2008 Erie Canalway Heritage Award of Excellence

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission recently awarded the Fort Plain Free Library an Honorable Mention for the 2008 Erie Canalway Heritage Award of Excellence. The award honors and celebrates significant places of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and recognizes excellence in the implementation of the Erie Canalway Preservation andManagement Plan.
The 2008 Jury selected the library for Phase I of renovation and restoration to the facility, enabling it to serve as a welcome and visitor center for Erie Canalway Trail users, boaters, and other visitors to FortPlain. The jury commended the library for providing an “anchor” for the community as a central meeting place with “something for everyone,” including traditional library users, genealogical researchers, cyclists, boaters, and other travelers; preserving and showcasing the community and canal history of Fort Plain; contributing to local and regional economic and recreational revitalization plans; forging partnerships with neighboring towns to further expand visitor services; and inspiring renewed community pride.
2008 Erie Canalway Heritage Award of Excellence recipients included Canal Place in Little Falls and the School Street Hydroelectric Facility, Brookfield Renewable Power, in Cohoes. Historic Palmyra’s William Phelps General Store and Home in Palmyra also received an honorable mention. More information on both the Canalway and the Award of Excellence is available at http://www.eriecanalway.org/.