Erie Canal Linear Park
New York State
Transforming the historic New York State Canal System into a premier greenway destination.
The Eerie Canal Linear Park proposal seeks to transform the Historic New York State Canals System into the nation’s premier greenway destination for outdoor recreationalists, heritage tourists, and people of all abilities. This can be achieved with a simple two-prong strategy: first, by providing visitors with authentic, interpretive and interactive local information through audio and digitally guided tours; and second, by enabling greater access opportunities to the canal and canal way trail systems by introducing a comprehensive equipment share program and regional Adaptive Paddling and Cycling Centers (APACC).
Digital Tours of the Canals
The digital portion of the proposal would create a series of integrated downloadable tours with both audio and visual material. The canal tours content would be developed in cooperation with TravelStorysGPS, communities, state and local historical societies. These tours would include heritage sites, regional history, local and New York State canal history, museums and unique points of interest. The tour app can be accessed and used from desktop computers, tablets, laptops, and mobile phones. The mobile platform allows users to access the tours in more remote areas even with low or no cellular coverage.
Equipment Share Program
The second part of the proposal introduces an equipment share program encouraging a wider range of tourists to participate in more canal recreational activities. It establishes a network of regional locations and smaller facilities where people can access bikes and boats during the summer and snowshoes and skis during the winter.
ZH Architects would design these structures and associated signage to be a visually consistent architectural accompaniment to the iconic canal infrastructure. The simple, elegant structures are designed at a range of scales, from Regional Hubs facilities to Excursion Pods and Canal Links that would serve to connect the travel, tourism, and cultural services and provide space for events.
Regional Hub
Excursion Pod
Canal Link
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Principals
Marianne Hyde
Stas Zakrzewski -
Project Team
Jeremy Katich