Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper is reaching out to the community to share updates regarding a number of exciting Scajaquada Creek initiatives. The forum will share insight into Green Infrastructure projects such as CSO 60, as well as offer a glimpse into the future of the waterway, which entails the conversion of a brownfield into a new paddle sports launch and micro park with public access at 1660 Niagara Street.
Considered a community-driven Scajaquada Initiative, the intention of the Riverkeeper forum is to bring citizens, businesses, institutions, and government to the table to discuss the potential of the creek moving forward.
In the past, the Scajaquada Creek has been virtually abandoned and forgotten, which is unfortunate considering that it was once the source of great pride in the community. Today the creek looks nothing like it once did, but there are those who feel that the future of the creek looks much brighter.
In order to clean up the creek, the combined sewer overflows from upstream must be addressed (long term plan by Buffalo Sewer Authority). In the meantime, there are many other projects that are underway to rectify the many injustices that have been wrought upon this precious natural water source.
Unfortunately we can not reverse the most severe alterations, including capping the creek with roadways, which forever changed the true nature of the waterway.
Moving forward, we must work with the areas of the creek that are still somewhat intact, in order to remedy what we can.
Scajaquada Creek is still home to plenty of wildlife. It also has the potential of becoming an aquatic playground for kayakers and canoeists – relatively few have ever explored the creek.
Now is the chance to be a part of the reawakening of the creek.
The Riverkeeper form will take place on Saturday, April, 18, 2015 from 12-4pm at the Polish Cadets of Buffalo (927 Grant Street). After the presentation, there will be a walking tour, led by Riverkeeper staff and members of the Scajaquada Canoe Club, along the Jesse Kriegel bike path. The tour will wind up at the location of the future home of the micro park and sports launch.