Park Plans Highlighted

I would like to thank Dorothy Long, Contributing Writer to the Post Standard Neighbors Cayuga County section for today's article highlighting Montezuma's plans for the park.  I enjoyed chatting with Dorothy about the article she did. Also, I enjoyed the walk to the aqueduct with Photographer, Stephen Cannerelli  as I shared with him about the historic sites in the park. I appreciate the article and photos helping us to educate the public about the important natural and historic resources we have here.   Supervisor John Malenick was quoted in the article as saying, "We are a very small community, but we are rich in history."  This is so true, and when we recognize the value of our history as an asset, it helps our community focus on what resources we do have.

I would like to make one correction regarding the grant that was received by the town mentioned in the article. It is an Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) grant administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). The purpose of the grant is to conduct a park design project that will include building understanding and community support, exploring alternatives and preparing the final concept plan. The Town will then use a landscape architect to develop final designs, construction documents. and begin the permit process for this project of the priority components of the park design. The Request for Proposals are due today and the Heritage Park Design Committee will review the proposals, and make a recommendation to the Town Board for final approval at their January town board meeting. 

The article may be read online at:
http://blog.syracuse.com/neighbors/2011/12/montezuma_inches_closer_to_new_park_with_new_planning_grant.html

Cycling Through Montezuma

It was a great morning meeting bikers from all over the US and Canada.  Lots stopped by and were very interested in learning more about the great Erie Canal history and our plans for the park in Montezuma.

CANAL SPLASH MOVIE NIGHT

Plans are in the works for the Canal Splash Celebration this year on Saturday, August 13th.  Following the tour of sites in Montezuma, there will be a picnic in Memorial Park, and a rare showing of a classic film in the town hall that depicts life as it was on the Erie Canal in upstate New York set in the mid-19th century.

"The Farmer Takes a Wife" opened as a 1934 Broadway play based on a novel, "Rome Haul"  by Walter D. Edmonds.  This film is the 1953 movie version of “A Farmer Takes a Wife,” starring Betty Grable and Dale Robertson. The movie was based on Walter Edmond’s novel "Rome Haul," and is a tale of love and conflict along the Erie Canal.

Heritage Park Design Committee Meeting (HPDC)

The monthly HPDC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 23rd, 7pm at the Montezuma Town Hall. Items up for discussion this month are signage, kiosk, trail designation, and funding sources.  Anyone is welcome to join the group or just attend the meeting.

INSPIRED BY ASHES -- PHOENIX RISING?

What happened to our canal town that was once bustling with small businesses and civic organizations that helped support the needs of the community?  The Erie Canal was the catalyst that led Montezuma to grow and prosper by providing a man-made flow of commerce, trade and activity for the town.  When it became time for the old canals to close and move to the outskirts of town,  I believe we lost a sense of place that held it together.  Was the old just really abandoned left to a pile of ashes, or is it ready to give rise to something new.  The new Erie Canal/Seneca River is still on the outskirts of the center of town. We are still connected to it by the parkland that holds our culture and heritage that gratefully has been preserved. We have an opportunity to bring this community alive again through it.   It's flowing and alive with possibility for the town.

When Dan Randolph and my husband, Stan were digging the holes for the sign, they hit ashes. Much of the town burned down with fires that year after year finally destroyed what once existed here.  I found it interesting that we discovered those ashes on the site and at a time where and when we have started to rebuild a sense of our identity and place lost so long ago.

In Greek mythology, a phoenix is a mythical bird with a colorful plumage  It has a 500 to 1000 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of twigs that then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes. It then has the ability to be reborn from its own ashes and become the offspring of the older one.

The Phoenix has long been presented as a symbol of rebirth, immortality, and renewal. The Belgian silver coin commemorating sixty years of peace, depicts the Phoenix as a representation of a new Europe, post 1945. The capital of Arizona was so named as it was built on the ruins of a civilization that had existed on the site centuries before. What endless possibilities are there ready for the Halls of Montezuma to rebirth and renew? As the offspring of the older Phoenix, what can we do to rebuild from the ruins of the past?

Heritage Park Design Committee Meeting (HPDC)

There will be a HPDC meeting on Thursday, May 26 at 7 PM at the Town Hall.  Anyone interested is welcome to attend. 

I have updated this blog (click on the new page links at the top of the page) to introduce you to our committee and describe the conceptual plan and trail system the committee has been discussing for the park. Mike Riley has created this as a working document for the basis of our action plan.

The dedication of the first trail in memory of Byron Lapp will be held on Memorial Day, May 30th with the program starting at the VFW at 2 PM.  Chicken BBQ by the Men's VFW Auxiliary from 11-?
(more details on the blog post below)

MEMORIAL DAY REMEMBRANCE & TRAIL DEDICATION

The Town of Montezuma Highway employees, Jeff Dawson and Denny Lapp, Jr, have at demolished an old shed that remains on the historic property recently purchased by the Town of Montezuma just north of the firehouse on High Street.  Two old trailers have been removed and a stone from the crossover bridge has been placed along the trail as a marker in preparation for a Memorial Day Trail Dedication Ceremony.

