RestoreCorps "Groundbreaking": Busting the Old Sod in the Old Ward

After my recent article on "Peg's Park" in the Old First Ward, commenter 'flyguy' remarked on the grain elevator in the background: "The old elevator in the back is a very powerful backdrop. Strong lines tall, bulky, and gritty."  I loved that comment, and think flyguy has a couple of good starting lines for a pulp novel or screenplay set in the Ward (perhaps the Buffalo Bushido team would be interested in a noir next?).  So flyguy, here's a story with an even bigger grain elevator as a backdrop:

In a joint effort last week, the United Way teamed up Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper's new RestoreCorps program with employees of a cool local office of a firm called Datatel (they're in the Larkin at Exchange Building, so you know they're cool), and the Old First Ward Community Center.  This was a unique project which was part infrastructure improvement, part neighborhood cleanup, and part groundbreaking for a key pathway linking significant natural and industrial heritage locations along the Buffalo River.

 The pathway is squarely in the midst of the "elevator alley" area of the planned Industrial Heritage Trail along the Buffalo River (along water and land).  The effort last week centered around uncovering a long-overgrown section of sidewalk running the length of St. Clair Street along the front of the grain elevator that my guidebook (Buffalo's Waterfront, a Guidebook, published by the Preservation Coalition and edited by Tim Tielman) tells me is called the Standard.  Currently owned by ADM, it is Buffalo's largest grain storage facility.

Starting at Louisiana Street, at the foot of the Ohio Street lift bridge (and just around the corner from the old Scooper's Local union hall--click here for the full scoop), the group worked their way down toward South Street.  The idea was to re-expose a sidewalk connection to the new park being developed around the corner at the foot of Hamburg Street by the New York Power Authority as part of the relocation of the Ice Boom.  The project soon became something of an archaeological dig, as the sidewalk had been overgrown for so long it was a challenge to find it in some places.  Some sections will clearly need to be replaced, but a single afternoon's effort made an amazing start.  Back at the Old First Ward Community Center, Executive Director Laura Kelly showed everyone "the big picture" of how their efforts fit into the overall effort to revitalize the Ward and the Buffalo River corridor.

RestoreCorps is Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper's new volunteer action program promoting natural restoration of our waterways and habitat.  In urban areas (like The Ward) much of the effort targets the improvement of green infrastructure , litter collection (which can otherwise foul storm drains), raking, clearing drains, removing graffiti, removing invasive plants, planting native species, and any other tasks which improve the environmental and water quality in the general vicinity.  In other areas, efforts focus on restoring riparian (i.e. waterside) habitat, and restoring the balance between native vs. non-native (invasive) species.

United Way Account Manager Heather Quigley, who was on site much of the time, explained to me that "Live United" is the theme of the United Way's volunteer recruitment efforts.  In the past (and in other communities) United Way's volunteer efforts largely revolved around major events such as the Day of Caring.  Companies that work with the United Way bring teams of employees (who get a day or half day "off") to work on projects, and the United Way matches them with community organizations that need projects done.  I've seen this matchup formula lead to outstanding efforts for several community projects I was involved in, in Rochester.
But now, the United Way is taking that formula a step further, by matching up companies with projects year-round.  That's right on, in my view, as the needs in the community, and the desire of volunteers (and companies) to make a difference aren't limited to just one day a year.  Really, the United Way is looking to make every day a Day of Caring, and we'll all be looking forward to seeing clusters of those "Live United" t-shirts all around, all the time!