Angelo Coniglio has a vision for harbor development, and it doesn’t include a BassPro Shop (though he’s not opposed to it). Coniglio’s vision involves creating a
with artifacts and memorabilia, and the means for people to trace back to find
where their ancestors traveled on the canal.
For 10 years now, Coniglio has been writing
mayors, city and county officials, librarians, universities, and getting no
great response. “It started when I realized that in 2025 it would be 200th
anniversary of the
happening with development, and I feel enough is not being made of
western terminus.”
Coniglio envisions a non-profit organization
that would work to organize, collect and digitize data on the passengers who
traveled via the
get into it, the more information is added, and the more it can help people,” he
said.
Coniglio talks of
western terminus, saying, “
More people passed through the
went through
beyond those traveling. “Not only can the travelers but the workers [of the
canal] and many of the families in
canal.”
Coniglio says, “Many responses I get are tied to funding, but I believe that
the type of things I’m talking about would bring cash flow. Initially it would
cost money, but in the end it would benefit
saying, “Wouldn’t it be nice if people came back to see where their ancestors
traveled on the canal?”
Coniglio will be in attendance at tonight’s
ECHDC GEIS meeting, during which he hopes to air his ideas. His best hope is to see if anyone else there is interested in an idea like the non-profit organization and museum. If Coniglio is
unable to garner any support in the project, he says, “I’ve talked to my
attorney and if I have to, I’m going to pursue a non-profit organization. I’m
not looking for any personal gain, but for
history.”
website is already posted on Coniglio’s site. All he needs now is the manpower. If interested, contact Coniglio at buffaloeriecanal@aol.com,
or meet him tonight at the Waterfront School for the Canalside Scoping Meeting.