New Onondaga Lake Visitors Center Opens (USA)

The Onondaga Lake Visitors Center is now open giving the community a chance to experience and learn about the lake cleanup firsthand.

The center was designed and built by Honeywell to provide public access to the significant work taking place by hundreds of scientists, engineers, and skilled craft laborers from this region. Displays highlight the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) cleanup plan, progress to date, the re-establishment of wetlands, and extensive habitat enhancements. The Visitor Center’s deck and floor are made out of reclaimed lumber from the Syracuse Chilled Plow Company and the West Bingham School, both buildings that were more than a century old. The center is located along the southwest shoreline of Onondaga Lake.

“The progress that has been made is due in large measure to the talent, creativity, and dedication of so many that reside and work in this community – from the regulators and elected officials to the academic, environmental, nonprofit and business communities to our partners and workers,” said Honeywell Syracuse Program Director John McAuliffe. “We will continue working together to fulfill the public’s vision for Onondaga Lake and return it to the community as a healthy, sustainable asset for future generations.”

The Onondaga Lake cleanup is the result of more than two decades and millions of hours of intensive effort under the supervision of state and federal regulatory agencies, and in cooperation with local elected officials and the community. Upgrades made to Onondaga County’s municipal wastewater treatment system plus the construction of an underground barrier wall, which intercepts contaminated groundwater from old industrial sites, have improved lake water quality to the best it has been in decades.

The dredging program at the Onondaga Lake shut down for the winter today.

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Dredging Today Staff, November 20, 2012; Image: lakecleanup