“This is a home for many people in the community:” Extensive damage at Kershaw Park in Canandaigua

CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. (WROC) — The severe thunderstorms and now-confirmed touchdown of an EF-0 tornado Tuesday evening in Canandaigua caused significant damage to the heart of the city. One of the hardest hit locations was Kershaw Park.

City Manager, John Goodwin, tells News 8 there were approximately 10 trees which were knocked over. It also affected the access to the playground right by the pavilion. Caution tape surrounded a large circumference of the area there as crews worked hard to clear the debris.

Heavy equipment needed to be brought in to manage the extent of the damage. City maintence crews were also forced to cut down several tree branches as the community prepared for more potential severe weather Wednesday.

“It’s an extensive cleanup and it’s kind of an all hands on deck today to try to protect the public. Obviously this is our flagship park. People are walking here pretty much on a 24/7 basis this time of year so having this dangerous trees removed as soon as possible is important,” Goodwin explains.

Around the corner and down the street from the park on the main Rt. 5 & 20, RG&E officials tell News8 approximately 16 utility poles were also knocked down in Tuesday night’s storms. RG&E is also asking customers to conserve power throughout Ontario County into Wednesday evening.

Mid-July is also considered the height of tourism season in the Canandaigua area, with a decent amount of activity during the sunny parts of Wednesday afternoon. The cleanup efforts also drew onlookers who frequent the park.

“We got a lot of rain down in Naples — we didn’t get the wind like they got up here but I work in Canandaigua and I decided to just come out and see what the damage was,” says Steve Cromwell.

“This is a beautiful place to go – love being here in the middle of the day at lunchtime. This is normally crowded with people and it’s kind of devastating to see all the damage,” Cromwell adds.

While thankfully there were no injuries reported and property damage was minimal, according to city leaders, Kershaw Park has special meaning to many people in Canandaigua. The pavillion and general area which took the brunt of the asthetic damage is often the hotspot for prom photos, even full weddings, and other special events, providing a scenic background and space for gatherings.

“This is a home for many people in the community,” Goodwin says.

“A lot of these willow trees happen to be my favorite trees as well; losing those…it’s kind of an iconic look to Kershaw Park. People are feeling it. There’s people that want to come down and grab some branches for nostalgia purposes,” the City Manager adds.

Goodwin notes the city will work on looking into a replanting program for the trees in the future.

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