Buffalo’s urban parks and park system are truly unique. That said, a park is only as good as the way that it’s maintained. And maintaining a park can be daunting if there is a lack of resources.
As a way to ensure that Buffalo’s parks are duly maintained, the Buffalo Common Council—in conjunction with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy (BOPC), the City of Buffalo’s Division of Parks and Recreation, and the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo—has announced a formal resolution to establish “City Within a Park.”
You might recall that “City within a Park” is a phrase that was originally coined by Frederick Law Olmsted. The concept was to create a park system that would envelope the city. It’s one of the reasons that there is a seamless parkscape interwoven between our neighborhoods.
The City Within a Park initiative kicks off with an endowment of up to $50 million, with a leading gift of $25M from the Wilson Foundation, to support ongoing maintenance of Buffalo parks for generations. This unprecedented investment into our parks create a roadmap for how our parks are maintained moving forward.
Along with the $25 million gift to start the endowment, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is providing $1 million to augment and support incremental maintenance in city-owned and operated parks on the East Side of Buffalo, starting immediately.
“The pandemic reminded us how essential parks are to community wellbeing,” said David Egner, president & CEO of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “Buffalo’s parks have received significant capital investments through American Rescue Plan funds and our foundation, but ongoing maintenance funding remains a challenge. The City Within a Park collaboration represents a continued strategic shift toward long-term stewardship of these vital community assets.”
“Buffalo’s parks are more than just green spaces—they’re gathering places, safe havens, and essential parts of our neighborhoods. The ‘City Within a Park’ endowment represents a transformative step forward in ensuring that these treasured spaces are maintained and uplifted for generations to come,” said City of Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon. “Thanks to the leadership and vision of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, we are embracing a long-term, sustainable approach to parks funding—one that prioritizes equity, particularly for neighborhoods that have long been under-resourced. My administration is fully committed to doing our part by maintaining strong public funding, and I look forward to the impact this initiative will have on our city’s quality of life for years to come.”
As stated in the resolution, a condition to determine ongoing “City Within a Park” funding from the endowment is that the City of Buffalo must maintain annual parks funding levels at least equal to the same numbers reported in its 2023-2024 Division of Parks and Recreation budget.
As a way to further bolster this investment into the parks, the Buffalo Olmsted Conservancy has announced that it is launching its own “City Within a Park” fundraising campaign (logo, lead image), with funds that will be dedicated to the Olmsted Park system. To that end, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation has committed to a structured challenge grant with details to be announced in the future.
“The Conservancy is honored and humbled by the support from the Wilson Foundation as it validates the important role all of Buffalo’s parks play in making this community a great place to live. Our vision is ambitious – to create an exceptional park network for all of Buffalo. Ensuring sustainability in the operations and maintenance of the historic parks, and all parks, is critical. This support is an important start in our effort to fully fund BOPC now and in perpetuity,” said Catie Stephenson, Executive Director, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy.
“Since 2018, the Foundation has intentionally built in funding to support parks and trails for generations to come,” says JJ Tighe, Senior Director of Parks & Trails Initiative for the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. “The parks and trails investments are important for connecting people, for connecting places, for recreation opportunities and for economic development to thrive. However, the quality of these spaces and if they can be clean, well-maintained and safe for future generations will be the enduring legacy of these investments.”