.
Referring to the bicentennial of the Erie Canal, Dave Kinyon, chairman of the Lockport Locks Heritage District, said, “Today’s announcement comes on the heels of a great year.”
In addition to building the arched pedestrian bridges, Kinyon said Phase 3 will excavate debris from Lock 68, install vintage-style street lamps at the bridges, and add safety railings to Lock 67.
Kinyon said Phase 1, completed in 2014, restored Locks 69 and 70 at a cost of $1.9 million. Phase 2 restored the masonry walls of Lock 68 and its wood gate in 2019 at a cost of $1.5 million.
John Craig, 1st Ward alderman, said while he appreciated the financial support to enhance the locks district, “A million dollars would go a long way in doing other things. The Flight of Five is a great cultural and historic project, and I respect Dave Kinyon’s work. But the city has other problems. Taxpayers deserve to have a say in how federal monies are used.”