Category Archives: Culture

Evolution of Niagara Street

The folks at Company B are offering an evening for history and foodie buffs. Great combination! kerry trainor of kta preservation specialists will speak about the history of electricity, transportation, a female CEO and a working class neighborhood. It goes back to the battle for the terminus of the Erie Canal through today. It is a story of time, people, and place. 

March 30 @ 6:00 pm. Drinks and delicious food are part of the package. As well as interesting people! If you’ve been to Company B’s Tasting Room, you know the setting is beautiful and inviting. Register at this link.

BuffaloState Students

Lovin’ Those Volunteers!

Bengal’s Day of Caring

Saturday, September 25, 2021

Vision Niagara welcomed a crew from Buffalo State College for their Bengal’s Day of Caring. This terrific crew came out and learned about Niagara Street’s stormwater planters and green infrastructure from Scott Steinwald of the Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA). BSA was involved in the design of the planters and now has a terrific workforce program that handles the maintenance. Students participated in a cleanup of one Robert Rich Way and Broderick Park and learned about this terminus of the Underground Railroad from Tonya Davis of Vision Niagara. The Underground Railroad exhibit in the concession stand was open, so they toured that as well. Vision Niagara is thankful for the support of Buffalo State College in the care of these tremendous assets.

Emerald Shiner TLC

We recently learned that the Army Corps of Engineers will be initiating a project on Broderick Park that will slow the velocity of the current along the sea wall on the southern edge of the island. This will make it possible for the bitty fish, Emerald Shiners, to be more sustainable. Another benefit will be the reinforcement and repair for much of that seawall that has been deteriorating and causing erosion on the island. Baffles will be installed as seen in the illustration. Work will begin this summer and plans are for completion by the end of 2021.

For more information about Emerald Shiners, check out Buffalo State’s webpage.

Army Corps Engineer Timothy Noon:

The Emerald Shiner Passage Structure Demonstration Project seeks to improve habitat connectivity for the Emerald Shiner between the Niagara River and Lake Erie, adjacent to Broderick Park in the City of Buffalo.  This project is being undertaken in partnership with the US EPA as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The Emerald Shiner plays a critical role in the Lake Erie food web, and the fish and bird populations that depend on them.  The Niagara River velocity currently causes a barrier to the Emerald Shiner, however this project seeks to demonstrate innovative technology to allow for fish passage into Lake Erie.  The intent is to help restore fish and wildlife populations in the Niagara River and Lake Erie, while sustaining and improving the unique features of our local environment, and more specifically Broderick Park.

Broderick the Beautiful (with help)!

We’ve been collaborating with lots of partners to Brush Up Broderick Park. Can you spare a little time on Saturday, April 24? We’ll be there beginning at 10:00 am, weeding and spreading mulch. It’s looking so good and we want to make it shine for the summer season! Covid has shown how essential this park is to our community. Please help us make it better than ever!

Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Shoreline Sweep includes Broderick Park as part of their clean up on May 1st. If you missed signing up for that, join us on April 24th!

Remember: masks and safe distancing is still necessary! Contact us at:  info@visionniagara.org if you have questions!

By the way, Friends of Broderick Park has plans for summer events, including Food Trucks! Stay tuned.

art on Niagara St

Public Art on Niagara Street

Because of the 1% for public art policy in Buffalo, the Niagara Street reconstruction project includes some funding for public art. We’re very excited that the Buffalo Arts Commission selected Shasti Soudant for this project. She is an eminent, local artist who has created amazing sculptures and art installations around the country. Ms Soudant designed a series titled Flora and Fauna for Niagara Street. The designs will be cut from steel, attached to the light poles and will face the bike lane. The image above represents one of at least six different sequences. Each sequence will be a different color. Over 90 light poles will be part of the project.

There are a number of aspects about this proposal we find thoughtful and exciting. Within the limited scope of the project, the artist has put together a subtle yet expansive answer to the RFP. The images depicted represent arrival, new beginnings, growth, taking root and other associations symbolic of our corridor. They will offer a bit of animation and color as one traverses the corridor by foot, bike or vehicle.

Vision Niagara Waterfront Ride

Saturday, May 27 at 9 AM – 12 PM 

During National Bike Month on Saturday the 27th of May, we will have a safety oriented morning ride for about 50 participants of all ages to showcase the changes to the Niagara Corridor in collaboration with GObike Buffalo and East Side Bike Club.

Embarking from the Niagara-Ferry area, we will head downtown and back. A stop will be organized for the new bridge and observation platform on the Seaway Trail next to the Peace Bridge for a photo-op celebration of the newly completed trail section, followed by looping to the marina and back up the newly renovated and bike-friendly section of Niagara Street.

The ride will conclude at Bootleg Bucha for refreshments.

For modest “donation” participants will receive a Vision Niagara t-shirt.

Rain or shine, come enjoy the Vision Niagara ride!