No hope for New Hope's canal cruises?

To bad

"to bad, Macungie, PA,

Your comment is a master of understatement: The loss of the parking lot needed for the mule-drawn, canal-boat ride's survival is a monument to the treachery and betraual of the intent of the 1988 Congressional legislation that created the Delaware&Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.

Corrupt and greedy politicans along the 150-mile canal along the lehigh and Delaware rivers from Mauch Chunk Borough (re-christened Jim Thorpe through another shameful politcal scandal)to Bristol borough in Bucks County betrayed the D&LNHC's sponsors, Bucks County U.S. Congressman Peter Kostmayer, a Democrat, and his Congressional colleague, Don Ritter, a Republican, representing lehigh and Northampton Counties.

Their legislation created a D&LNHC Commission headquarterd in Bethlehem, developed a Management Action Plan, and, besides the creation of the canal and towpath, designated what the Commission termed a "reach," a swath of land extending 50 miles into the interior of four counties affect by the legislation, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton, and bucks.

The legislation called for the creation along the canal of nine landings, only two of which have come to fruition: the landing in Jim thorpe and Two Rivers Landing in Easton.

The Bethworks Landing in Bethlehem was hijacked by New Jersey lawyer-developer Michael Perrucci and New York lawyer-developer Richard fischbein and became the Sands BethWorks Casino to distinguish it from BethWorks then until its takeover by Pennsylvania's governor and legislature for slot machine gambling.

oh boo hooo, I know how to get it back in operation, tie a human to a rope on each side and let them pull the heavy weighted down out of commission so called boat.

The New Hope canal-boat ride may have been neglected for the sinister purpose of steering tourists to boat ride in Easton.

From the inception of the D&LDNC legislation, the city of Easton (and now Bethehem0 have perverted it for their solipsitic, myopic "economic development" instead of the legislations's original intent.

Bethlehem accomplished this throug Michael perrucci and Richard fischbein and Sands Bethworks Now, as opposed to BethWorks Then, as envisioned by Congreesmen Kostmayer and Ritter.

The city of Easton accomplished its deveious ends through Easton career employee, Executive Director of Hugh Moore Park, Executive Director of the D&LNHC and Hugh Moore Park Museum located in Two Rivers Landing, and Secretary of the D&LNHC Commission in headquartered in Bethlehem.

The city of Easton career employee who held multiple strategic positions in these numerous "Public-private partnerships" was J. Steven Humphrey, who was also the city's business manager under Mayor Philip B. Mitman, who hired Humphrey after Humphrey, another Brahmin in the silk-stocking neighborhood of Easton ahd run agaist his new boss-to-be in the 2003 Reublican primary.

Humphry, like his blue-blooded College Hill neighbor Phil Mitman, has left city of Easton employment for greener pastures.

Greed, Greed, Greed.

It's like two drowning people struggling and in the end no one will be left with anything viable. Quite the statement on American attitude prelevant in this country today. Not to make it into religion, but it rings so very true... "A house divided" will fall.

Such a shame

Billy, why must you always have to write Novels, every time you make a comment? Lord you were born a rambling man!

Looks like it's time for Mule-burgers

I was just going to say this was a shame because this little town is a nice place to visit, a cornucopia of eye candy and rich in culture,history and art,just the ride up through 611 to New Hope is gorgeous.
But geesh, I didn't relieze there was so much retort/politics about a mule pulling a barge for some tourists just to show them how it was done in the, "good ol' days".

Why is Billy talking about Easton, Bethlehem, Mayors that are gone. CHEEZE AND CRACKER, whack job, take your meds.

The ditch (Delaware Canal State Park) is a colossal waste of resources. They are in the process of dumping something like 38 million dollars into this 60 mile piece of crap.

Every time it floods we get more propane tanks and picnic tables etc. washed up on the islands in the river and this isn't even going into the damage that is done to the canal itself.

The ditch must go...

Bring back the mules! We can organize the gay troops to take rides on the barge and bring glamour back to the town!!

NHC was a great success this past weekend, with the wonderful parade, street fair and vendors! The Nevermore is faaabbulous!!!!! The Divas looked wonderful!!

We could sell mule barge tickets at the poolside this summer, and get the boys to really bring the eye candy into town!!

PA Park Ranger wrote:

The ditch (Delaware Canal State Park) is a colossal waste of resources. They are in the process of dumping something like 38 million dollars into this 60 mile piece of crap.
Every time it floods we get more propane tanks and picnic tables etc. washed up on the islands in the river and this isn't even going into the damage that is done to the canal itself.
The ditch must go...

Useless people like you need to go. It's the river not the canal that washes up anything. Gonna fill it?

