Erie Canal Opened

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NEW YORK (GaeaTimes.com)- The East Guard Lock is being opened one foot at a time as the Erie Canal opened its gates to the people of New York as the spring season ushers in the city. The canal’s electrical supervisor Bernie Ruggeri has been giving orders for the past week ever since work has started on the waterway. According to the tradition followed for the past 185 years, the Erie Canal is always opened in exactly this time of the year for the New Yorkers who organize various events and festivals on the waters of the canal.

With the boating competitions already underway from this weekend, local people living around the canal are naturally very excited about the forthcoming events to be hosted on the waterway. Officials of the Erie Canal have suggested that the number of activities taking place in the waters of the canal will show a significant rise this year compared to the previous year. The World Canal Conference which would take place in the month of September is being touted as one of the most important events to be held at the Erie Canal this year.

Built on the river Erie, the structure extends from Buffalo to Albany. Every year this waterway remains closed during the off-season when most of the repairing and maintenance work is carried out. The maintenance crew chiefly have to take care of the painting of the structure, removal of waste material and removal of stones which are found in the embankments of the river Erie. The Erie Canal is now open and will draw large number of people, feel the officials.