The Friends of the OCA want to beautify the Trail by cleaning grime and graffiti from the many ventilators and weirs along its path. We have received money to clean a few (see the dramatic before-and-after photos) but need the community’s support to get to more of them. Please support our efforts to restore our Park by making a donation today!
Ventilators brought fresh air into the tunnel below, to keep the water flowing through the Aqueduct clean and pure. Weirs permitted engineers to stop the flow of water in order to permit repairs. Over the almost two hundred years since they were installed, the ventilators and weirs have been covered with soot, grime, graffiti, and in some cases, paint to cover graffiti. Working with NYS preservationists, we’ve developed a cleaning method that doesn’t damage the stone. More importantly we are applying a clear protective layer so any future graffiti can be easily removed! We’ve already done 7 structures but there are 15 more that need attention.
Help us raise $50,000 to make our Trail as beautiful as it can be!