They did it in The Bronx! Now how 'bout Buffalo?
"The Bronx River was once just like the Scajaquada Creek." That's what Pete Grannis, Commissioner of NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, told me after taking a paddle down Buffalo's creek. He told me that the Bronx River was almost identical as far as environmental and navigation problems, yet The Bronx River did not have a resource such as Hoyt Lake to trump the river. The community rallied around The Bronx and cleaned it up. With help from the politicians and the DEC, The Bronx is now host to thousands of boaters who take advantage of the waterway and the surrounding land.
Pete, along with Sam Hoyt, Legislator Maria Whyte, members of Riverkeeper, Buffalo State College, Department of Transportation, and Forest Lawn, met at Marcy Casino to discuss the waterways leading from Forest Lawn to the Niagara River. I spoke with Sam who told me that in order to resurrect the creek, the silt would have to be dredged from the bottom. Also, the finger dam (currently clogged with debris) would have to be re-examined. Pollution sources would have to be addressed as well. This meeting was another step towards pinpointing the source of the problems in order to allocate time and funds in the future. Eventually, the plan would be to make the waterways navigable for kayakers and canoe-ers, with stopping points along the way. Ultimately there would most likely be at least one portage point where paddlers would have to transfer their crafts onto land and back onto water in order to enjoy the second leg of the creek.
After the meeting, concerned members jumped into canoes and set off for a paddle down the creek. Hoyt recently secured $150,000 from the DEC to address contamination and navigation of the creek - now the neighboring groups want to examine what sort of problems lay ahead. The good thing is that the DOT is finally looking into downgrading the Scajaquada Expressway that runs alongside the creek (the DOT still wants to elevate route 5 for unknown reasons... it's not too late to contact your elected representatives on that issue). When that downgrade takes place, the Scajaquada Creek will be positioned to an incredible waterway once again. If you take the time to paddle the creek, you will notice that there is lush vegetation and wildlife on almost every bank.
With assets like the Japanese Gardens, Albright-Knox, Historical Society and Mirror Lake along the way, the opportunities to bring back what was lost long ago are astounding. There is already a bike path that winds along the creek. There is a playground, and plenty of fields to set out picnics... there are even places like Wegmans where travelers could pick up supplies. Just recently a clearing was cut for kayakers at Rock Harbor Village - unfortunately the creek water was running backwards last week partially due to the obstructed finger dam. Finally there is a real effort to get to the bottom - the real root of the problems - of this long overdue issue.
*During the paddle excursion, three members of the DEC unintentionally rolled their canoe - now that's the best way to discover first hand what sort of environmental problems can be found in the waters!
Bottom photo: George Thomas Apfel
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Willie1
Wow, what a great dream!!! Thank you, Mark K ( Joe's Service Center & Grant Amherst Business Association ) for your efforts. This would be wonderful for Buffalo & downtown Black Rock. It takes great efforts by concerned folks to make these kind of changes. Please keep up the good work.
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yukon_jake
who flips a canoe in standing water?
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Brette
Easy question Jake. Tippecanoe! Oh, & Tyler, too.
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crisa
Before there was a Lancaster, Depew and Cheektowaga as they are today, there was the Scajaquada Creek running in its natural state thorough open country, where, in their youth, my Dad and his pals had already done all the present proposals for "Squid" Creek and Hoyt Lake! (Wasn't Hoyt Lake dug out by the the hard-working men in the once-well-known CCs-- ahhh, the tales those men told?!)
Isn't the BIGGEST setback, (never allowed to happen to other cities' inland lakes), for rejuvinating Hoyt Lake, the fact that suburban sewage, (poorly set up to save past, much cheaper money), flows into it--call it The Sunkin' Canoe Syndrome?
The careLESSness of past, easy money poorly spent is today's tight (stranglehold) financial reality. (Besides that politican's ability to dump his own poop into Hlake, that is--my Dad was saddened by that--"all that hard work (in the CCs, etc.) than some jackass..."--My Dad's own words.) Dad would have loved knowing about the doable efforts of the people in this thread... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'This is the dawning of the age of the Internet'.
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magnum
Great Idea, Buffalonians have been taking their weaterways for granted for TOO long !!!!!! Bike path should be moved closer to the River to make it copasetic. Call the Wendt Foundation on this one, get Erie and city to match funds, TOPS/Wegmans market. I am sure they will ALL contribute to building a better park system.
