Dave and Liz Beebe’s passion lies within the Camillus Erie Canal Park

By Richard Palmer

For more than 35 years, the names of David and Elizabeth Beebe have become synonymous with the creation and on-going development of Camillus Erie Canal Park.

Dave has long been the volunteer director of the park, which includes Sims Store Museum. Reflecting on what has been accomplished, Dave said: “Our great reward has been to see the growth of what was once thought to be a good dumping ground develop into a full park, and inviting the public for all kinds of recreational and educational programs. We are pleased that we were able to start the ball rolling and to watch the domino effect impacting one canal community after another.”

Under the Beebe’s direction, the park has grown from the original 164 acres to 420. The “staff” consists of more than 160 active trained volunteers who manage and operate the seven-mile linear water-filled canal.
The park provides extensive school programs, narrated boat rides on the historical canal for Sunday visitors and tours for many diverse groups. During the summer, it offers sellout summer midweek dinner cruises. The Beebes and their helpers have also developed and constructed many canal exhibits at the museum and as well as outside static displays interpreting the canal.

It all started back in 1972 when Dave, then president of the local chapter of the Audubon Society, saw that an area was being filled in, and it would continue beyond Route 173 to the west. After bringing this to the attention of the town, he was asked to “head up” the effort to create a park after the town of Camillus purchased the original 164 acres from the state of New York for $15 an acre.

“I didn’t even know where the canal was at the time,” Beebe said. “Up to that time I had not developed an interest in the canal.”

Major cleanup duties—Then the formidable task of resurrecting this section of the Erie Canal started. Since its abandonment in 1917 when it was replaced by the Barge Canal, it had grown to be a jungle of trees and underbrush. It was a massive clean up project that took years. At one time the town planned to use it as a landfill. Years of accumulated trash was removed—everything from old tires and refrigerators to automobiles.

The Beebes, with their organizational skills, put together a team of volunteers who spent thousands of hours initially clearing out two miles of the waterway, dragged the canal of stumps and debris and cleared off the tow and heel paths to create what is today one of the major recreational linear parks in Central New York.

The Beebes and others early on had visions of one day restoring Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct. In August 2009, after more than 25 years of planning, raising more than $2 million, and an unprecedented cooperative effort with state and local agencies, their dream came true. “We knew it was possible,” Dave said, “but we went at it slowly and methodically.”

The aqueduct, built in 1844, is a water-filled bridge that carries canal boats over rivers, streams or valleys. It provided a way for the first enlargement of the Erie Canal to be carried over Nine Mile Creek. This 144-foot-long stone structure consists of four stone arches made of fine Onondaga limestone quarried from Split Rock which supports the towpath. Beebe said, “it is the only restored navigable aqueduct in New York state. Of the 32 original aqueducts on the First Enlargement, only about seven remain intact.”

Restoration, under contract with Vector Construction Co, began in October 2008 and took about a year to complete. The restoration work was carried out as close as possible to original specifications. Special pressure-treated and waterproofed timbers were re-installed.

“The public response to this project has been tremendous,” Beebe said. “Sunday afternoons since this has occurred have been very busy for us.”

Volunteer pride—But what stands out is the fact that the Beebes have the knack of being able to organize volunteers into a unified group that work well together while having fun. One volunteer said, “it’s a joy for me to come down here every week.” In many cases, a group of volunteers may take on a project as a team. “We try to make sure they all work well together,” Beebe said.

Even before they retired—Dave as a leading dentist on the west side of Syracuse and Liz as a teacher—they spent untold hours “down at the park.” They said they each spend between 40 and 50 hours a week with their involvement in park activities. However, once in a while they manage to break away for a vacation. They both enjoy kayaking, biking and bird watching. As if the park wasn’t enough, the Beebes for years have been active members of the Canal Society of New York State and involved in its activities. He has served on the society board for 20 years and has frequently lectured on canal topics.

A native of Solvay, Dave earned his Bachelor of Science degree from St. Lawrence University in 1956. He was enrolled in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program there and was a member of the American Chemical Society and Sigma Chi fraternity. After earning his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Pennsylvania Dental School, he served in the U.S. Army’s Dental Corps in Germany from 1959 to 1962, when he went into private practice with Dr. Tom Sweeney. He retired on Oct. 1, 2001 from what was officially called the Dental Arts Group.

For 35 years, he was also on the staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse.

Dave never has a dull moment. “Locally, I enjoy lecturing and presenting canal programs approximately 12 times a year to civic, library and historical organizations. Our Camillus Canal Society programs include field trips to local canal sites, and walks to our Camillus Unique Forest Area.” He has received Citizen of the Year Awards from the Greater Camillus Chamber of Commerce and the Camillus Elks Club as well as a Distinguished Service Award from the West Genesee Jaycees.

Conservation minded—He was one of the founders and served on the board of the Nine Mile Creek Conservation Council. This group developed a water trail along the stream. They constructed three launch stairs and cleared the creek for canoe/kayak travel. This group was also responsible for saving and creating the Camillus Unique Forest Area. His other “hat” is president of the Camillus Canal Society, the organization that fosters the park.

Another one of Dave’s long-time goals was to write a book called “Half Way There.” It contains many photos, original research and on site observations. Camillus Erie Canal Park contains one of each type of structure erected on the Clinton’s Ditch and Enlarged Erie Canals. Beebe describes how they were constructed and how they function.

Liz Beebe also attended St. Lawrence University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1956, and tapped for Mortar Board, a national woman’s honorary society. She was president of the Woman’s Athletic Association and vice president of Kappa Delta Sorority. Then she pursued a career in education. She recalled: “My mother, having been in the field of physical education, said that my love of sports and the out-of-doors were not enough and insisted upon a liberal arts education. That combination at St. Lawrence has served me well.”

After returning from Germany, the Beebes settled in Camillus. Soon Liz became involved with St. Luke’s Episcopal Church where she has served as a member of the vestry, church school teacher, youth leader, coordinator of Christian education and lay eucharistic minister to the ill and infirmed. She is a lay eucharistic minister and a member of the pastoral care committee.

Her interest in outdoor education led to volunteering 25 years with the Syracuse Inter-Religious Council’s day camp, the now-defunct Camp Adelphi. “It was very satisfying for me to act as a counselor, waterfront director, chair of camp and education committees as well as become the camp coordinator,” she said.
Award-winning couple—The Beebes have two grown children. Ann is now a veterinarian in Pennsylvania and Bill is a manufacturer’s rep for a pharmaceutical firm.

During the 2000 World Canal Conference, Liz and Dave presented the “Spirit of the Canal Award” by the New York State Canal Corporation. She received the Greater Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 1996 and the Camillus Business and Woman’s Professional Club’s Citizen of the Year Award in 1998.

The Beebes are working to ensure that the legacy they created at the park continues by training younger people to perpetuate what they established. “You have to be passionate about this sort of thing to make it a success,” Dave said.

One of the more recent additions to the park is the steam engine exhibit that includes a fully restored, turn-of-the-century steam-powered power plant once used in the operation of the Smith Corona factory in downtown Syracuse. Many special events are held at the park and it has become a favorite place to hike, bike, kayak and walk pets. “There’s always something going on,” Dave said.

But the main attraction is the two-mile interpretive boat ride from Sims Store to the aqueduct and return. Next year, this feature will be extended another mile to Warners Road. These tours are conducted from 1-5 p.m. Sundays, May through October.
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