Richmond Aqueduct

Richmond Aqueduct
Second Largest Aqueduct Built on the Enlarged Erie Canal (1856-1917)

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORY THROUGH COMMUNITY ART -- Help Close the Gap

I read an article that I saved from the 2010 September/October issue of Talk of the Towns which I recently revisited. It's a reprint from the Planning Commissioners Journal about considering art as a part of community planning. The article by Ric Stephens says that public art is rarely included in planning because art doesn't match the traditional approach to planning.  Planners often ignore art because it cannot be quantified. It implies emotion and subjectivity, and we believe planning must be rational and objective.

The article goes on to explain it's a complex subject when considering art in the community's planning processes, yet there's evidence when measured in terms of increased property values, public participation, visitor and resident satisfaction, it adds real value to yielding a vital community. Signage for example can go beyond basic way-finding to help with the community's identity and sense of place.  Another example of art are the murals seen in towns and cities across the country that have become a cherished part of the civic landscape. They are visual products of a powerful collaborative grassroots process in communities, and a great source of inspiration to residents and visitors. The mural-making process gives communities a voice to tell their individual and collective stories, a way to pass on culture and tradition.

Mark DeCracker of Lyons has worked to bring a dream of a friend, Noel Dobbins a reality. Noel's dream was of having 50 miles of murals along the Erie Canal.  Noel's vision was just underway when he died in October of 2007. Mark has gone on to inspire and help communities along the Erie Canal corridor to plan mural projects.

Montezuma is the only canal town between Macedon and Syracuse that doesn't have a mural. The Montezuma Historical Society is working to Close the Gap, and put Montezuma on the map of murals across the state.  As part of fund raising for the project, the Society is offering a chance to win two 2012 season tickets for a Dinner Cruise at the Camillus Erie Canal Park.

Please help us close the gap!

Monday, April 25, 2011

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.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

SPOTTED TODAY IN MONTEZUMA....

Were they bald eagles, were they cranes, 
or was it the Easter Bunny? 

No....they were volunteer stewards doing service for our community in celebration of Earth Day. 

The second Clean Sweep event sponsored this week by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County worked on the other end of the towpath trail today in Heritage Park. Twenty-five volunteers with boy cub scouts and girl scouts, and American Heritage Girls traveling from Bloomfield came out to help with the clean up in Heritage Park.  Working on badges for "Care for My Environment" and "Leave No Trace," they were practicing being good stewards of our environment.

These groups and the leaders are dedicated to helping youth build integrity through service.  Thanks to Amy Barra, Environmental Educator at CCE for coordinating the event.








and to everyone -- THANKS -- GREAT JOB!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

2011 Clean Sweep Brave Volunteer Ducks & A Goose

Duck, Duck...Goose



"Hey, Paul how's it going?" JUST DUCKY!


Great Job! Leland, Mary and & Katherine Sumner
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SWEEPING IN THE RAIN!

For any brave ducks that want to come to the Montezuma clean up site north of the firehouse today, we're still on.  MHS will have coffee and donuts at the firehouse. For those of you who would prefer to stay high and dry -- you lose no points.  Thanks for wanting to be there!  Next week Cornell Cooperative Extension will be out to help out and you're welcome to join them.

UPDATE:
Over twenty brave volunteer ducks showed up from Montezuma as well as some good neighbors from Conquest and Port Byron.  Great job everyone! We ran out of bags, plus several wagon loads that went in a dumpster. 

Saturday, April 9, 2011

CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXENSION PARTNERS WITH CLEAN SWEEP -- APRIL 23 - 10 AM-NOON

Amy Barra, Environmental Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County has signed up with the Clean Sweep Program in the Montezuma park.  If you can't make it to the Clean Up on April 16th, you can join CCE on 4/23.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Montezuma, NY Community Now on Facebook

Town Board Councilman, Tom Hitchcock, has recently added a facebook page for the Town of Montezuma to keep the community updated on news.  Check it out at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Town-of-Montezuma-NY/189308987779220