The old towpath along the former Enlarged Erie Canal — the second incarnation of the state waterway — appears to be an ideal location for the extension of the state’s canal trail in Wayne County. The old canal bed here still has water in it, as does old Lock 54, which sits next to the path.
Work is progressing nicely, with some sections complete and others close to completion with a crushed-stone subsurface that is just waiting for a stone-dust topping.
However, going west at Peters Road work is at a standstill, the result of a property dispute between Wayne County and a Galen landowner. Both claim to be owners of a section of a 2,000-foot piece of the former state canal lands.
Work being done by Seneca Stone Corp. of Seneca Falls for the New York State Canal Corp. in this area has come to a halt, said Kevin Rooney, the county’s director of public works. The county claims the Chadwicks have obstructed the canal path with boulders and downed trees. The land dispute has resulted in what Rooney called “choice words, some threats” by the adjacent owners, Floyd and Linda Chadwick, against the contractor.
Read more from the Finger Lakes Times
This content is brought to you by the FingerLakes1.com Team. Support our mission by visiting www.patreon.com/fl1 or learn how you send us your local content here.