Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,I,C-Batavia) today announced the Western Erie Canal Alliance and the Landmark Society of Western New York have been awarded funding through the Quality Communities Grant Program. $192,000 over the next two years will go toward the establishment of a Main Street Revitalization Coordinating program for the Western Erie Canal Heritage Corridor.

Hawley said the Western Erie Canal Alliance serves a vital role in providing information, support, and program planning throughout the Heritage Corridor. “The Alliance’s plan will provide the support necessary to foster and enable the economic development so desperately needed within these communities,” Hawley added.

“I am confident this money will help address the need for economic revitalization in the Western Erie Canal Heritage Corridor, while preserving and maximizing the Erie Canal’s role as an important cultural resource,” said Hawley.

The grant, awarded by the New York State Department of State, covers nearly all of the $240,000 two-year program cost estimated by the Western Erie Canal Alliance.