Cultural Walk of Fame at Elmwood and Bidwell Parkway
In the podcast Charles talks about the eventual elimination of the performing arts from the Allentown Festival, and how that led him to get back to his grassroots beginnings. According to Charles, the love of the arts must start in the school system. Without that early exposure they can have a hard time supporting the arts later in life. The granite engraved Walk of Fame brings the arts to the street on a permanent level. The Walk pays homage to artists and art organizations that have helped to maintain the arts in Buffalo. It's 24-hours of exposure for those people who may not be able to have educational access to the likes of Mark Twain and Robert Creeley. Now that the sign has been added, hopefully more people will walk by and take notice of the artists that Charles has dedicated. Every year Charles plans on inducting more artists into The Walk. He would also like to see more art events taking place at the location. In about two week a couple of evergreens will be planted by the sign and ten new names will be added.
If you think the Cultural Walk of Fame has legs, then you may want to check out Charles' proposal for a Niagara River Boardwalk.
I like to see things happen... and the only way to make things happen is to do it for yourself. - Griffasi
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Comment Options
Matthewjohnp
That is one fugly sign, it's green but is it GREEN?
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sbrof
It seems overly big for what it needs to say.. is there going to be more to this sign, some sub-areas. Otherwise it looks like a magnet for graffiti.. Large, smooth, blank / single color = canvas for some... Think about all the angles before you put lots of these things up.
Great idea though and I whole heartedly agree that going to plays, and exposure to the arts as a child is paramount to liking and supporting them in the future. I remember going to the Franklin Black box theatre in 4th grade I think. One of the best and most fun experiences I had in school and one of the main reasons I still enjoy going to plays today.
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davvid
This guy should contact Brad Wales or Frank Fantauzzi
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estreet
"One of the granite markers will even go in front of Cole's Restaurant - Chauncey Alcott is the artist who wrote My Wild Irish Rose"
Chauncey Olcott is best remembered for the lyrics to "When Irish Eyes are Smiling." Any reason why the stone is planned for Cole's?
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stephenjames716
right now this sign doesn't make much sense to people walking/driving by. I'm still not 100% sure what the sign is for and what it is doing there after reading this article.
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knock_knock
YUCK, THATS AWFUL. It looks like a cheep sheet of plywood painted green. Get rid of it. Tacky…
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Wirepaladin
The question is not whether the sign is ugly or beautiful. The question is whether the City of Buffalo is being a good steward when it comes to Bidwell Parkway. Based on the size and number of events they allow to take place, it would appear that they do not care about the appearance of Bidwell or the opinion of the residents. I wonder if there was a permit application for this sign? If so, who reviewed it? Who approved it?
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newscat
As a resident of this street I am not opposed to the idea but PLEEZE can we have something a little more classy? And I am too a bit confused about it. Also,our block is becoming Festival/Protest Central and it's becoming tough enjoy the beautiful area we upkeep ...and pay such high taxes for.
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WholeLottaJibbaJabbah
For the sake of doing things yourself, please know your limits. Hire a professional to create the sign next time.
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onestarmartin
For something that is meant to represent the arts...palease! The only statement it makes to me is "under funded"
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mepolo
Did anyone actually READ the article, or did you just look at the picture, and immediately start spouting out the negativity that has become so popular around here lately? I imagine most of the commentors to this website to be people miserably stuck in their jobs in a cube with nothing to do all day but be negative. "The granite engraved Walk of Fame brings the arts to the street on a permanent level. In about two week a couple of evergreens will be planted by the sign and ten new names will be added." - I think that explains what it is all about......and what will be added to the sign to make it more appealing. As for the last comment....this is one man doing this on his own to help promote the history of this city.....it doesn't have to be flashy or over the top to represent the arts....sometimes simplicity is the best way to promote something. This man is doing alot more to help this city than I see anyone of the negative nellies doing around here......
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mbhxam
The only thing that FUGLY sign is missing is a tribute to Byron Brown as Mayor and any other politician who wants their name added to the sign...Please take it down!
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WholeLottaJibbaJabbah
mepolo, i did read the article. by the time i finished the article the sign remained ugly. and we prefer to be called debbie downers. not negative nellies.
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phenimore
I like the thought of making a more physical attachment to cultural icons in the city, but the image of this sign is pretty bad (I hope it doesnt look that ungainly up close).
