The City of Oswego is making improvements to its waterfront and Breitbeck Park. In addition, the city created a downtown social district that will allow for open containers of alcoholic beverages in the area.

“Breitbeck Park has had a complete renovation in the last few years,” said Dr. Robert Morgan, vice president of the H. Lee White Maritime Museum Board. "When the flooding happened in ‘17 and ‘18, it eroded many of the walkways down below. Mayor Barlow did some fantastic things getting funding and we have expanded the walkway there, the walkways up top. We have fire pits for socialization where you can rent them out.”

This has also improved Wright’s Landing where a lot of the boat slips are.

“The water was pretty much over all the slips,” Morgan said. “Raise up the walls two feet all the way around. Improve the boat launching area and then right next to that is the international pier. Which is going to be a park, might be a restaurant of some type. Something that the city and visitors to our city can enjoy being down on the water.” 

The downtown social district is a new creation by the city’s mayor, Billy Barlow.

“Within a short distance, you can leave one restaurant, maybe have a drink, you can go to another restaurant,” Morgan said. “So we can expand but we don’t want trash.”

Novelis Aluminum Mill in Oswego County will provide reusable aluminum cans for the open containers of alcohol.

The Downtown social district starts June 1 and will last until October 1.

“We’re seeing a lot of growth and rejuvenation and renovations here in Oswego in these last few years even in the very difficult times of COVID,” Morgan said.

Morgan says they are looking forward to the improvements and offering more not only to residents but visitors.