a.k.a. V.J.

There is a saying that every great city has a great river. While the greatness of both cities and rivers is subjective, it is certainly true that most larger cities tend to be located on rivers; at least that’s the case here in the water-abundant Northeast. In New York, almost all of the state’s biggest cities are on significant rivers: New York City, Yonkers, and Albany on the Hudson; Buffalo on the Niagara, and Rochester on the Genesee. Conspicuously absent from that list is Syracuse. The Salt City has no river.

Syracuse grew up as a city along a man-made river — the Erie Canal. The canal served most of the traditional functions of a river in terms of fostering transportation infrastructure, population, and economic growth. Of course, the Syracuse section of the canal has long since been filled in and paved over. It survives today as Erie Boulevard, a river of asphalt. That said, Syracuse does still have water running through the city in the form of a creek.

Onondaga Creek is a narrow little stream that runs mostly north-south and flows into Onondaga Lake. As waterfronts go, it’s pretty modest, but the city has tried to make the most of it. The creek is maintained as a linear greenspace through long stretches the city, and much of it can be viewed along the Onondaga Creekwalk.

The Creekwalk offers some interesting contrasts with its lush vegetation cutting through an urban landscape. A person could theoretically go bar-hopping in Armory Square, then walk half a block, throw on some hip waders and fish for trout.

Today I took a brief stroll along the Creekwalk and snapped these photos along the way. I enjoyed some pleasant views and had the song “Dirty Water” by The Standells running though my head the whole time.