This site is adjacent to the towpath head located at what was the junction point of the Erie Canal and Cayuga-Seneca Canal. The remains of an abutment that held the crossover bridge which allowed drivers and teams to navigate between the canals are along the bank of the Erie Canal and site. The historic Exchange Hotel was built on this lot Circa 1830 and burned in 1918. 

 On Monday, May 30th at 2 PM, the Montezuma Thurston-Schramm-Reynolds VFW will join with the Montezuma Historical Society for a traditional service to honor a National Remembrance of those who have died in service to their country.  As part of the Memorial Day event, the Town of Montezuma will recognize former town supervisor, Byron Lapp, for his dedication in service to his country and community. He is being honored by naming the first trail in Montezuma Heritage Park.

Byron served as Town Supervisor from 1966 to 1975. During that time he worked to acquire 136 acres of property with help of funding through the Outdoor Recreation Development Bond Act and Water Conservation Act of 1965. The site contained several historic sites of early Erie Canal history and natural resources along the Seneca River and adjacent to the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge.  He also was instrumental in acquiring public water for the Town of Montezuma during his tenure.  Byron was a Army veteran of World War II and received a Silver Metal. He also was one of the early commanders of the VFW. Following his service as town supervisor, he was killed in a tragic muckland farming accident. His wife, Agnes is a lifelong resident and one of our oldest residents who resides in town at age 94.

Guest speakers for the trail dedication will include former town lawyer Peter Corning who assisted Byron with the legal aspects of acquiring the eight parcels; Mike Riley, Canal Society of New York; Town Supervisor, John Malenick; and a Proclamation presented by Cayuga County Legislator David Axton.  Members of the Port Byron Band will play music throughout the event. The VFW Men's Auxiliary will hold a Chicken BBQ from 11 AM - ? The Thurston-Schramm-Reynolds Post 8137, Ladies & Men Auxiliary and AMVETS Post 513, and the Montezuma Historical Society contributed the plaque to be placed on the historic stonework of the crossover bridge abutment which will officially be named the Byron Lapp Memorial Trail at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

This signifies an important turning point for Montezuma in building of a greater sense of community by preserving the land which defines us, on which lives, livelihoods, and legacies were grounded. According to Senator George I. Mitchell in the Forward of a book about communities called Groundswell, "the passion for 'place' that defines a community is often the key element for achieving surprising agreement and positive results."

Join us in honoring those who have served our country, gave their lives for our freedom, and for Byron's work to preserve this important piece of history!

We're One Step Closer to Closing the Gap!

 Thanks, Cayuga Community Fund

View Article

Heritage Park Design Committee Meeting

There will be a meeting of the Design Committee this Thursday, April 28th at 7 PM at the Town Hall.

Everyone is welcome to attend,  learn more about the project and help develop the plans. It is the intention of the committee to work with the community to consider preferences with regard to the park; identify issues and develop strategies for sustaining the historic and natural resources of the park; and identify phases needed to plan for orderly and manageable growth.

At the last meeting the committee discussed the overall objectives for the Heritage Park as opportunities to explain the history, create water access, youth development, community involvement, preservation, and marketing opportunities to Naturalists. It was recognized that there is significant potential for tourism as a growing part of the canal system. The committee noted important reasons for the Town to develop the park for use were preserving town's canal heritage, potential for economic, community development and involvement, recreational uses for the community and visitors, and the interpretation of the unique story for interpretation with regard to use and abuse of natural resources.


A goal was set to establish phases for the Heritage Park to work on over the next few months which will be broken into doable phases. Using the information and ideas gathered by the SUNY-ESF student project and through the grant received from the EPF (Environmental Protection Fund) objectives for the project phases will include the overall planning for clearing and layout of trails, developing the trailhead area, signage, dockage, identifying unique habitats, and agreements with agencies for land use.

FINAL ESF PRESENTATIONS - A LOOK AT WHAT'S POSSIBLE

Last Tuesday was another cold, blustery night we've  become accustomed to here in Central New York, but the Halls of Montezuma were warmed with brightly colored visions and ideas posted on the walls of the town hall for what might be possible in the Montezuma Heritage Park.  Representative examples originally done by over forty students of Syracuse's 3rd year landscape architectural design studio last fall were presented by four of the student designers: Lauren Christler, Megan Reymore, Sara Russo and Kyle Weissenburger assisted by  faculty members, Cheryl Doble and Maren King.

Lauren Christler's focus points to an area off of Chapman Avenue
with linkage from past to present.

