Erie Canal Harbor [1] -- Buffalo's newest waterfront development -- officially opened Wednesday, heralding a new era for a once-forsaken resource.

Visitors can view building foundations dating back to the Erie Canal's early years. (Buffalo News photo)According to the Buffalo News [2], the site has been open to the public for several weeks, but the ceremonial opening for the $50 million project should help bring visitors downtown for the July 4 weekend and well beyond.

The original western terminus of the historic waterway has been redeveloped to include a new pedestrian bridge over the canal and the rewatered Commercial Slip. Visitors can also view building foundations dating back to the canal's early years, when it opened the West to settlement.

Down the road, even bigger things are planned, most notably the $400 million Canal Side development [3]. The centerpiece is a Bass Pro Shop where Memorial Auditorium now stands.