Erie Canal Consulting offers over 50 years of New York State, national, and international canal scholarship and research
Tom Grasso has broad expertise in canals and inland waterways owing to:
- in-depth knowledge of canal history, geology, and geography
- authoring many works based on research and field work
- experience gathered by visiting, studying, and researching canals in New York State, America, and abroad, including Belgium, France, Germany, and the UK (Scotland, Wales, and England)
- the work required to plan, organize and lead many canal related tours both here and abroad
- successfully organizing canal events such as two World Canals Conferences and other canal meetings and conferences
- bringing a large, complicated, canal restoration project to fruition, The Port Byron Old Erie Canal Heritage Park – that includes authentic late 19th century canal side buildings and a lock
- effectively serving as President of the Canal Society of New York State for nearly 40 years,
- firsthand observation of the power and economic benefits of canal restoration, revitalization, and adaptive reuse of former canal side buildings – primarily in England
- learning more through many discussions with local canal officials and some local government officials
- increasing knowledge acquired through walking, bicycling, and boating New York and European canals
- 31 years of college teaching that has brought a perspective on what works