Winter 2012                                 Download the pdf newsletter version (160k)   

CANAL NEWS

 

Let's Replace Some Signs!

 

As you've walked or biked along the towpath you may have noticed that many of the interpretive signs are in bad condition. Sunlight, weather, mold, and kids with markers have made them unreadable, particularly those that have been in place for more than 15 years. All of the sign panels came with duplicate copies, so this spring the Friends would like to get the remaining ones out of the State Park storage shed and into the sign frames that are waiting along the towpath.

Here's how you can help:

Who:

Anyone who can wield a screwdriver and maneuver fiberglass panels into metal frames.

When:

Saturday, March 24 starting at 8:30 a.m. The project should be finished no later than noon.

Where:

The Locktender's House at Lock 11 in New Hope. Parking will be available in the American Legion parking lot off of New Street.

The Plan:

Volunteers will assemble at the Locktender's House to have a cup of coffee, eat a doughnut, and learn how to remove the old sign panels and install new panels. Scott Everett, Trail Manager for the Delaware and Lehigh national heritage Corridor, will do the instruction. When volunteers call to offer to help, they will be told what tools are needed. If some don't have the necessary tools, they will be provided. The volunteers will then be given work locations and one or more panels to install. They will drive to their assigned site and replace panels. Old panels can be taken home for disposal or left at the site for pick-up later.

For more information and to offer your volunteer services, please call 215-862-2021 or e-mail friends@fodc.org.

With our help, visitors again will be able to learn about the history of the Delaware Canal from "Mules and Men" to Citizens to the Rescue."

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Park Manager's Report

Happy New Year to all!

It will be a busy one for us at the Canal. There are a host of projects planned for the New Year and there are quite a few projects in the works.

The flood repairs should begin sometime this season as we are waiting for FEMA to visit to assess the damage. The replacement of the Ferry Street Bridge in New Hope is underway to be completed by late July. In concert with this project DCNR plans to repair the wall that had collapsed near the Mechanic Street Bridge in New Hope and extend a relining project. The relining had stopped south of the Mechanic Street Bridge and we will continue relining up to the Aqueduct.

I want to thank Tony Giacobbe and Gene Gelfand, DCNR engineers, for recognizing the importance of completing these projects simultaneously rather than consecutively. We also plan on replacing Bridge 5 in Smithtown and the Upper Lime Port Bridge just north of Phillips' Mill.

Other larger projects still on the table are the tunnels under Route 13 and the tunnel through the Conrail crossing just south of Morrisville. The short stretch from Green Lane to Route 13 is also scheduled to be relined.

The Park completed a smaller project that repaired roofing and siding on the Locktender's House at Raubsville using a contractor. We also replaced the boiler in the Locktender's House in New Hope. Both of these were really needed.

We still continue to deal with trees down along the Canal from Irene, Lee and then the early snowstorm in October. It seems that just when we are catching up more trees and limbs come down.

We were able to hire an Equipment Operator to fill a position that has been vacant for a few years. Chris Lee will be joining our staff January 16th.

Thanks to your organization for all your help and support.

Rick Dalton

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The Canal's First Marathon

Nearly 300 runners competed in the first marathon ever to be held on the Delaware Canal towpath. The "Bucks County Marathon" billed as "an intimate country race with a small field and tons of amenities" was held on November 20th, the same day as the Philadelphia Marathon. The 26.2-mile race course followed the towpath from Yardley Borough to Solebury Township and back.

Race Director Pat McCloskey alerted the runners to the quirky Canal course with plenty of "Low Bridge" signs and direction-bearing volunteers. All fared well, and when the race was over, many commented on how pretty the Canal was an how much they liked running on the towpath.

For its role in improving the Canal and helping with the marathon, the Friends received a contribution of $300. Pat McCloskey of Running Resources in Warminster is already planning this year's race.

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New on www.fodc.org

Canoe and Kayak Guide to

Paddling on the Canal

When there's water in the Canal, it's a great place to canoe and kayak. It offers a leisurely, safe paddle with lots of things to see and do on shore. There is water in the Canal from New Hope south to Morrisville, and water will return to the other sections, so a guide full of helpful information for paddlers has been added to the Friends' website in the Charts and Maps section.

The guide was developed by Priscilla Linden, an experienced, trained paddler and Friends' member. "A safe paddle is a happy one" appropriately introduces the safety section, which includes how not to lose teeth in a water fight. Information about the Canal's unique characteristics - steep banks, portages, respect for private property - is followed by a chart of recommended paddling trips with parking and drop-off sites.

When next you visit www.fodc.org, check out the Guide. You don't have to be a canoeist or kayaker to benefit from its information.

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Filling Doesn't Make Sense

The Delaware Canal serves as a drainage ditch. Local streams, as well as PennDOT and municipal roadway storm drains, flow directly into the Canal. This function is dramatically illustrated by the stone and gravel dams that accumulated in the Canal from the Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee runoff.

During the coming months, the cries of "Fill in the Canal," and "It isn't worth the expense," will be heard once more. There are many, many reasons why both of those statements are wrong. A dollars and cents refutation is that it would cost millions of dollars to reroute the streams and storm drains away from the Canal and into the next permissible body of water.

Based on a study that the PA Department of Environmental Protection conducted regarding the rerouting of Silver Creek in Yardley Borough, the cost of rerouting all the streams and storm drains that flow into the Canal could well exceed the cost of repairing, improving, and periodically maintaining the Canal.

