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Council clears Canal Fest street closures and waives related fees after Rotary request
Summary
The council approved waivers and street-closing authorizations to support Canal Fest on Aug. 1, including a waiver of right-of-way permit fees for the Rome Rotary and an authorization to close portions of Whitesboro Street; a Rotary representative had requested closures for vendor safety and logistics.
The Rome Common Council approved measures to support Canal Fest 2026 after public comment from a Rome Rotary representative who requested closing East Whitesboro Street for festival operations. Resolution 96 waived application fees for right-of-way permits for the Rome Rotary, and Ordinance 9891 authorized closing portions of Whitesboro Street for the event; both measures moved, were placed on unanimous consent where indicated, and carried by voice vote.
Steve Mercurio, representing the Rome Rotary, told the council he requested a closure of East Whitesboro Street from Ray Street to the dead end at the Mohawk River bridge on Aug. 1 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. to accommodate vendors, a kids’ run and volunteer-managed barricades. “So I submitted a proposed ordinance for the closure of East Whitesboro Street... from 07:00 in the morning to 07:30PM,” Mercurio said, describing vendor logistics and volunteer roles.
Resolution 96 also authorized waiver of application fees for right-of-way permits related to Canal Fest; the council carried the waiver. The measures give event organizers authority to manage vendor access and to coordinate with city services for barricades and safety; the council did not specify additional policing resources, leaving coordination to event organizers and city departments.
