Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 6

48 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 6 Pride in Our Work, Commitment to Our Community www.alcoa.com Alcoa has been a member of the Massena community since 1902 as the world’s longest continuously operating aluminum smelter. We’ve helped shape the region, the state, and the world with our aluminum. We are proud to call Massena home, supporting numerous non-profit organizations through volunteering and Alcoa Foundation investments. along the St. Lawrence Seaway, provide another popular riverside attraction. From the Seaway Visitors’ Center at the Eisenhower Lock, tourists and ship watchers can observe the locks lifting the ships from the lower level (down by the International Bridge) to above Eisenhower Lock – a total lift of over 90 feet. “You can even take your own private boat through the locks here,” offers Bill Fiacco, Owner of the investment firm GoCo Ventures. “Pre- COVID, you could cross the river to Canada . A 15-minute boat ride and you’re in a different country, in a very cool setting. The St. Lawrence is just an absolutely wonderful launching pad for tourism in the area.” A new tourism-centered branding initiative built around the tagline “Explore Massena” has already been rolled out. The redesign of the Town’s identity is expected to bring Massena “back to its roots” as a tourist draw and year- round playground, according to Carbone. He notes, “We’ve got activities for every season, the Nicandri Nature Center, NYPA visitor center, St.Lawrence Seaway which is slated for a new visitor facility – plenty of opportunities indoors and outdoors. Boat launches are abundant and the newly renovated Massena intake features day use docks, pavilions, and additional ramps which are at no cost to the public.” “Massena also offers many outdoor activities ,” adds Fiacco. “You want to go camping, boating, skiing, swimming at the beaches, skeet shooting, you’re never lining up or waiting. Everything is so accessible.” The “Explore Massena” campaign, which includes the freshly baked “Fish Massena” webpage, encompasses all the appeal of the outdoor lifestyle and the strength of Massena’s tourism industry. Their biggest challenge now lies in getting the word out. “It’s been established that the St. Lawrence River