The winding creek that begins in the hills of Arkwright and empties into Lake Erie has witnessed extraordinary changes over the centuries. Despite its vital role in the settlement of Fredonia and important part in the county’s tourism industry today, very little has been formally published about Canadaway Creek. However, that is about to change, thanks to funding provided by SUNY Fredonia’s Costello Interplay Award for the interdisciplinary project “Survey of Canadaway Creek in Western New York.”

Faculty and students from the departments of biology, curriculum instruction and visual arts and new media are now beginning work on this soft cover full-color 150 page book and website that will investigate the history, environmental richness and the challenges and solutions that face Canadaway Creek. Alberto Rey, SUNY Fredonia distinguished professor of drawing and painting, Canadaway Creek enthusiast and initiator of the project recently sat down with the OBSERVER to discuss plans for the book and, importantly, enlist the help of the public.

“I have a real affinity for the creek,” Rey explained inside the kitchen of his Fredonia home, which overlooks Canadaway Creek. “I’ve walked the creek a lot; I’ve fished it for years and am continually drawn to its beauty. I think it’s really important for present and future generations to have a better understanding of the creek in order to protect it down the road.”

For Rey and many others, the creek is far more than a picturesque backdrop to village life in Fredonia. An accomplished fly fisherman and New York state licensed guide, Rey experiences the rich natural resource that is Canadaway Creek on a near-daily basis. Not only does the beautiful stream that runs behind his 19th century brick farmhouse provide ample fishing opportunities, but it is also a source of inspiration for the nationally recognized artist, whose work has been published in several regional and national fly fishing and travel publications, and is part of the permanent collections of the Albright-Knox Museum, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Bronx Museum of Art, to name a few.

Submitted Photo. More than a geological feature, Canadaway Creek provides recreation and adventure, as seen in this 1973 photograph where former Fredonia resident Ron Valvo is ice skating on Canadaway Creek behind his Liberty Street home.

For years, studying Canadaway Creek has been something of a passion project for Rey, though the Costello Interplay Award is the first grant that has been awarded for formal research about the creek. According to Rey, the stream was originally settled by the Erie tribes and later the Iroquois, who referred to the stream as “Ga-na-da-wa-o,” or “running through hemlocks.” Non-natives who began settling along the creek in 1804 pronounced it “Canadaway,” which became the name of the creek’s first non-native settlement that is now the village of Fredonia.

Throughout history, Canadaway Creek has played an important role in Chautauqua County. “The mouth of Canadaway Creek hosted the first naval battle in the War of 1812, where an American military company held off a British gunboat as it tried to seize a salt boat from Buffalo that had sought sanctuary in the creek,” Rey writes on his website, albertorey.com.

Today, the creek is characterized by the many plant and animal species that call it home. Bird species including the yellow-bellied sapsucker, the great blue heron and abundant fish populations, especially steelhead, are among the wildlife that inhabit the creek.

Canadaway Creek plays a surprisingly strong role in the local economy, too, as it is one of eight tributaries that make up the three-county (Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Erie counties) fishery that is a multi-million dollar industry. In a 2007 survey conducted by SUNY Fredonia Assistant Professor Tim Strakosh, his student Josh Rucinski and steelhead biologist Jim Markham of the New York State DEC, it was reported that on average, each non-resident angler spends $64 a day in and around Fredonia during prime steelhead season (September to December and February to April). Anglers, who traveled from all over the northeast including Canada, were reported to spend $3.2 million annually in the three-county region on everything from food to lodging to equipment to transportation.

Though initiated by Rey, the project is a collaborative effort that involves several members of the SUNY Fredonia faculty and the community. A member of the department of visual arts and new media, Rey is bringing both his passion for the creek and expertise in design to the project. Jason Dilworth, associate professor in graphic design; Ted Lee, Ph.D., biology professor; Michael Jabot, Ph.D., professor of science education; and approximately 10 SUNY Fredonia students majoring in these fields are already working hard to bring this project to life. Multiple community members are also involved, including Erik Danielson, local plant expert; Jack Berkely, Ph.D., retired SUNY Fredonia geology professor; and Robert Jimerson, linguistic expert and member of the Cattaraugus Reservation.

OBSERVER Photo by Mary Heyl. In this example of biological regionalism, Alberto Rey’s “Largemouth Bass” is one of many pieces inspired by the natural beauty of Western New York.

Rey explained that in January, the group learned that they had been awarded the Costello Interplay Award, which encourages cross-disciplinary projects that benefit the college and the greater community. Past recipients include Bernd Gottinger, associate professor of music, and Michael Grady, physics professor, along with students in the Sound Recording Technology program in the School of Music, who created an electroacoustic enhancement system to improve the acoustics in King Concert Hall, meant to benefit other performance venues around campus, too.

The goal of the Canadaway Creek project is to provide a deeper understanding of the creek and its role in the area’s geography and history, as well as foster a sense of stewardship for this important natural asset. According to Rey, research will involve field trips, input from local experts, photography/videography and more, as students and faculty take advantage of the spring thaw. Faculty and students from the arts and sciences will contribute their experience and skills to the design of the publication and the information it contains, including maps, drawings and photography,

Rey is also interested in the vital information historical societies and local residents can contribute to the project, including historical photographs and artifacts, such as fossils. “There’s really no one place to get all of this information about Canadaway Creek that’s easily accessible, so we welcome information of value from the public,” Rey explained.

Importantly, time is of the essence, as the group, which has been meeting weekly, is eyeing a Sept. 1 design deadline and a Dec. 1 printing deadline. Rey explained that the grant provides funding for approximately 700 copies of the book, which will be made available for free to local schools and libraries by May 2020.

The book project will be supported by an accessible, informative website where a free PDF version of the book will be made available to the public. Rey is hopeful that the Costello Interplay Award may also be used as matching funds to obtain regional and/or national grant funding for informational kiosks, plaques and signs to be installed at different locations along the creek.

Those who are interested in contributing information to the project can contact Rey by email (preferred) at alberto@albertorey.com or by phone at 410-7003.