The Canal Side Community Alliance along with educational leaders and developers are hosting a series of community forums designed to share information with citizens and elected leaders alike on important issues facing Buffalo’s waterfront. The goal is to create a realistic and sustainable vision for the Buffalo waterfront.
After Bass Pro Shops pulled out of the Canal Side project, elected officials and others have asked the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation to discard the retail-focused plan for the inner harbor.
The completion of the 2004 Master Plan for the inner harbor has remained unachieved and now the Canal Side Community Alliance are hosting community forums in an attempt to get the public opinion of what residents truly want on their waterfront. A report will be created and presented to elected officials before the end of this year.
There will be an initial session at VOICE-Buffalo’s annual meeting on October 14 starting at 7 pm. The Burchfield Penny will host a meeting on October 23 at 1 pm discussing environmental, infrastructure and financial issues. Mark Goldman will hold a conference on November 6 (time TBD) at City Honors to speak about the best practices and models for development. Finally on November 18 atb 6 pm, the impact of various waterfront development options will be reviewed at the Burchfield Penny auditorium.
The Canal Side Community Alliance is a coalition of over 40 community organizations that together have advocated that a Community Benefits Agreement be a part of any development that takes place at public expense at Erie Canal Harbor. Alliance members share a desire to see increased accountability and transparency in the process of planning for our waterfront.
Get Connected: Canal Side Community Alliance Facebook page.
