Next year is the bicentennial celebration of the opening of the Erie Canal, and New York state is beginning to commemorate that milestone. 

The Canal Corporation kicked off its SUNY - Erie Canal Bicentennial Forum Series, with a focus on making sure the canal is fully accessible. The forum focused on ways local governments, businesses and recreational service providers can make the New York State Canal system and Canalway Trail more accessible and welcoming for people with and without disabilities.

"Since its opening nearly 200 years ago, the Erie Canal has had a profound impact on our state and today’s focus on accessibility and inclusion is just one example of how this industrial waterway continues to evolve as it supports an incredible network of recreational activities," said New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton. "The Canal system and Canalway Trail provide endless opportunities for adventure, fresh air, and exercise, but there are often barriers for people with disabilities. Today’s event is working to remove those barriers by providing the information, inspiration and motivation to municipal leaders and businesses along the canal that are seeking to make their community more accessible."

A boat being built at Canalside in Buffalo will launch May 6 and will serve as a floating museum at Canalside until it makes its way down the canal to celebrate the bicentennial. It is a replica of the Seneca Chief, the first boat to ever travel down the canal.

Seneca Chief will be hauled out of the Longshed building at the beginning of May. She will float at the commercial slip and serve as a floating museum. Then on September 24, 2025, she will trek down the Erie Canal to New York City, making stops at towns along the way. This will take place while the World Canal conference is in Buffalo as well.