By Neale Gulley<br><a href="mailto:gulleyn@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Neale</a>
Greater Niagara Newspapers
July 14, 2008 09:12 am
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Set up for this year’s Canal Fest went without a hitch, with the possible exception of rainy conditions earlier in the day.
Larry Denef, of Canal Fest Corp., said the weather probably didn’t help technicians working throughout the day to assemble the many rides on the City of Tonawanda side.
Patrons at the event’s sole beer tent, sponsored and run by Sweeney Hose No. 5 fire company, in North Tonawanda, watched as huge sections of a Ferris wheel were put in place across the canal.
“Everything is going smoothly. The initial set up went smoothly,” Denef said.
He said the festival, which kicked off Sunday, will be at full capacity today.
Vendors lined the remainder of the northern section of Gateway Park, from the beer tent west along the water.
The Dockside Inn saw throngs of customers during the event, many of them boaters tied up along the Sweeney Street Section of the Canal to the east.
About 800 feet of wharfage installed along that section of the inner canal wall this year came as a welcome change for some boaters, who for years were forced to find creative ways of mounting the high structure barring them from land. The many boats jamming the canal for the event often mean access to lower portions fills up quickly.
Michelle Staggers, of Pendleton, who along with her husband Jim own the boat “Shelly’s Way,” — one of 10 vessels using the new platform Sunday afternoon — said she is thrilled with the city’s addition of a new full-service wharf.
Her 15-year-old son has cerebral palsy, and throughout the 24 years she has boated in for Canal Fest, Staggers said her family and their two dogs have been forced to “raft” their boat by tying up to other, larger craft, in order to scramble over the wall.
“When you have small children it’s scary,” said Dawn Wagner, another Canal Fest boater. “The (other) problem on this side used to be there was no electric or water.”
Boater pedestals providing the utilities were installed last week, completing construction of the additional slips.
The Staggers’ were still waiting for water service, but said the electricity is on.
A handicapped-accessible ramp also was recently installed at one end of the concrete dock, leading up to the restaurant.
Patronage, however, was described as slow along Webster Street by at least one business owner, despite hundreds gathered there for the second annual casting of various musical performances including the brass outfit “The Hitmen.”
Employees at Hoagie Brothers said the number of customers was “average,” but that this is normally their busiest week.
Randall Siford, manager of Ava’s Place, a watering hole just next door, said the cancellation of a motorcycle rally event held in years prior will hurt business.
“We didn’t have a sponsor and we didn’t have a coordinator,” Denef said. “The other sponsor, we never got our sponsor dollars from last year and the coordinator got tied up in other (business) — it kind of left us in the breeze a little bit.”
He said he is working on bringing the bike rally back next year.
One patron could be found with a drink at Ava’s, even as more than 100 gathered at the festivals beer tent.
The Sweeney Hose beer tent is squeezed between the water and a trailer holding 1,615 gallons of beer, and fitted with 11 taps serving Labatt Blue and Blue Light. It is the only such concession at Canal Fest.
“The beer tent is a big responsibility,” Denef said. “If you slip up, especially in the security portion, everybody suffers.”
Pete Chenier, a member of the executive board at Sweeney Hose No. 5, and treasurer for Canal Fest Corp., helped man the tent. Volunteers served beer and said most of the revenue will go to support the fire company.
Contact reporter Neale Gulleyat 693-1000, ext. 114.
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