Most of the designs were focused ideas that linked our community's past Erie Canal history to the present.  Using natural elements of water, plantings and organic contoured paths throughout the park, their designs showcased our history using the remains of historic sites such as the aqueduct and paper mill.  This could be created through time lines flowing from the center of our town along the canal towpath to the park along the Seneca River. Monuments, statues, and an aqueduct sculpture featured throughout the site could tell the story of how the canal was built.  Several recreational activities would provide for fishing, cross country skiing, walking, hiking, picnicking, primitive camping sites,  boat dockage, bird and wildlife observation. Opportunities were seen for Erie Canal and natural resource education using open buildings that could later be enclosed.

The remains of the Montezuma Fibre Company on the south side of

the Enlarged Erie Canal could be made into a landscaped garden or a play area for children.  The site still contains the arched doors shown in the drawing here could be incorporated into the design. 

The 60' by 80' building was  on an eleven feet high foundation. The foundation walls are still on the site. The main building  was brick, two stories high with an attached boiler house 26' by 36', costing $22,000 when it was built in 1906. 

The mill produced a heavy-weight paper product from flag (cattails), known as "Montezuma Wheat" that grew in the 20,000 acre swamp that surrounded the area. The finished product was loaded unto the canal boats for shipment.

It was noted that popular tours that have been offered including the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge, Audubon Center and Howland's Island could include this site. Much thought and consideration was given to the landscape of the parkland with boardwalks to protect the land along the flood plain areas and enhance the walking experience.  While much of the park would maintain its natural setting needing little maintenance, it was suggested the park could provide wonderful opportunities for the youth in the community to work in the park.

The students had a variety of practical, creative and innovative ideas to share while keeping with the natural elements and incorporating the Erie Canal historic resources. The design committee will consider the ideas, and begin to create a phased plan for development of the park. Anyone interested is invited to attend the planning meetings to be held on the fourth Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM at the town hall. 

The Town of Montezuma was selected to receive community technical assistance from the 2011 Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program, and will work with Karl Beard from the National Park Service.  RTCA helps communities plan, organize partnerships and achieve on-the-ground success for projects they initiate. We are very grateful to the park service and SUNY ESF for support of our project.

Kyle Weissenburger focused on a Route 31 entrance with a nearby boat launch
marketing to New York State Fishing Clubs.

Maren King of SUNY ESF faculty member discusses student ideas with
Town Supervisor John Malenick;  Stan Longyear and Paul Baker, Design
 Committee members; Bill Hecht; and Karl Beard from the RTCA program at
the National Park Service.

Historic sites added to Parkland

Two important parcels of property have been recently acquired by the Town of Montezuma that will be included with Heritage Park project. They are significant historic sites that tell the story of the town's Erie Canal history.


Cayuga County transferred a 23-acre parcel of land west of the former Cayuga-Seneca Canal and along the south side of the former Erie Canal. The parcel is the site of the former Meil's Drydock which was first started by William Thorn and Joshua Martin in 1860.  The drydock provided a valuable service to canal business where boats were built, refurbished and repaired. The buildings in the background of the photograph above would have provided the necessary space for a  blacksmith to fashion the metal parts, bolts and nails; a saw mill to cut beams and planks, and for offices and storehouses.  Later in 1894 the business was purchased by George Meil of Veronia, NY.  Fifteen men were employed to repair boats,  build steamers and flag boats for use in the harvest of flag (cattails) in the swamps.

The other important piece of property purchased by the town is north of the present-day firehouse and at the entrance to the main trail head and former towpath of the Erie Canal. The Exchange Hotel in the photograph to the right was located here. It also had a stable to hold extra teams for the line boat compaines. Town Board meetings and elections were once held here. Built circa 1830, it burned to the ground on June 23, 1918, one of the oldest hotels in the village and on the Erie Canal.


This important site is near where the Cayuga section of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal opened in 1828 connecting with the Erie Canal. A crossover bridge allowed the mules and crews to move from the path along the Erie Canal to the Cayuga Canal. This was an important junction where boats headed either east to Albany or west to Buffalo as well as south to Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. 

SUNY ESF Student Presentations - Nov 1

John Malenick, Montezuma Town Supervisor Introduces SUNY-ESF 3rd Year Design Students to the Community

SUNY -ESF 3rd Year Design Students  

at Montezuma Town Hall

Ready to give their presentations to the community

Cheryl Doble, Associate Professor at the Center for Community Design

Research sets the stage for the students presentations

explaining the basis of the work to date

On Monday, November 1, 2010, the community listened as third year design studio students from SUNY - ESF Department of Landscape Architecture displayed graphic representations of their projects and described the results of their analysis and findings of the proposed park site. Through their analysis, the students have identified potential opportunities related to the Heritage Park. They highlighted the regional aspects of the site,  history, wildlife and nature interpretation, commercial, recreation and performance such as music, plays, interpretative events and festivals.  The students did an excellent job of researching the site and analyzing the potential for the park.  There was good feedback and discussion from the audience for the students to consider as they now move on to their final design concepts for the park. 

Maren King, Assistant Director at the Center of Community Design 

Research, lists some points for the students to take into consideration 

as the community gives feedback after the presentations for

their final design project.