bFLO Times: March/April ’17 Issue
Spring is one of the most delightful seasons in the Olmsted Parks. It marks a rebirth of nature as we venture back outside to experience our cherished green spaces. With over 2.5 million visits the parks receive each year, Spring is a very busy time with preparations. Starting in May, the City will turn on the water of Ashker’s juicery and the restroom shelters we have in the parks. Cazenovia will welcome a brand new restroom rehabilitation, which is very exciting. Extra garbage totes and porta-lets will be placed around the park system in May as well.
The MLK Jr. Park greenhouse is emerging with color as the annuals they grow each winter are starting to blossom for bed plantings. Soon your park system will receive its annual dose of beautification, and nearly 75 seasonal workers will be back in the parks making a critical impact each day. Everyone can do their part to ensure healthy, active parks. Please help us by taking pride in the following ways:
- Put your trash in a receptacle or take it home
- Please keep cars off the grass, and remember to drive slowly in park areas
- Dogs should be on a leash and clean up after them, as this is a City ordinance
- Please call 311 and report to the City when you find porta-let issues
Spring also kicks off our first fundraiser with the Spring Into Summer Luncheon on May 9th, and we are active in a Membership drive for 300 new members. As you know, the Conservancy is the non-profit caretaker of your historic Olmsted Parks, and we must raise at least $2.2 million each year (60% of our budget) to fulfill our mission. We appreciate your support and your love of the Olmsted Parks. Together let’s keep them beautiful and beneficial for every person to enjoy every day.
Yours Sincerely,
Stephanie Crockatt
Executive Director
What’s Happening at Olmsted?
NEW IN 2017: Olmsted Park Operations Structure
District Supervisors_(Left to right: Brian Jenkins, PJ McParlane, Eileen Martin, Humbert Baez)
The Buffalo Olmsted Park System has been redistricted internally to meet the strategic and financial goals of the not-for-profit. As part of our internal restructure, four District Supervisors have been hired to oversee teams and to work with system-wide managers and park foremen, to ensure efficiencies and level of service across multiple parks are met. Look for our park staff in their new “Olmsted orange” uniforms!
MARCH 30: The Terrace in Delaware Park is officially open!
Did you know: When the Delaware Park Casino was designed in 1875, it was a community-gathering place and it featured a restaurant. The opening of The Terrace marks the first time in over a decade this facility will be open to the public on a regular basis, with this innovative partnership contributing to the building’s upkeep and the Olmsted park system. Congratulations to the amazing team at The Terrace on the official opening of this beautiful restaurant at the Marcy Casino in Delaware Park. Special thanks to Mayor Byron Brown for your continuous support and making this project possible.
From left to right: Jason Davidson, Stephanie Crockatt, Mayor Byron W. Brown
The Terrace in Delaware Park.
The Terrace in Delaware Park. Tables by the entrance.
The Terrace in Delaware Park. Bar on the left.
“As the Olmsted park’s non-profit caretakers, the mission of the Conservancy is to preserve and restore our historic parks, as well as to maintain and privately raise over $2.2 million each year to sustain them,” said Stephanie Crockatt, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy’s executive director. “The private investment for this renovation is incredible, as not one tax dollar was spent. Plus, the partnership agreement returns a percentage of restaurant sales to the Conservancy, which will support additional seasonal park workers to help maintain these park treasures. We are grateful for this collaborative effort and investment which now allows public access to a one of kind amenity that sits at one of our City’s most popular locations, with the best views of nature, history and culture.”
Read the full press release here.
NOW – APRIL 22: Golf Season Passes are on Sale!
With Olmsted’s golf courses scheduled to open on April 22 (weather dependent), season passes are now on sale on the following sale dates or by appointment basis:
For more information and/or to make an appointment, please contact golf operations manager, Dave Hoover, at (716) 838-1249, x19 or visit bfloparks.org/golf.
APRIL 12: 2nd Public Informational Meeting on South Park Arboretum Restoration Project
Do you have observations on the South Park in general, the trees, golf course, walking paths, parking or other things that would impact the arboretum restoration study? Come share your thoughts at the second public informational meeting with our consultants, Kyle Zick Landscape Architecture, Inc.
