Staff Reports
The Albion Main Street Alliance has been busy preparing for summer, logging more than 5,600 volunteer hours to make sure tourists and residents, alike, achieve their full potential this summer for canal activities.
First Fridays, Olde Erie Canal Day, and the downtown beautification project have all been deemed successes, according to Chairman Michael Bonafede. Four new business have moved into downtown, the office is set up, plans are in process for a fall fundraising event in Mount Albion Cemetery, and the dunk tank raised more than $300 for the downtown flag fund.
On June 25, the Main Street managers from the three communities involved in the Western Erie Canal Alliance’s National Trust Main Street Program met in Lyons to discuss the progress they have made to date, challenges they face, and plans for the future. Those challenges include increasing volunteer participation, fundraising to support the program, promoting business in the target area and signage on the canal.
At the meeting, the Main Street communities learned of a new project, one that residents can be part of. The three communities are cooperating on a canal visitor-monitoring program.
For one hour at a total of 10 different times, each community is being asked to count pedestrians and boaters on the canal. The purpose is to determine the number of people using the canal and its towpath in each of the three areas.
Results will be given to WECA and Genesee Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council. Volunteers are needed to take the counts. The project requires one hour of your time, during which you will sit at the northeast side of the canal on Route 98 and count pedestrians or boaters.
If you are interested in helping with this project, call the AMSA office for a list of available times.