The bottom line is that the Canal is worth keeping - for so many reasons.

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We Need You!

The Canal from the southern end of Morrisville to Bristol still has no Canal Tenders. Please consider adopting a stretch. It matters not how long or how short.

Nearly all non-profit organizations get things done by utilizing committees. The Friends have three especially active committees that could use your assistance, expertise, and talents - Membership, Fundraising/Events, and Education. If you're interested in learning more and, perhaps volunteering, just call 215-862-2021 or e-mail friends@fodc.org.

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Happy Anniversary!

The Friends' signature Canal Walk

will mark its 25th anniversary this year.

How shall we celebrate?

A reunion"

A grand slide show?

New sneakers for Will Rivinus?

What should the t-shirt look like?

Give us your ideas, please.

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Many Thanks!

2011 ended on a positive financial note thanks to the contributors who generously responded to the Friends' Annual Appeal. Your gifts give us a boost into the new year.

Steven Snyder sandblasted the numerals on the replacement stone for Mile Marker 29 and very kindly donated his services. The original marker was done in by a heavy construction vehicle.

This year's Faces and Places in Point Pleasant was a notable success thanks to the help of so many people. It was a classic example of "It Takes a Village....." Recognition of the contributions of people got lost in the flurry at the time, and we would like to remedy that now. Barbara Postel very kindly allowed the Friends to reproduce one of her wonderful Canal paintings on the invitation and promotional pieces. John Sikora did likewise with his stunning photograph of the Tohickon Aqueduct. We couldn't have asked for a more congenial President Grover Cleveland than the one portrayed by Charlie Huchet. Trips to the attic and Memory Lane fully prepared Nura Petrov and Barbara Zimmerman for their roles as Point Pleasant pump protestors, which they played to the tee.

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At a Moment's Notice

When you want to know what's going on along the Canal NOW, you can find out at the Friends' new Facebook page "Friends of the Delaware Canal" or check out the Latest News section of the Friends' website www.fodc.org. Updates and photos are posted regularly on both, and you can post your news, comments and photos on our Facebook page. Please "Like" us, too, so that you will receive Friends' posts automatically.

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What's It Worth

The Delaware Canal State Park isn't just another pretty place; it has economic value.

Last year, the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation commissioned a study of the economic impact of State Parks. The draft report, prepared by the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management at Penn State University, uses visitation data compiled by individual parks and spending averages from 2008 to generate estimates for the economic significance of visitor spending. The Money Generation Model 2 (MGM2) adopted by the National Park Service was used to calculate the estimates.

The draft report finds that Delaware Canal State park visitors (both local and non-local) spent an estimated $4,966,00 on their trips to the park in 2008. This spending resulted in $8,360,000 in sales, contributing to 103 jobs and $3,075,00 in labor income, and $4,887,000 in value added.

Overall, in 2008, the PA State Park system, with its 117 parks, added $7.62 to the state and local economy for each $1 of taxpayer investment.

 

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Tools You Can Use

If you are planning an outing on the Canal or just have a need to get your bearings, the Landmark and Mileage Chart found on the Canal Maps/Charts page is an amazingly handy tool.

The Chart locates:

Canal structures such as locks, aqueducts, and waste gates

Street and highway intersections

Landmarks

Parking areas

Adjacent municipal parks

Municipal boundaries

To see a map of a specific area, copy and paste the latitude and longitude coordinates that are provided by the Chart into a map locator such as Google Maps.

When you're out on the Canal towpath, keep track of your mileage by using the granite mile markers that have been meticulously installed at the proper intervals along the Canal. Don't be surprised if you can't find one. Not all of the markers are in place yet. Some will be installed as the floor repair work ends; several others were done in by heavy equipment and need to be replaced.

When dealing with a canal that is 58.9 miles long having good navigation tools is a real help.

 

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Welcome, New Friends   Maureen Anastasi Laura Berenson & Richard Strouse Linda Carl Richard Carlson Doris Carr Susan D. Cloran Elizabeth Cole Kit Dalton Richard Einstein Stephen K. Freeman Susan Freeman Nadine Glassman Hank Goldberg John Grob Sandra Hanzel Robert Hendrickson Susan Herman June Jones Colleen Koh Nancy Koller Rick Latella John Mauro John McGrath Joan Merkel Patricia Mohn Susan Muller Paul Ordog Allan Rubenstein & Jane Halperin Ilene Rubin Deanna & Gene Schuly Verne Shortell April Silverman Jane Smudin The Steven House Inn Yair Talmi Norman R. Troxel H. Ray Vanselous Rick Viola Barbara & Bob Voorhees Mary L. Weber The Wismer Family Sandra Wonsidler David & Susan Yates

 

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Help Wanted

Much of the work of the Friends gets done within the structure of five committees.

• The Advocacy, Restoration and Maintenance Committee deals with the bricks and mortar projects, clean-ups, nudging, planning, etc.
• The Education and Recreation Committee delves into programs, signage, exhibits, etc.
• The Membership Committee builds the organization.
• The Fundraising Committee sustains the organization through fundraising and volunteerism.
• The Finance Committee make sure that the bills get paid and the future of the organization is ensured.

The Board of Directors would very much like to have assistance, guidance, and insights from Friends' members. Please consider joining a committeee or helping out with specific tasks of interest to you. For more info, call 215-862-2021 or e-mail friends@fodc.org.

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