CCA President’s Note

Happy New Year to each of you!  I hope everyone had a joyous holiday season. 

2008 will be a special year for the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor.  Come Spring, the I&M Canal will again be active with passenger travel. The horse-pulled LaSalle canal boat will take guests on one-hour round-trip rides that will transport visitors back to a time when the world was on the threshold of dramatic change through ever-faster transportation and communication.

The grand opening of the Lock 16 Visitor Center will also take place this Spring.  As well as selling to tickets for the LaSalle canal boat, the Center will feature a café with light fare, a heritage-themed gift shop, an educational center for special programs and canal exhibits.

As CCA prepares to open the Visitor Center and the boat ride, there are plenty of opportunities for those interested in volunteering or employment.  Please read on to learn more.

This is truly an exciting time!

Ana B. Koval

President & CEO

Canal Fact

The canal helped change agriculture in Illinois. The canal provided a new corridor of cheap transport, and this allowed more acres to be cultivated. 

LaSalle Canal Boat and Lock 16 Visitor Center Employees, Volunteers and Mule Contractor Sought

 With the opening of the LaSalle canal boat and the Lock 16 Visitor Center, in downtown LaSalle, fast approaching, Canal Corridor Association is starting to bolster its ranks. Staff and volunteers are needed for the boat and visitor center.   A mule or horse contractor is also needed for the boat operations.

CCA is seeking to retain the services of a livery, stable or farmer who has mules or horses for pulling the canal boat. The contractor would provide and manage the animals.  If you are interested or know of someone who might be, please contact Glenn Fiala at gfiala@canalcor.org or 815-588-1100.

We also need volunteers and seasonal part-time employees to serve as boat captains, crew and tour guides, as well as store clerks and public information assistants. In keeping with the historical nature of the LaSalle Canal Boat and Lock 16 Visitor Center, staff and volunteers will wear 19^th century period clothing, provided by CCA.

Boat tour guides will bring history to life as they act in character to tell of the early days on the canal and the Illinois prairie, engaging and entertaining guests by sharing America’s stories.   These are ideal opportunities for college students, retirees, people wanting to re-enter the workforce or others who are outgoing and passionate about local history. Since there is an element of theater involved, people who have had theater experience are of particular interest.

To learn more about the staff and volunteer opportunities, email or call Pat Chinderle at pchinderle@canalcor.org or 815-588-1100.

Dinner & A Lecture - Thursday, January 10, 2008

"Grant Park: From Lakeshore to Landfill to Millennium Park" by Dr. Dennis Cremin

 Chicago’s renowned “front yard” evolved from a narrow shoreline during the city’s earliest days to the most visited open space in the bustling metropolis.  Historian Dennis Cremin will explore Grant Park as it grew from the community’s “Lake Park” into the international landmark that it has become.  Dr. Cremin’s illustrated presentation provides a lens to investigate the city’s history and civic aspirations.   

Dennis Cremin has co-authored Chicago: A Pictorial Celebration and Starved Rock State Park, Illinois: The Work of the CCC Along the I&M Canal.  He holds a Ph.D. in History from Loyola University Chicago and has taught at College of DuPage, Joliet Junior College, Loyola University Chicago, North Central College, and is currently Assistant Professor of History at Lewis University.  He has also served as the Historian and Director of Research and Public Programs for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Gaylord Building in Lockport, Illinois.

Dr. Cremin’s program is the first session of the Dinner & A Lecture winter series. The educational series is held monthly at the Gaylord Building (200 W. 8^th St., Lockport, IL) and catered by the Public Landing Restaurant.  Festivities begin at 6:00 pm with a cash-bar reception followed by dinner at 6:30 pm, and the lecture at 7:30 pm.  January guests choose from a menu of either Grilled Chicken over Linguine with Alfredo Sauce; or Homemade Pot Roast served with Jardinière of Root Vegetable and Garlic Mashed Potatoes.   Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce will be served for dessert.

The program fee, which includes dinner, is $31 for members of the Canal Corridor Association and National Trust for Historic Preservation or $37 for non-members.  Registration discounts are available for the entire winter series (January, February, and March).  Reservations are required for all sessions.  Please call 815.588.1100 to register and for additional information.