C.T. Male Associates Assists With Erie Canal – Mohawk River Historic Water Trail Project
C.T. Male Associates’ Landscape Architect Ryan Berry recently assisted with the Erie Canal – Mohawk River Historic Water Trail (HWT) project, the development of a water trail for paddlers down the Erie Canal and Mohawk River in Upstate NY. Berry describes the goals and details of the project below:
“C.T. Male Associates was hired by the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund, in partnership with the National Park Service – Rivers Trails & Conservation Assistance Program and the New York State Canal Corporation, to study and provide recommendations for the creation of a worldwide destination Historic Water Trail.
A water trail is a system, or route, on navigable waterways that has been mapped out to create an on-water experience for non-motorized boaters.
The goal is to increase access to the recreational opportunities on the Erie Canal and Mohawk River, increase awareness of the opportunities (particularly the unique opportunities and challenges on the Erie Canal and Mohawk River) and increase connections between the Erie Canal, Mohawk River, historic sites and surrounding communities through education and interpretation.
C.T. Male Associates created a planning and recommendation document that focuses on the first phase of the HWT which spans 128 miles between Waterford and Rome, NY. On-water investigations, existing conditions review and public charettes allowed C.T. Male Associates to evaluate, inventory, and provide recommendations for Historic Water Trail site access improvement/ creation. We also developed a map template for future water trail mapping.
With the objective of being designated a National Water Trail, our recommendations focused on water access improvements. Four application types and criteria where designed and developed to help guide future improvements of the Historic Water Trail and its sites. They include “Beach Style”, “Hardscape Ramp Style”, “Step Style”, and “Floating Launch Style” improvements. These four improvement types where developed to address and negotiate the many different waterfront conditions that occur throughout the Canal System. “
C.T. Male Associates’ Landscape Architect II , Ryan Berry started his career at C.T. Male Associates back in September 2015. He holds bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts.
Among a number of different job duties, he performs and produces landscape designs, civil/ site plans, site grading, cost estimating, client coordination, assist in coordinating QA/QC, attend project meetings, and presentation graphics for a variety of different public and private projects.
In additional to these essential job duties he also assists in business development and marketing, by producing marketing graphics, assisting with proposal writing and graphics, attending marketing events, and meeting, and presenting at job interviews.
His favorite part about working at C. T. Male Associates is having multiple disciplines under one roof. He enjoys vetting ideas early in a design process which ensures that a collaborative, creative and buildable design is achieved.
For more information about the Erie Canal – Mohawk River Historic Water Trail Project, landscape architecture services or any additional services provided by C.T. Male Associates, please send us a message online or call us at 518-786-7400. We look forward to speaking with you soon.