The problem is Uncle Eddie and the Legislators could care less about anything in Bucks County. It does not give them enough tax revenue or voters. The canal repair has taken since 2006 to get funded. If it were done right the first time, it might not be this bad today. STATE ROAD 32 has been one lane since then over a 2 mile stretch. North of that on 611 we were taking bets on what would fall through the road, an oil tanker or school bus.

Bucks Resident wrote:

The problem is Uncle Eddie and the Legislators could care less about anything in Bucks County. It does not give them enough tax revenue or voters. The canal repair has taken since 2006 to get funded. If it were done right the first time, it might not be this bad today. STATE ROAD 32 has been one lane since then over a 2 mile stretch. North of that on 611 we were taking bets on what would fall through the road, an oil tanker or school bus.

Actually Rendell jumped on New York. The fact is NYC ran it's dam at 97% capacity and has agreed to a lower level. That what caused the flooding in the 1st place. It's NYC's fault. So let's not be all negative.

Just Saying, Allentown, PA

If flooding in the Lehigh Valley can be blamed solely on NYC, then we can continue development in the flood plains ignore such contributing cause as possible increased rainfall from global warming and the practical need to control stormwater runoff as required by Pennsylvania statutes of 1978 and 1984.

Could the Rerrill Creek reservoir in Warren County, New Jersey, Pohatcong Township contribute to flooding?

I don't know. I lived in Blairstown when the reservoir was under construction, and I was working to found the Paulinskill Trail and lobbying for Phillipsburg as the site for New Jersey's Transportation and Railroad Museum - both of which were successful efforts though the 70-acre site chosen for the museum fell into the hands of Michael Perrucci and was never built.

But I heard stories that one purpose of the Merrill Creek Reservoir was to control brackish water backing up from the Delaware bay estuary at Philadelpha into the Delaware River and adversely affecting the Delaware River's fresh-water marine life.

Reality Bites wrote:

<quoted text>
Useless people like you need to go. It's the river not the canal that washes up anything. Gonna fill it?

You are correct, that it's the river that floods, not that I'm useless... I do have a use and it's being out there arresting fruitcakes who hang out in the park nailing each other on the hiking paths.

It would be cheaper in the long run to fill up that mosquito harboring cesspool than it would be to continue throwing good money after bad.

To show my commitment to the project I will donate the first truck load of fill...

Billy Givens wrote:

Just Saying, Allentown, PA
If flooding in the Lehigh Valley can be blamed solely on NYC, then we can continue development in the flood plains ignore such contributing cause as possible increased rainfall from global warming and the practical need to control stormwater runoff as required by Pennsylvania statutes of 1978 and 1984.

Of course not. The comment was made in regard to the major Bucks canal damage in fall of 2004 (hurricane Ivan)a few years back. This kind of damage would not have been as severe.

Of course the Route 33 property development in Bethlehem Township, and other developed locations like it(along the many miles of river)had a role to play for sure.(1) Had NY responded back in 2004 much of this could have been averted.(2) I AGREE there is far too much unresponsable growth. I seen what happened to the entrance road of Bethlehem Boat Club that year & 2005. I have the pictures to show it!

I was referred largley to the historicly orginal structures that survived many storms along the canal year after year and were greatly damaged. Not new developments that decided it was a great idea to create negligient runoffs. Or people who decided to nest 2 feet above the water levels and 10 feet off a river!

PA Park Ranger wrote:

<quoted text>
You are correct, that it's the river that floods, not that I'm useless... I do have a use and it's being out there arresting fruitcakes who hang out in the park nailing each other on the hiking paths.

It's sad to see people working in government positions like PA Park Ranger make disparaging remarks about groups of people, like gay men in this case. I would comment that an attitude like his probably is borne of inner conflict over his own sexuality....maybe the anger is that he can't get "nailed" like the "fruitcakes" he denigrates...How long do you watch until you slap on the handcuffs???

Most gay men don't frequent hiking trails for purposes of sex, but some do, much like hetero couples. How many guys/gals have you also arrested along the "ditch"?

Hey, I have an offer--let's go out for a drink at a gay bar in New Hope, and try to come to understand the other's point of view better....?

"Park Ranger" is anything but what he/she/it claims to be.

As for New Hope, I don't think there's a bar in New Hope that isn't gay friendly, my partner and I used to hang out at Fran's all the time.

Lahaska Gay Hunk wrote:

<quoted text>
It's sad to see people working in government positions like PA Park Ranger make disparaging remarks about groups of people, like gay men in this case. I would comment that an attitude like his probably is borne of inner conflict over his own sexuality....maybe the anger is that he can't get "nailed" like the "fruitcakes" he denigrates...How long do you watch until you slap on the handcuffs???
Most gay men don't frequent hiking trails for purposes of sex, but some do, much like hetero couples. How many guys/gals have you also arrested along the "ditch"?
Hey, I have an offer--let's go out for a drink at a gay bar in New Hope, and try to come to understand the other's point of view better....?