Category Archives: Recreation

Niagara St Adopt-A-Block

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:

  1. Busti to Breckenridge – meet at Rich Products
  2. Breckenridge to Amherst St – meet at Campus Wheelworks
  3. Amherst St to Hertel – meet at Black Rock Riverside Alliance

 

Lunch options with discounts available at Mint Mojito Bar, Free Street Tavern, West Side Bazaar* (*limited swag bags) and Turning Bridge Tavern.

Brush Up Broderick Returns!

Our beautiful Broderick Park is ready to be spruced up for summer events. Friends of Broderick Park is lining up a packed summer of music, art, and performance.

We’ll be at the park April 30, from 10 to 1:00 pm, weeding, mulching and tidying up. It’s work but it’s fun, especially because our volunteers are enthusiastic about the park.

We’ll have lunch and take-home goodies for our volunteers this year, thanks to a grant from Air & Waste Management – Niagara Frontier Division. And, once again, Rich Products has donated mulch!

Register here.

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.

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!