Date: Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Place: Tosh Collins Community Center, 35 Cazenovia Street, Buffalo, NY 14210
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Your input will greatly inform this study and will be used to shape recommendations that will be shared with the community in subsequent meetings. Refreshments will be provided. Share this event with your friends and family.
APRIL 26: Happy 195th Birthday, Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted!
Click here to watch the full documentary.
Happy birthday, Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903). Thank you for giving us the first urban park system 148 years ago.
APRIL 29 – MAY 6: 4th Annual Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival, Japanese Garden in Delaware Park
This year’s festival begins on April 29, with daily activities organized for everyone to participate in. Learn more about the festival’s schedule here.
Formal tea ceremony at the portico of the Buffalo History Museum (BCBF 2016)
Cherry Blossoms bloomed at the Japanese Garden in Delaware Park (April 26, 2017)
Visitors on a row boat on Mirror Lake (BCBF 2016)
“The 4th annual Cherry Blossom Festival wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of the Friends of the Japanese Garden and amazing corporate support from Mentholatum, Lockhouse Distillery, The Buffalo History Museum, and Wegmans for the support of the garden’s audio and walking tours. We are fortunate to have so many community partners who believe in the work we do to keep our parks beautiful.” said Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy‘s executive director Stephanie Crockatt.
Some fun facts of the Japanese Garden in Delaware Park are:
- Two main events happen annually in support of the garden — the Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival (BCBF) every spring, and the Bunka no Hi Cultural Day every fall.
- In 1994, an ad hoc Friends of the Japanese Garden group was formed. With the support of Mayor Anthony Masiello, they submitted a grant proposal to Buffalo’s sister city, Kanazawa, Japan, to fund the redesign and construction of the garden landscape.
- The arched stone bridge connecting two of the islands, and a famous stone lantern with one foot out in the water, replicate a well-known feature of the Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa. The garden itself, completed in 1974, is a gesture of sisterhood between Buffalo and Kanazawa, Japan.
Source: http://buffaloah.com/a/notting/25/jap/jap.html
MAY 9: 3rd Annual Spring into Summer Fundraising Luncheon
Spring into Summer will take place on May 9 this year, and we cannot wait for YOU to be part of it! As we plan for this annual fundraiser, you may check out last year’s photos here and/or head over for some hat shopping at Turnstyle Designs LLC. Receive a 10% discount on your hat or bow tie purchase, and they will also contribute 10% of your purchase to support the BOPC!
Date: Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Place: Kleinhans Music Hall, Olmsted’s Symphony Circle
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Co-Chairs: Janis Dunworth and Christine Wiktor
If you’re interested in purchasing a full page or half page ad for our program book or being a luncheon sponsor, please learn more here, contact Patty Mertens at 716-838-1249, ext. 10 or email patty@bfloparks.org.
COMING IN 2018: 150th Anniversary of Olmsted in Buffalo
Plans are underway as BOPC prepares for the150th Anniversary Celebration of the historic birth of the Frederick Law Olmsted park system in Buffalo, NY. The 1868 – 2018 comprehensive effort will commemorate Olmsted’s legacy, and reinforce the story of our treasured green space. For more information, please contact the BOPC at (716) 838-1249.
Volunteer Spotlight: University at Buffalo Students Volunteers
Kudos to the amazing group of University at Buffalo (UB) student volunteers who braved the cold on the morning of March 23, 2017 to work on tree rings at theJapanese Garden in Delaware Park. We are excited to have them kick off the 2017 volunteer season! Find out more about individual, group and/or corporate volunteer opportunities by emailing our volunteer coordinator, Andrew Lloyd, at Andrew@bfloparks.org or visit bfloparks.org/volunteer.
Thanks for Loving Your Olmsted Parks!
We are loving all the beautiful pictures you have been sharing with us on social media. Thank you for your support and keep those spectacular shots coming! To share your photo(s) with us, simply attach your photos and email them to our communications coordinator, Zhi, at zhi@bfloparks.org.
Delaware Park (Photo credit: Fabio De Luca. View original photo at @fabiow_fln)
MLK Jr. Park Greenhouse (Photo credit: Stan Jennings, Jr. View original photo here.)
Soldiers Circle (Photo credit: Brandon Kawa. View original photo at @a_dog_named_kipper)
Special Thanks to Our 2017 Sponsors
(as of April 4, 2017)
