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U.S. funds sought for dredging
By Bill Lilley
Beacon Journal
Published on Monday, Jul 28, 2008
CANAL FULTON: The nearly 40-year run on the Ohio and Erie Canal of the replica St. Helena canalboats could come to an end in less than a month if a federal grant of nearly $500,000 to pay for dredging doesn't come through.
The current boat, St. Helena III, has been damaged by high spots in the 11/4-mile route from the Canal Fulton Canalway Center, where it docks, to Lock 4 in Lawrence Township.
The high spots have been growing for years and were anticipated to be a problem this year, but the situation has been exacerbated by heavy rains. Total rainfall this year in the area is nearly 61/2 inches above normal.
Canal Fulton City Manager Mark Cozy said the rainfall is a double-edged sword. It keeps the water high, but adds to the silting problem.
''The depth of the water in the canal is fine,'' Cozy said. ''We need about 3 feet for optimum operating conditions, and we can run it at 21/2 feet.
''The problem is all the high spots created by the silting. Every time it rains, the dirt and everything else is washed into the canal.''
Consequently, the St. Helena III has been reduced from a six-days-a-week operation to Saturday and Sunday. And instead of three runs on each day, it now makes two.
''The boat has a leak from hitting the high spots,'' Cozy said. ''And it just takes too many man hours from workers at the Canal Fulton Heritage Society to constantly pump water out of the boat.''
The boat also has been getting stuck in the turnaround at Lock 4, causing a simple job to take 30 minutes.
Cozy said the area of the canal near Canal Fulton was dredged in the late 1960s and again about a decade ago. He said the St. Helena III has been performing part of the dredging itself on its runs.
''It's the boat that's been keeping the pathway open to the canal as it scrapes through the high spots,'' Cozy said.
But that exercise has taken its toll.
The Canal Fulton Heritage Society normally keeps the boat active until late September, but this year plans to end weekend runs in the middle of August.
Next year is a big question mark, Cozy said.
''The boat is in serious need of repair,'' Cozy said. ''And if the dredging isn't done, the Canal Fulton Historical Society is going to keep the boat in dry dock all next year simply because it takes too much time and effort to keep repairing the boat and pumping the water out.
''It's a really big project because it's more than just dredging the canal. The towpath also needs fixed. It would probably take about $2 million to get everything fixed.''
Cozy said the Stark County commissioners own the canal and towpath and the Stark County Park District is in charge of managing both. But neither the commissioners nor the parks have money for dredging.
Cozy said he put in a request through longtime U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula's office for $470,000 for fiscal year 2009.
He remains optimistic because the canal and towpath are part of the National Heritage Corridor and received tremendous support from Regula, who helped build the St. Helena II with other volunteers in the early 1960s.
But Cozy knows he's fighting the clock — Regula is retiring at the end of this year — and other high-priority items.
Regula's office confirmed it received the request, but said it is subject to budget negotiations involving drilling and energy issues.
To Cozy, ''we need to have the St. Helena operational . . . it creates a lot of tourism for Canal Fulton.
''It's also the city's identity, and we don't want to lose that, either.''
Bill Lilley can be reached at 330-996-3811 or blilley@thebeaconjournal.com.
CANAL FULTON: The nearly 40-year run on the Ohio and Erie Canal of the replica St. Helena canalboats could come to an end in less than a month if a federal grant of nearly $500,000 to pay for dredging doesn't come through.
Get the full article here.
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