We all love our parks. They are one of the key components that make this city so wonderful to live in, and to visit. Unfortunately, over the years Buffalo’s parks have fallen into a state of decay. I’m not talking about tragic disruptive instances such as freeways running through our park settings (that’s an entirely different issue). I’m talking about parks like LaSalle (now Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park), which have been a mess for far too long. Or Schiller Park, which was once a neighborhood gem on the East Side. Name a park, and chances are that you will find some deep-rooted issues that have not been addressed. Even the Olmsted Parks could be better, although they are the shining stars of Buffalo’s park portfolio. There’s a lot of work to be done.
Roughly 90% of Buffalo residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. The national average for the country’s hundred largest cities is 55%.
As a way to address the current state of the parks, Mayor Byron W. Brown, in conjunction with Trust for Public Land, and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, has unveiled a master plan for the City of Buffalo’s parks system. The project is a collaboration between the City of Buffalo, the University at Buffalo’s Regional Institute, and several major design firms.
“This plan not only protects Buffalo’s existing parks legacy, but lays the foundation for an equitable and inclusive parks system our residents will be able to enjoy for generations to come,” Mayor Brown said. “The pandemic reminded us how critical parks are to our quality of life. Now is the time to build on our nationally-recognized parks system by enhancing the year round experience in our existing parks, while also prioritizing investment in parks, trails and recreation spaces in our City’s historically underserved neighborhoods.”
The plan is the first new master plan for the City’s park system in over 30 years.
Taking a look at the new Buffalo Parks Plan Master Plan, it is exciting to think about the possibilities at hand, especially when we take a look at the parks throughout history. There was a time when our parks were nothing but first class. The city was built on a park system unlike anything else in the world. We took great pride in these open, equitable spaces… the way they looked, the way they functioned, and they way that we took care of them.
Each urban neighborhood is situated in close proximity to a park. These parks were once the epicenters of life, where social gatherings occurred – picnics, stickball games, concerts, etc. It all happened in the parks. And as they became neglected over time, they fell out of favor with residents, who stopped frequenting them as much.
Now, the charge is to make the parks (all parks) more equitable, by giving everyone a chance to enjoy them as they once did. By analyzing key data (proximity and access to parks and green spaces, physical inactivity, tree canopy, etc.) the City has been able to identify near- and term-opportunities that will help to get the parks back up to snuff, from safety issues to environmental advancements to public art initiatives.
The Brown administration will use approximately $43 million, to parks capital improvement projects outlined in the plan from its federal American Rescue Plan allocation.
“Buffalo has amazing parks that help residents get outside and enjoy the benefits of nature, and this plan offers data-driven solutions to improve these green spaces to reflect the needs of the community,” said Carter Strickland, VP of the Mid-Atlantic Region and New York State Director for The Trust for Public Land. “By making open space more widely accessible, and improving park infrastructure to better suit the needs of the community, Buffalonians will see improved recreational opportunities, climate resiliency, financial benefit, and overall wellness.”
“The pandemic has reminded us of the importance of public spaces to connect people and neighborhoods, and that’s why the American Rescue Plan makes funding for parks an eligible use for local spending,” said Congressman Brian Higgins. “The City Parks master plan will provide improvements and expansions to local parks to address the needs of underserved communities by providing safe recreation areas, increasing economic opportunity, promoting overall health and wellness, and contributing to environmental improvements.”
“The proposed Parks Master Plan is a great blueprint for us to use in the development of our city parks,” said Buffalo Common Council President Darius Pridgen. “Our parks and green space is a vital component to our thriving city, and to the health and well-being of our residents and tourists.”
Funded by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, the master plan has been in development for over two years. To view all 21 implementation strategies found in the plan, click here.
“I want to thank Trust for Public Land, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, as well as the residents and stakeholders who came forward to make this project possible. Now it is time to take up the work of implementing this plan and preserving Buffalo’s reputation as a City whose crown jewel is its public parks system,” Mayor Brown said.
“The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is proud to support the City of Buffalo Parks Master Plan to build on Frederick Law Olmsted’s legacy and improve the quality of life for its residents. The plan provides an opportunity to capture the rich history of parks in the City of Buffalo and work together to preserve these community assets for generations to come,” said JJ Tighe, director of Parks & Trails Initiative for the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.
Along with the healthy and social aspects, Buffalo parks are also fiscally beneficial in ways that include (annually):
- Buffalo’s parks generate $23.6 million annually through tourism
- They help reduce air pollution related costs by $406,000
- The parks filter and collect storm water which results in $234,000 in storm water management value
- They raised the total amount of property values throughout the City by approximately $102 million
The idea of the local park will also be broadened with this new Master Plan in place. For example, the City is currently in the process of working with the Buffalo Public School District to allow year-round access to local schoolyards for host communities. This means that people will have access to more neighborhood micro parks for longer durations, which will help to address the problematic equity issues that have been brought to light. Many of these issues were identified through a series of forums, open meetings, and other public outreach activities, that engaged approximately 1,200 residents, stakeholders, and nationally recognized experts, per the City.
Buffalo also spends less on park operations than most cities, spending $35 per resident compared to the $63 of peer cities.
Many city residents asked that the parks become more year round destinations. To that end, the Master Plan is placing an emphasis on winter events, warming shelters, allowance of low risk fire pits in certain parks, better lighting at night, access to winter gear, snow clearing, year round art installations and programming, and indoor field houses.
Other initiatives that are already being implemented include Buffalo’s new Adopt-A-Park program that lets neighborhood block clubs and other groups officially adopt their local park. Then there’s the Love Your Park Grant Program – the grant would invite community groups to solicit funds for park improvement projects, with ongoing outreach conducted by a VISTA.
It’s been a long time coming, and there are those who will say, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Hopefully the City will prove the skeptics wrong. After all, everyone wants to be able to enjoy a safe, wholesome park setting close to home. People who live near to Delaware Park take it for granted. But there are plenty of people who don’t have a first rate park in their backyard, which means that they don’t have the same opportunities to enjoy the same outdoor splendors. With this new Master Plan in place, that’s all about to change.
The City of Buffalo has created an interactive park map. Use the map to find parks, and locate nearby park amenities.
To review the plan and interactive park maps, and learn more about the City of Buffalo parks system, visit: www.buffalony.gov/2021parksplan