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Downtownjunkie
How cool would it be to be able to go swimming in these waterways
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stewie
As far as I know sewage is still being dumped into the creek up in Cheektowaga (hence the reason for the canal along Hoyt Lake???). so that's one pretty big logistical problem to be dealt with first, not sure how that municipality gets away with it.
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sbrof
yeah the Scajaquada Creek could and should be a beautiful corridor linking the Elmwood Village / Museum \ cultural District to the Niagara River and waterfront. Imagine pulling up in a boat up to the mouth of the creek and being able to bike in 10 minutes to the EV and A.B. Knox. There should be a smaller Canal Harbor setup in Black Rock give a destination for people / money from Elmwood. to funnel into Black Rock.
It already is a great recreation trail but one that doesn't have an anchor. The intersection of the Riverwalk trail, The Scajaquada trail \ Creek. Rock Harbor etc. It is a natural node within the city.
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300miles
re: DOT looking to downgrade 198
Could someone post a full article on this? I thought the project was dead in the water. Is it moving forward? What's the timeframe? Did they get funding?
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blackrocklifer
A friend and I canoed up scajaquada from the river to Delaware park back in 2000 and I was surprised how attractive some sec tions were. We also had to navigate around several shopping carts under the Grant St. bridge.(see companion article about Tops) Sbrof- your right, It would be great to connect Black Rock to the Elmwood area and Elmwood to the river.
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TheNextMayor
Tell folks in the burbs to stop using ChemLawn to fertilize their lawns...it's killing the creek.
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georgethomasapfel
I took part in that canoe adventure (that's how I snapped the capsized canoe) and the scenery was awesome--a turtle was parked on a log watching us paddle by. At the same time we could see how roadway storm drains dumped into the creek, and a huge drain fed from the Buff State parking lot emptied into that portion of the creek--imagine the amount of spooge washed off from all those vehicles.
Fortunately Hoyt Lake is not fed directly from the creek, large bypass tunnels carry the Scajaqueda through underground pipes on the south end of the lake. The Scajaquada has a hard-knock life upstream, channeled through culverts and pipes with combined sewer outfalls adding to the problem.
One lesson learned: when boarding a canoe, make sure to place your weight in the CENTER of the boat!
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georgethomasapfel
I took part in that canoe adventure (that's how I snapped the capsized canoe) and the scenery was awesome--a turtle was parked on a log watching us paddle by. At the same time we could see how roadway storm drains dumped into the creek, and a huge drain fed from the Buff State parking lot emptied into that portion of the creek--imagine the amount of spooge washed off from all those vehicles.
Fortunately Hoyt Lake is not fed directly from the creek, large bypass tunnels carry the Scajaqueda through underground pipes on the south end of the lake. The Scajaquada has a hard-knock life upstream, channeled through culverts and pipes with combined sewer outfalls adding to the problem.
One lesson learned: when boarding a canoe, make sure to place your weight in the CENTER of the boat!
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blackrocklifer
nextmayor- Chemlawn -Good point -use of pesticides and herbicides that are linked to many health issues just so a lawn is uniform and consistent. Insanity doing this to areas adjacent to where we live and are children play. Uptight white bread at its worst.
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georgethomasapfel
@stewie, portions of Cheektowaga and the Town & Village of Lancaster's sewer systems tie into the Buffalo Sewer System and they have combined sewer outflows with outlets which empty into the Scajaquada during heavy storms.
I've heard of a proposal put out there to return the creek to its natural course...get rid of the concrete channels and pipes and CSO's through Land Banking on the East side.
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crisa
Our parents used to take us conoeing on HLake. We were told we couldn't swim there because the bottom was too slippery and stirring it up made the water mucky--only mucky back then. In those days we thought natural sludge was yucky, but that was as bad as it got. Today, the "snooge" would kill a kid!
Developed foreign countries think this countries' love of lawncare is rediculous. Foreigners also say its odd that anyone would toss the renourishing clippings then buy lawn ferttilizer.
We don't knowingly buy lawn chemicals. Years ago, when we had a dwarf tree orchard, there was a family in the news whose kids could not tolerate chemicals. I offered them our fruits. They declined because we could not be positive the owners before us didn't use chemicals. (I wonder how such children fare today with millions of tons more chemicals in everything.)
The chemical manufacturers know that it takes 20/30 years for cancer to develop in children or lawncare employees. Today's profits (read greed) are not worth our children. (Greedy bigshots in the chem industry can afford full shot lawncare, so, what about their own broods--heck, cancer doesn't reach the rich?) (Years ago, we heard of a very rich man who was terribly angry because his money could not BUY him a doctor who could cure him--honest to God! The very rich are a very scary lot.)
