Today marks the start of three consecutive days of Jane’s Walks – a group of tours orchestrated by people like you and me who want to introduce people to urban neighborhoods from Niagara Falls to Buffalo’s West Side. For the first year, six walks will kick off locally (see here), starting with tours of The Hydraulics/Larkinville (walking tour) and also the old First Ward (bike tour).
The walks are designed to pay tribute to the life and work of legendary urbanist Jane Jacobs (author of The Life and Death of Great American Cities), who spearheaded the movement to reinvigorate cities through better planning methods. According to Stephen Paskey, the volunteer City Organizer for Buffalo, “A Jane’s Walk tour is a walking conversation about the joys and challenges of living or working in an urban neighborhood, a chance for residents to explore their city and meet their neighbors.”
This year, Buffalo joins 100 cities around the world (800 walks total) by offering the Jane’s Walk tours.
For more information: www.janeswalk.org/united-states/buffalo-ny
Niagara Falls: The Nitty-Gritty City
Friday, May 2, 10:00 a.m. (Two hours)
Meet inside the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute near Savor Restaurant
Niagara Falls was once a fashionable city. The tour is a chance to talk about how it all went wrong, and what can be done to fix things.
Grain Elevators in My Back Yard: A First Ward Bicycle Tour
Friday, May 2, 4:00 p.m. (90 minutes)
Meet near the water feature at Kleinhans Music Hall
Laura Currie will lead a bicycle tour through the old First Ward, Buffalo’s first waterfront neighborhood, with a stop at a historic tavern.
The Story of the Hydraulics: Revealed
Friday, May 2, 5:30 p.m. (90 minutes)
Meet in Larkin Square
Chris Hawley, urbanist and history lover, will reveal the story of the Hydraulics, Buffalo’s first manufacturing district and one of America’s premier industrial heritage sites.
Vision Niagara: The Resurgence of Niagara Street
Saturday, May 3, 1:30 p.m. (90 minutes)
Meet in Broderick Park near the river
Barbara Rowe and Grace Andriette will give walkers an inside look at Niagara Street through the lens of history, environmental justice, and community engagement.
Refugees Revitalizing Grant Street Through Small Business
Saturday, May 3, 3:00 p.m. (One hour)
Meet outside Sweetness 7 Café on Grant Street
Bryana DiFonzo will lead walkers down Grant Street, where they’ll talk with refugee business owners who are helping make positive changes on Buffalo’s West side.
Homes Near the Peace Bridge: Paving our Past, Selling Our Future
Sunday, May 3, 12:00 noon (90 minutes)
Meet at the Columbus statute in Columbus Park
Walkers will get a first-hand look at a neighborhood threatened by Peace Bridge expansion plans and will learn why residents are passionate about preserving where they live.