By Betsy Copps The Oswego River it cuts through western Oswego County, neatly halving several communities before commingling with the waters of Lake Ontario.
Most residents cross the river daily, probably without giving it a second thought.
Yet that 24-mile stretch from Syracuse to Oswego is the crown jewel of the New York State Barge Canal System, the gateway to the Great Lakes, and quite possibly the recreational and commercial powerhouse of the 21st century. It s part of the New York State Canal Recreationway Plan, completed in June 1995. Today, the city of Oswego is poised to open the floodgates for tourist development on the waterfront. Much negotiating and red tape need to be completed before the plan becomes reality, but Oswego officials already know what they need to do to get ready. The Recreationway Plan s primary focus is on recreational and tourist development because that s its purpose, but we are including commercial development opportunities in the picture as well.