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Resident urges removal of signs for 'Erie Canal Village,' says property is defunct and misleading
Summary
At the Aug. 13 Rome Common Council meeting a resident asked the city to remove signs identifying the former Erie Canal Village, saying the site is defunct, many buildings are condemned and the property is being misrepresented to visitors.
Bobby O’Brien told the Rome Common Council on Aug. 13 that the city should remove roadway signage and other posted references to the former Erie Canal Village because, he said, the property is defunct and its current state misleads visitors.
O’Brien told the council the site was renamed ‘‘Empire State Heritage Park’’ around 2015 and that its registered name has been Crossroads Redemption Church since 2019; he described most buildings as condemned and said signage creates false expectations for visitors. He also questioned claims about the site’s operating steam engine and ownership, saying there are multiple registered steam engines and that Railstar is the original purchaser of Erie Canal Village in 2002. O’Brien asked the council to instead advertise other “wonderful attractions” in the city and to remove the signs directing visitors to the defunct site.
The remarks were presented during public comment and were O’Brien’s characterization of the property. The council did not take immediate action on signage during the meeting.
Why it matters: Wayfinding and promotional signage affect visitor expectations and the city’s representation of historic sites. The speaker asked the council to correct or remove signage he described as inaccurate; the council did not vote on signage at the meeting.
What’s next: The council did not make a motion on signage during this session; any action would require referral to the appropriate department or a future agenda item.
