By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg City Council gave official support to an Ogdensburg-Prescott bicycle ferry Monday following a visit from Canadian officials Monday.

Prescott Mayor Brett Todd told city council he was excited about the prospect of restoring a ferry between the two cities. Todd said the project is especially near and dear to him as his parents met on the Ogdensburg-Prescott ferry, which operated from the early 1800s until around 1960s.

Officials said the ferry would cater to bicyclists and pedestrians with attempts to cash in on the booming bicycle tourism business.

Gary DeYoung, Director of Tourism for the1000 Islands International Tourism Council. DeYoung says bicycle tourism could attract people from all over the state and likely even from other countries. He said the local sites including waterways, lighthouses, islands and even castles make the area appealing to many, but establishing a bike trail could be a major draw to link all of the area’s assets together.

DeYoung said bicycle tourism is booming, with areas like the Great Lakes region pulling in hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

“There is real money on the table. It’s not just a pipe dream,” he said.

Todd said the governments on both sides of the boarder have been increasingly investing in bicycle tourism and Ogdensburg existing and planned trail systems would be a great fit for a larger trail that could include the ferry.

Also attending the meeting were Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, and Sen. Bob Runcimen, C-Ontario, and several members of Prescott City Council.

The idea for the ferry spun out of joint meetings held between the senators. Originally the ferry had been envisioned to run between Brockville and Morristown. A feasibility study was completed for that project and according to Rumicmen the project showed promise. However, heavy economic development undertakings in Brockville and a lack of interest in Morristown kept the project from moving forward.

Runcimen said that prompted discussion of operating the ferry between Ogdensburg and Prescott. The Prescott council is performing a feasibility study to help bolster funding for the project.

Mayor Todd said the idea was well received by council in Prescott and has support from businesses and the chamber of commerce. Todd said Ogdensburg and Prescott have always been intertwined and reliant on each other. He was this project would just be an extension of that relationship with many benefits to both sides of the river.

Ritchie who also spoke at the meeting said she believes a bicycle trail would be a draw from folks in New York City and Albany.

Ogdensburg City Councilors gave unanimous support for the project as did Ogdensburg and St. Lawrence County chambers of commerce.