claim: Syco was established by Paula Abdul.
evidence: The Itchen Navigation is a 10.4 mi disused canal system in Hampshire , England , that provided an important trading route from Winchester to the sea at Southampton for about 150 years .. canal. canal. Hampshire. Hampshire. Winchester. Winchester. Southampton. Southampton. Improvements to the River Itchen were authorised by Act of Parliament in 1665 , but progress was slow , and the navigation was not declared complete until 1710 .. River Itchen. River Itchen, Hampshire. Act of Parliament. Act of Parliament. It was known as a navigation because it was essentially an improved river , with the main river channel being used for some sections , and cuts with locks used to bypass the difficult sections .. locks. Lock ( water transport ). Its waters are fed from the River Itchen .. River Itchen. River Itchen, Hampshire. It provided an important method of moving goods , particularly agricultural produce and coal , between the two cities and the intervening villages .. On its completion it was capable of taking shallow barges of around 13 ft in width and 70 ft in length , but traffic was fairly modest .. 18,310 tons of freight were carried in 1802 , one of the better years , and there were never more than six boats in use on the waterway .. tons. long ton. Following the opening of the London and Southampton Railway in 1840 , traffic declined sharply , and the navigation ceased to operate in 1869 .. Southampton. Southampton. London and Southampton Railway. London and Southampton Railway. There were various attempts to revitalise it , but none were successful .. There had also been several proposals to link it to the Basingstoke Canal to form an inland route from London to Southampton during its life , which likewise did not come to fruition .. Southampton. Southampton. Basingstoke Canal. Basingstoke Canal. The revival of interest in inland waterways following the end of the Second World War has resulted in the tow path alongside the canal becoming part of the Itchen Way long-distance footpath , and is a popular route for walkers .. canal. canal. Second World War. Second World War. tow path. tow path. Itchen Way. Itchen Way. The Itchen Navigation Preservation Society was formed in the 1970s , but progress was slow .. A joint venture between the Environment Agency and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust in 2005 led to the formation of the Itchen Navigation Trust , and two years later , they obtained a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund , funding the creation of the Itchen Navigation Heritage Trail Project , which has sought to conserve and interpret the remains .. Hampshire. Hampshire. Environment Agency. Environment Agency. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. Heritage Lottery Fund. Heritage Lottery Fund. The route provides habitat for a diverse flora and fauna , which has resulted in it being designated as a European Special Area of Conservation and a Site of Special Scientific Interest .. Special Area of Conservation. Special Area of Conservation. Site of Special Scientific Interest. Site of Special Scientific Interest