IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL “OLMSTED 200: PARKS FOR ALL PEOPLE” CAMPAIGN, BOPC WILL CELEBRATE OLMSTED’S BICENTENNIAL WITH LOCAL ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
BUFFALO, NY – March 29, 2022 – April 26, 2022, will mark the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture. The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy (BOPC), the first nonprofit organization in the nation to steward and maintain an entire urban park system designed by Olmsted, is kicking off its year-long celebration with Buffalo’s “Olmsted Week” from Friday, April 22 (Earth Day) through Friday, April 29 (Arbor Day).
Olmsted designed some of the most famous landscapes and parks in the country – including his first, New York City’s Central Park – and his work in Buffalo is recognized as the first park and parkway system to be designed and built in the U.S. The system hosts millions of visits annually by park-goers from across the city and around the world, fulfilling Olmsted’s vision and legacy for the equitable provision of quality parks and outdoor public spaces for all to enjoy.
“Mr. Olmsted’s thoughtful planning for our city has made a powerful social, environmental, and economic impact on Buffalo’s communities. We are thrilled to be part of a national effort to celebrate his 200th birthday and to tell his incredible story,” said Stephanie Crockatt, executive director, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy. “Buffalo is home to over 24 works of Olmsted designed landscapes, one of the largest collections in the country. His principles were to ensure healthy, free, accessible, and connective greenspaces, and we are honored to celebrate his legacy as we steward and enhance his vision for generations to come.”
“Olmsted Week” will include daily in-person events and digital touchpoints for park-lovers across Buffalo to celebrate the bicentennial of Frederick Law Olmsted’s birth. Marquee events include proclamations from local officials naming April 26 as “Olmsted Day” in the city of Buffalo, a live poetry reading from Buffalo’s poet laureate, Jillian Hanesworth, the lighting of Niagara Falls, and an update and dedication of the South Park Arboretum restoration project.
“The City of Buffalo is pleased to celebrate the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted alongside BOPC and the National Association for Olmsted Parks,” said Mayor Byron W. Brown. “As identified within our newly published City Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Buffalo is proud to boast a robust park system which includes the Olmsted parks and parkways, and we appreciate the hard work of our public-private partnership with BOPC for their excellent levels of care and commitment to these legacy landscapes. Mr. Olmsted’s vision for Buffalo as a ‘city within a park’ continues to be an important charge, as our parks and greenspaces have become critically important for so many of our residents and visitors.”
During “Olmsted Week’” BOPC will highlight each one of its six major parks (Cazenovia Park, Delaware Park, Front Park, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, Riverside Park and South Park) on Instagram and Facebook to help the community learn more about their historic Buffalo Olmsted Park System.
“The Buffalo Olmsted Park System is a vital part of our community, and the gateway for Buffalonians from every corner of our city to access green space for recreation, relaxation and rejuvenation,” said Ken Kujawa, WNY regional director, customer & community management, National Grid. “National Grid is dedicated to providing a more equitable future for all of our customers through our Project C program, and we’re proud to partner with the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy during this historic year and beyond with a multiyear gift in support of their mission.”
Looking forward, on June 21, 2022, BOPC will attempt to reclaim its GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® for the “Longest line of garden flamingos.” The event will take place at Front Park, with an expected 4,260 FLOmingos lining the park. To support the BOPC, FLOmingos are currently available to pre-adopt online.
BOPC is celebrating Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th birthday alongside the National Association for Olmsted Parks and fellow conservancies across the country. “Olmsted 200: Parks for All People” is a national campaign honoring Mr. Olmsted’s birth and legacy by educating wide and diverse audiences about the enduring influence of Olmsted’s profound values and designs.
The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy’s Olmsted 200 campaign is supported by a Market New York grant through I LOVE NY/New York State’s Division of Tourism as part of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative, and M&T Bank.
For more information on BOPC’s Olmsted 200 celebrations, visit www.bfloparks.org/olmsted200.
About Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy:
The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is the first nonprofit organization in the nation, through a unique public-private partnership, to manage, operate and maintain an entire urban park system consisting of more than 850 acres of beautifully designed historic parks, parkways and circles. The Conservancy is an independent not-for-profit, community organization whose mission is to promote, preserve, restore, enhance, and maintain the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks and parkways in the Greater Buffalo area for current and future generations. More than 2.5 million visits occur in Buffalo’s Olmsted Park system annually for recreation, relaxation and rejuvenation.
The Buffalo Olmsted Park System features six parks including Cazenovia, Delaware, Front, Martin Luther King, Jr., Riverside, and South; seven parkways: Bidwell, Chapin, Lincoln, McKinley, Porter, Red Jacket, and Richmond; eight landscaped traffic circles: Agassiz, Colonial, Ferry, Gates, McClellan, McKinley, Soldiers, and Symphony; and smaller spaces: Days, Heacock and Prospect.
Contact:
Jillian Hammell
PR Manager, Crowley Webb
jillian.hammell@crowleywebb.com, 716.844.7237
Sarah Larkin
Development & Public Relations Manager, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
sarah@bfloparks.org, 716.861.0716
