FAIRPORT, N.Y. – Thousands have enjoyed cruising along the Erie Canal on the Colonial Belle in Fairport, but this boat may not be able to carry passengers when the canal reopens in 2021.

The Belle won't be able to dock at the Canal Corporation's dry dock in Lyons where it has stayed for years during the winter months.

With the canal set to close on Wednesday, this leaves uncertainty for the boat when it reopens in the spring.

For Captain Tammee Poinan Grimes who runs the Colonial Belle, it hasn't the best year because of COVID-19 restrictions.

"The challenge with that for us that the boat is too wide and too heavy to get out of the canal anywhere else around here, and we have to have a dry dock inspection by the U.S. Coast guard every five years due before 2021. We don't have inspection complete. We can't operate with passenger’s next year," explained Grimes.

Pam Renfro of the Fairport-Perinton Merchants Association and a business owner, says this would be a huge loss if the Colonial Belle where unable to operate.

"It brings to 12 to 15,000 passengers into the Fairport community.They shop at our shops. They eat our ice cream parlors. They dine at our restaurants. The tour boats that run along the Erie Canal bring in $1.5 million to their local economies." said Renfro.

The Colonial Belle has created an online petition to fight to have a 2021 season when the canal reopens in the spring.

The goal is to receive permission from NYS Canal Corporation to dock in Lyons and to extend the canal season by four days to allow one more weekend of cruises.

"We're hoping that they see the impact of their decisions to maybe relook at this," said Grimes.

The petition can be found here. 

“The October 14th closure allows Canal Corporation employees and its contractors the ability to begin working on a backlog of maintenance projects that were deferred earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic while the weather is favorable, and will ensure projects will be completed ahead of the 2021 season, which is currently scheduled to begin in May barring any unforeseen circumstances,” read a statement from Canal Corporation. “The Canal Corporation has been advising the owners of the Colonial Belle since 2018 that they need to find a new location to store their vessel during the winter season. We are actively trying to assist them this year in locating a private storage facility and we know of at least one in the state that can accommodate the Colonial Belle.”