It's silly to complain about something like this without offering any alternatives. I would be more than happy to design, construct and paint a new sign. I'll go check it out today and try to get in touch with Charles and offer my help...
For the muckrackers on this, did you read the final quote?
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Bidwell4Life
If anything, Bidwell needs more festivals, farmers markets, bongo drummers, and protesters. Let the people who are concerned about property values, taxes, and permits go live on Lincoln or Oakwood for all I care. Mr. Griffasi here is obviously trying to honor Buffalo's contributions to the arts, and in doing so bring more attention to our neighborhood.
That sign is pretty FUGLY though.
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mbhxam
mepolo...by simplicity, do you mean not putting up an ugly looking sign? if that's the case, i am all for simplicity!
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Bidwell4Life
If anything, Bidwell needs more festivals, farmers markets, bongo drummers, and protesters. Let the people who are concerned about property values, taxes, and permits go live on Lincoln or Oakwood for all I care. Mr. Griffasi here is obviously trying to honor Buffalo's contributions to the arts, and in doing so bring more attention to our neighborhood.
That sign is pretty FUGLY though.
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mepolo
wholelotta....debbie downers it is then! ;-) My whole thoughts on this were that there are alot of people who feel entitled, not only to their opinion, but to having their will done, based on their opinion. The comment to have the sign taken down, simply because some people consider it ugly, while others are perfectly fine with it....is an example of that. I applaud phenimore...while considering the sign ugly....is at least offering to help do something about it, rather than simply complaining.
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Dan
I know if I posted the same thing everyone else did about the sign's appearance, I'd be one-starred to Cheektowaga and back.
So, I'll try this. Buffalo doesn't need those overproduced, understated and professionally crafted signs like what would be displayed in such plastic, sterile cities as Charlotte, Phoenix and Denver. This sign is more authentic, genuine, and real. Elmwood Market, Buffalo Beer Merchant, and pond hockey.
Five stars, please. Thanks, and GO BILLS!
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IMADIVA
I can't imagine living in one of the beautiful homes on Bidwell, paying the high taxes and in the summertime, having difficulty getting to my home because of the festivals, markets and protests....much less the noise and the trash that is generated. I sympathize with newscat but I also have to say that I do go to the farmers market and I do love to see the people using the parkway and I certainly enjoy the free concerts during July. I guess what we have to do as a community is respect those homeowners that own property adjacent to public spaces and pick up after ourselves and be mindful that what is music to us may be a migraine for others (the bongos).
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mjman4
what happened to the one on chippawa?
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RisingDamp666
This sign was stolen from Dollywood Amusement Park in tennessee and they want it back. Get your own damn "cultural walk of fame" sign.
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icecreamsub
the like the sign. reminds me of Allegany State Park. good call on the drum circles imadiva......the warmer temps means that it won't be long before the hacky sack toejam and freedom sucking will once again be invading Bidwell pkwy..god those hippies are funny.
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Rez
The sign is ugly.
Why should trees be cut down to make signs like this?
The people resdiding on Buffalo streets should have the ultimate and final decison on how their streets will be used. Residential streets are not intended to be places of commerce. Excessive signage on residential streets errodes quaity of life for those who live on those streets.
Stop D'Youville College from closing off Fargo Avenue. This is far worse than the signs but is no different to how the self determination of people on their streets are being wrongtfully taken away for projects neighbors do not want. The D'Youville College land grab is dangerous!
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Rez
In addition Olmsted Parkways were not designed to be places for signs but places that bring nature to the residents of the city. To erect a sign in an Olmsted Park is like putting a freeway through the park. This is an affront to art. It is like editing out sections of a directors film or words in a writers book, or painting upon a canvas of a master.
The highest form of ugly is when one tampers and/or makes changes to a master piece. Olmsted if he was alive would be raising cain about signs in his parkway.
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phenimore
I think we can all settle down.
I went out last night, like I mentioned before, and what we are looking at is a really bad picture... The sign in question is punched metal and not a crappy looking jigsaw cut piece of plywood. There is a patterened gold leaf placed behind the letters. It's not nearly as bad as this picture makes it look.
It's ok, not great imho, but it's far from the horrible thing I thought it was going to be.
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Biniszkiewicz
I agree with Rez: it doesn't belong, period. Glad it looks better in person, but it would look even better gone.
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onestarmartin
"OH ...MY... GOD..." had I known about the two evergreens I never would of slammed the sigh!
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onestarmartin
...sign
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