Let’s just get this out of the way: the Amazing Acro-Cats show, now at MuCCC through Sunday, August 11, is completely and utterly ridiculous. How could it not be? It’s a dozen or so cats (plus two chickens, a trio of low-energy rats, and a woodchuck) performing a variety of stunts when and if they […]
CATS
Cats and wildlife: new focus on an old issue
I’m kind of surprised by the amount of attention and press the predatory habits of cats has received lately. The New York Times, for example, wrote an editorial, “Soft and Deadly,” encouraging cat owners to keep their pets from freely roaming outside. What’s giving the story legs is a new study published in the journal […]
Ferry, ferry quite contrary
Ferry update, November 24: Rochester’s ferry crisis kicked into high gear on Wednesday, when two companies that financed the boat began foreclosure proceedings. A very possible outcome: A court will permit the lenders — ABN AMRO Bank and EFIC (the Export Finance and Insurance Corp.) to take the boat and sell it to recoup […]
Dominick Delucia: CATS wants to stay in
“We have been at this thing for five very long, grueling years. We haven’t quit on this project or this community, and we’re not about to quit now.” CATS founder Dominick Delucia is determined to find a recovery plan for the ferry that CATS and the city can approve. In his mind, ferry service should […]
Bill Johnson: CATSโ plan is โtoo riskyโ
In Mayor Bill Johnson’s ferry plan, city council would approve establishing a public authority to take ownership of the ferry in December, and the state legislature would approve it in early February. The authority might handle the operation itself, or it might hire a company to do it. The authority would be appointed immediately so […]
Restoring The Spirit
We may learn, soon, whether The Spirit of Ontario will be back in operation, and if so, whether it’ll be in service this fall. Critics and the media are still speculating on the causes of the ferry fiasco — and, despite its terrific start-up bookings, on whether Spirit is viable. Sellouts in August aren’t a […]
Interview regarding the Fast Ferry
City: A year ago, a representative from the Port Authority was here in Rochester… Lundy: That would be Henry Pankratz [chairman] and Lisa Raitt [CEO]. City: And we understand they signed a memorandum of understanding to start construction on the Toronto terminal. Lundy: This goes back to adequate funding from the north […]
Ferry tales
It struck a pier in New York City and survived. It faced early delays and scheduling snafus. But it overcame those problems and was able to thumb its nose at skeptics, serving 73,000 riders in the month of August and making fans of many Torontonians. And then last week, The Breeze suspended service. Its […]
Interview regarding the Fast Ferry
City: CATS CEO Cornel Martin has listed the issues that have to be resolved before ferry service can resume. And on a couple of them, at least, we seem to be fairly close to a resolution. Are we close to resolving all these issues? What stands in the way? Johnson: I don’t know. It […]
Interview regarding the Fast Ferry
City: You’ve mentioned that one of the major issues that must be resolved before resuming ferry service is the construction of a permanent Toronto terminal. The mayor says that still stands as the largest hurdle. What’s going on with that? Martin: When we closed on the vessel, this was an outstanding issue. And at […]






