The recent cutoff of SNAP was a big blow to our friends and neighbors. West Side Community Services maintains a food pantry in our neighborhood. During the shutdown, the number of people using the pantry doubled. Although SNAP is coming back on-line, support for the pantry is critically needed and appreciated.
From the director, Crystal Selk:
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Shop Small Business Saturday is a nice opportunity to show your support for local businesses. This year, the official date is November 29th but we can show our love all year long for these special shops and organizations. Every time we have an event in our neighborhood, folks express surprise at how many delightful businesses are here. Take a stroll and check them out for yourself.
Here’s just a sampling:
This might look like a handy path in the park, but in fact it’s for the equipment that will be moving about in Freedom Park. The Army Corps of Engineers started a project for the Emerald Shiner passage which will include repairs of the timber crib wall on the river side of the island. This will extend from the southern end of the island to about the middle of the island. The project will mostly like wrap up at the end of 2026. This means that parts of Freedom Park will be inaccessible and parking will be limited to make way for construction vehicles. Check the link to the Army Corps website for more information.
Access to the Bird Island pier will still be available during construction, yay!
Army Corps graphic showing restricted areas of the park during construction as well as other information.
Emerald Shiner: tiny but precious.
We’re back in Freedom Park Saturday, May 11th at 10am to noon followed by a cook-out and party! We’ll have gloves and some tools but please bring your own, if you have favorites.
We love our Niagara Street cycle track but it could use a bit more love from all of us. Although the City of Buffalo does some maintenance, and the Buffalo Sewer Authority works on the stormwater gardens, trash, glass and grit builds up quickly. We’re delighted that the Niagara River Greenway is organizing a collaboration of businesses, organizations and individuals to adopt bits of the blocks. Folks will take responsibility for a section of the trail and help keep it in better shape for bicyclists and pedestrians.
March 23rd from 10am to noon, teams will spread out from Busti Avenue to Hertel Avenue on Niagara Street for a spring clean up. Gloves, garbage bags and high-vis vests will be provided to volunteers. Folks can pick one of three sections to help out:
Lunch options with discounts available at Mint Mojito Bar, Free Street Tavern, West Side Bazaar* (*limited swag bags) and Turning Bridge Tavern.
We recently had a conversation with Crystal Selk, Executive Director of West Side Community Services about the food pantry, Provisions 139. WSCS opened the pantry during the pandemic with an eye towards offering healthy options. Crystal gave us a tour of the pantry – so impressive! Visitors pick options from various food groups, e.g. proteins and grains, based on the number of people in their household. Donations come from several sources including Feed More and fresh produce from the Providence Farm Collective.
We’re excited to welcome Provisions 139 to the neighborhood! They will be moving to 44 Breckenridge, a significantly larger space. WSCS is hiring a full time staff member who will be able to coordinate more programming for clients: e.g., nutrition classes, prepping and cooking, and yoga. Provisions 139 joins a few other amazing not-for-profits in the neighborhood, including Stitch Buffalo and Buffalo String Works, creating a nice mix with new and existing businesses.
Vision Niagara and Friends of Broderick Park invite you to our annual Brush Up Broderick – May 13th from 10am to 1pm.
Our park is the jewel of Buffalo parks. Let’s get it spruced up for the warm weather! We’ll be mulching and weeding.
We’ll have lunch and goodies for our volunteers. And, if the weather obliges, we’ll have music to keep you entertained.
Everyone’s help is greatly appreciated. We can’t do it without our volunteers! It’s always a fun event.
AND…if you’re ready to jump in sooner, be sure to join Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper’s Spring Sweep. Sign up here and choose Broderick Park from the list of locations. That’s April 22 @ 10:00 am.
As seen in the image above, highway ramps dominate the western section of the Scajaquada corridor, Wasted land, cut-off neighborhoods and a polluted creek are a few of the conditions as a result of Rte. 198. As part of Scajaquada Corridor Coalition, we studied maps, collected input and envisioned a different landscape.
GBNRTC presented recommendations for the Scajaquada corridor and we couldn’t be more pleased. With the help of Stantec, a global consulting firm, they analyzed the region in terms of its people, rather than just cars. The data and analysis is available for examination on GBNRTC’s website. The preferred plan calls for a two-lane boulevard, connecting neighborhoods and Olmsted Park and the removal of these ramps.
Questions and comments can be made on-line. We’re pleased that Hal Morse, who led the project for GBNRTC, will be attending our January 24 meetup. Bring your questions and comments. Spread the word and your support for this generational change.
What’s next in the process?•Public engagement regarding recommendations •Assemble full report and documentation •Reconcile project to environmental review process and funding •Prepare a detailed traffic analysis to assess impacts of traffic diversion and recommend mitigation measures necessary to address the impacts •Obtain stakeholder and public consensus on the recommended mitigation measures •Determine projects owners and resource needs •Build Action Matrix of key stakeholders to implement all initiatives •Establish continuing mechanism to ensure timely completion of project
Shop Small Saturday is November 26th. Instead of visiting those big box stores, we invite you to support your local businesses. We’ll make it as enticing as we can with discounts and specials offered in Upper Rock.
And we will have a pop-up location at 1270 Niagara Street – stop in for refreshments and pick up an Upper Rock passport. Visit 5 of our lovely establishments and you will be entered in a raffle for a cash prize – $100. Our hours are 11am to 4pm. Stop back to show us your stamped passport or send a photo to Vision Niagara’s Instagram by 4pm and we’ll drop a raffle ticket for you.
Participating businesses have special offers! Check our Instagram feed for updates.
