I took a walk down to the Buffalo River a few days ago with Rick Smith (water taxi). There’s a small wooden ramp that leads down to a floating dock, which is situated right next to the Michigan Avenue Bridge. This excursion took place shortly after Rick pointed out the launch pad for the water taxi. He was on a roll and wanted BRO viewers to see how (relatively) easy another Buffalo riverfront project can be.
Can you imagine taking a walk starting from the observation deck at the marina, through the Naval Park, past the Erie Canal Terminus, over to the DL&W Terminal, right around the Cotter fireboat, under the Michigan Avenue Bridge and along a boardwalk that would lead to the new Riverfest Park? Now that public access has opened in front of the DL&W, the only connection missing is the boardwalk… there used to be one there – now it’s just a series of wood support poles anchored in the water. Well guess what? The project just got funded with a sum of $400,000 recently secured by Assemblyman Mark Schroeder.
The huge logs are still sunken into the riverbed so now the key is to build the boardwalk on top of them. The hardest part is already done. Figuring out the connection under the bridge might be a bit tricky, but until Riverfest Park was recently christened (at Riverfest) there was nowhere that the boardwalk would take you. Plus, the Swannie House is located just up the ramp. Believe it or not, boats are already using the dock to pull up and grab a bite to eat at the restaurant.
Not only will this entire stretch be walk-able, it will also be bike-able. And just past Riverfest Park lies the canoe and kayak launch. With an injection of $400,000 this boardwalk is prime to become a busy waterfront staple. I talk to people all the time that live in the city and have never explored this area along the river. It’s an untapped goldmine of opportunity and it takes some creative thinking to get these projects off the ground. I love the grain mills and the elevators. I am fascinated by the barges that can still be seen floating down the Buffalo River. There are so many hidden little microparks (many of which we have covered) that people are just starting to discover. Bike trails and boardwalks help to draw people down to the river for sure. We’ll keep you posted on the progress of the boardwalk. If you have not paid a visit to the Buffalo River, then click on the photo below to see just how beautiful and full of potential it really is.