Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh still has two weeks left in his term, but we’re already learning what he’s doing next. Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday that Walsh will serve as the next director of the New York State Canal Corporation.
"Ben Walsh delivered real results for Syracuse, from revitalizing neighborhoods to preparing workers for the jobs of the future,” Governor Hochul said in a release. “His experience driving collaboration and transformative growth will be an asset as we move into the historic canal system’s third century and will benefit the Canal Corporation, canal communities, and New Yorkers and tourists alike.”
He’ll succeed retiring director Brian Stratton, who held the position for 14 years.
“Ben Walsh is a proven municipal chief executive and independent thinker to steer New York’s 200-year-old Canal system into its next century of service," Stratton said. "Mayor Walsh will bring the proud legacy of public service and an accomplished record of leading a major upstate city on the Erie Canal to ensure New York’s iconic waterway will continue to fuel the growth and sustainability of more than 200 canal communities along its shores.”
New York’s Canal system includes four historic canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga – Seneca. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals connect hundreds of unique communities through a network of waterways, trails, and parks that serve residents and visitors alike. The New York State Canal Corporation is a subsidiary of the New York Power Authority.