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crisa
Canoers: Did you ever experience the rapids in Zoar Valley? Hey, did you horseback ride at Grimm's? I think of of and miss my sweety, Charley; a horse, of course! I've been thinking of him because our grands want to go horseback riding, but we can't find any stables in WNY.
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blackrocklifer
crisa- My wife and I have run the Zoar gorge and had a great time, no place for beginners though. There are a couple of places to horseback ride out near Ellicottville, I think you could google it.
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magnum
We need to the make the Burbs pay for better sewage treatment. This is a classic example of the Burbs enjoying the benefits of the city, giving nothing back but crapola(literally).
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blackrocklifer
Magnum- I am no defender of the Burbs (trust me) but the Buffalo sewer authority is also a big contributor, but it least its our own.
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crisa
blackrocklifer: Thank you. I will google about riding later. We would do that in the fall; beautiful leaves and all.
I brought up Zoar Valley at another blogspot a while back. You are the second person to mention running the gorge and only the gorge, but not the other great stuff that was once in the same area on that Cattaraugus(sp) Creek. You youngsters, you!
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blackrocklifer
crisa- we hiked all over Zoar as well, Big falls at forty road, the Valentine flats and Pyramid rock, Knife edge trail, and lots more.
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crisa
blackrocklifer: I read your comment and then I Googled Zoar Valley. We went there with family and friends and tons of kids for the riding and to play in the creek off of Trevett Road. In those ancient days, there was only proposals of all the stuff I found online!!! MY GOD ARE WE OLD, (you youngsters, you!!!) (We know every inch of Allegany State Park, though.)
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crisa
My husband and I went for a very long ride today. We ended up trying to find that area in Zoar Valley so dear to our hearts.
It wasn't there! Gone! No such area at Trevett Road! Was it just a dream? No. What it was is that in the days before we had kids, and after a hard week's work, I slept through the early morining ride, then, when we had kids, I was either busy with them or napping with them, so I wasn't aware of how we got there.
Today, because of a road-closed sign on Zoar Valley Rd., we spent one and one half hours trying to retrace the past. We found ourselves back at the road-closed sign but, the second time 'round, my husband just kept going right through--nothing was closed--people live along there--sparcely--but there were a few other cars.
Then, after trying to remember a changed turraine, like a miiracle in the wilderness, there it was! Right where we left it on N. Otto and Zoar Valley Roads--minus any trace of ridng stables except for that darling miniature house-shaped electric or water power shed.
These are things that we noticed in our hours-long venture:
The very old, very hilly backcountry roads are much worse then they used to be. On one, it appears that the road will be falling into Cattaragus Creek if it isn't shored up VERY soon. Except for there being no huge hills along visible creekbeds in Buffalo proper, those roads were in scary condition too! (During the week, apparently, there is much road repair going on though--unlike in Buffalo proper.)
An abandoned two-story, city-like house in a secluded rural area where it was apparent no one messed with it because, although it was very deteriorated, it was still totally standing and it still had its windows. There was a thick growth of mossy weeds on the rotted asphalt roof--not just a little moss, tons of it. That roof would make a goat very happy! (No goats are allowed in Buffalo proper.)
An abandoned truck that had weeds growing around it in an otherwise neatly mowed weedy field. There were huge bales of hay in the field. Some were on the truck's bed and cab. It was actually an artistic sight. Don't see abandoned vehicles looking artsy anywhere in Buffalo proper.
We passed an actual frog farm! There as a big sign in front of and old country house--big pond out back--big green sign reading FROG FARM!
Another huge sign designated yet another farm as being an (or is it a) ALPACA farm, complete with a fenced area of live alpacas!
We saw a ten-foot long hot dog along a road.! Complete with condiments!
There was an actual Lovers Lane Road!
In W. Valley, we saw three horses and riders waiting to move off of a side street into sparce traffic on the main road. We did not ask or notice any riding stables. (Those people were also just out for a "ride", but far from Buffalo's busy traffic proper!)
We passed the area of Sobie Hill Rd. where that giant loamy hill is falling; where a TV announcer stood on very unstable land downhill from a very unstable, falling house--(yet more armchair thrills on the local news in Buffalo proper.)
We stopped at a family restaurant near Sobie Hill Rd. named Apple Dumplin. We had our little dog with us so we ordered takeout and sat in the car. We thought that was a weird thing to do, but the proprietor said people do that all the time lately!!!
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