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RIVERROCK TIMES

Vol. 6 No. 23 Thursday, September 17, 2026 Covering the Northwest Corner of Buffalo

New LoveU Buffalo ArtPark taking shape:
There’s plenty going on at the new LoveU Buffalo Park on Thompson
Street. Some plants and flowers have already been put into place in
curvy rows, with an area in the middle filled with gravel where, one
day, a new sculpture will stand as the centerpiece of the pocket park.
The second phase of landscaping will be completed within the next
week, says George Fitzpatrick, owner of the property and president of
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper kicks off Scajaquada the River Rock Community Coalition. He said, “Installation of the art
mural will begin the last week of September, including 10 commis-
September with proposals for creek revitalization sioned works from some of Western New York’s most talented artists.”
The focal point of the park, the new sculpture, is set to be installed in
By Amber Healy lized resource, something they’d create a more native riparian com-
mid-October, followed by the final landscaping touches, he remarked.
fter a few years of collect- like to have more opportunities to munity.”
ing public input and ideas access and to treat as a valuable The additional “screening” ~ by Amber Healy
Aof how the Scajaquada asset in their community. from trees and other native plants
Creek could be revitalized and There’s also an interest in cre- on the south side of the express-
made more accessible and user- ating a diverse, historic and acces- way would not only dampen Two-, three-bedroom homes
friendly for people from Buffalo sible future for the creek, she said. sound, but provide something nic-
to Cheektowaga, representatives Opening up creek er to look at while walking along available in Black Rock through
from Buffalo Niagara Waterkeep- access in neighborhoods the pathway than the current view
er have released its three proposed Focusing on the Black Rock of concrete, he said. Build Buffalo Roots program
major projects to help restore the and Riverside neighborhoods, The proposal from Waterkeep-
health of the creek. near the mouth of Scajaquada er, based on community input,
During a public meeting on Creek where it feeds into the Ni- would also include the installation
Sept, 9, following a brief press agara River and Black Rock of a “viewing structure, so you can
conference, the three initiatives – Channel, Waterkeeper envisions walk down the path and at least
one for the mouth of the creek, in adding some landscaping on the get over and see the creek,” he
Black Rock and Riverside, one for south side of the creek, along the said, something people have been
the buried portion, and one for the Scajaquada Expressway, to im- asking for, as direct access to the
headwaters in Lancaster – were prove the appearance of the creek creek is currently very limited.
unveiled, based on feedback and while also reducing noise from the For the length of the creek
suggestions gathered during a se- roadway. that’s visible to users and passers-
ries of meetings with stakeholders by, there would be consistent sig-
One of the important features
and residents. Waterkeeper wants to expand and nage to help people understand
“Through this plan, we really their location along the creek in
enhance is the Jesse Kregal Path-
have an opportunity to look at the way, which runs along the Sca- addition to understanding its his-
stream and the creek holistically,” tory and importance to the com-
jaquada Creek in Black Rock from
said Jeanne Beiter, senior pro- Niagara Street through Grant munities where it flows. That
gramming manager for ecological includes the areas where the creek
Street and to Delaware Park.
programs with Waterkeeper. “We “The concept is to put in addi-
have an opportunity to look at it Continued on page 3
tional pathways, have a little more Hamilton Street house for sale.
from a large watershed perspec- meandering to it, and put in some
tive, which is really quite advanta- open areas where there’s public Sunset River By Amber Healy preference of neighborhood when
geous. It's really given us the seating so people could recreate ast week, Buffalo Mayor they submit their application.
opportunity to think about the there if they want, throw a Fris- Rock Run 5K Sean Ryan and Erie Coun- The two-bedroom homes are
creek in a way that we haven't bee, go have lunch, instead of Lty Executive Mark Polon- available for $175,000 and the
been able to before.” feeling like they have to go returns Friday carz handed over the keys to the three-bedroom homes are selling
From the most recent meetings through there as fast as they can,” The BRRAlliance will host the first new homeowners through the for $205,000, and the current list
in February, to discuss what peo- city and county’s Build Buffalo
said Ryan Davis, a principle scien- 5th Annual River Rock Run 5K on of available homes across Buffalo,
ple wanted for the creek in the Roots program for first-time hom-
tist at Anchor QEA, one of Water- Friday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. begin- including the four two-bedroom
future and how they hoped to eowners.
keeper’s partners. “There will be ning and ending at Riverside Park homes and the one three-bedroom
someday use the waterway, there Jocklyn Walton purchased a
some pollinator gardens, to pro- with a run/walk along the beauti- house in Black Rock, can be found
were many “key themes that home in Black Rock, on Calumet
vide some native habitat. Invasive ful Niagara River Shoreline Trail. on Belmont Housing’s website at
emerged across all” regions of the Place, but there are still a dozen
species removal – right now a This official USA Track & Field https://www.belmonthousingwny.
creek, said Heike Jacob, a consul- two-bedroom homes and 17 three-
large portion of the banks are certified and sanctioned 5K with a org/bbr/. The two-bedroom homes
tant with Highland Planning, a bedroom homes available for pur-
overrun with Japanese knotweed professionally measured 5 are single-story structures; the
key partner with Waterkeeper on chase through the program. Sever-
and other invasive species. We’re kilometer/3.1-mile-long course three-bedroom floors are two sto-
this project. Overall, people see al more are under contract or are
working… to remove those and was designed to highlight the ries tall.
Scajaquada Creek as an underuti- going through the closing process.
northwest Buffalo waterfront and Making a dream
What used to be a lottery pro-
the beauty of the area’s parks, more attainable
with an evening race chosen to gram in which potential buyers There are income require-
Recent storm posed no problems display the beauty of the sunset identified the neighborhood they ments for the program, as it is
for Buffalo Sewer Authority over the Niagara River, which will wanted to live as part of their ap- specifically designed to help new
plication and qualification process
be occurring at 7:19 p.m.
buyers access grants and other
New this year is a quarter-mile is now open to a wider audience, funding opportunities that might
By Amber Healy treatment facility in order to hold explains Sandra Becker, a senior
Fun Run in Riverside Park before not otherwise be available to
arlier this year, the Buffalo in the influx of water and “prevent housing programs manager with
Sewer Authority celebrat- basement backups that occur due the 5k has been added for kids 7 Belmont Housing Resources for them.
and under beginning at 5:30 p.m., “We’re really trying to make
Eed the completion of a $3 to wind and high river levels,” WNY, Inc.
million project, part of which was Nogale says. allowing kids who cannot com- “We’re going to have a first- people’s dream of homeowner-
plete the full 5K to join in on the ship come true, build generational
installing two new 2.2-ton elec- Waterspouts on Hertel? come, first-served (approach) and
tronic steel gates to help prevent Additionally, she says the “wa- fun. then the applications will be ar- wealth, but this is also for the
stormwater from Cornelius Creek terspouting” some people saw and Commemorative t-shirts, fin- ranged according to who got their entire community,” Becker says.
isher medals and trophies are all “We’re talking about houses that
or the Niagara River from flowing reported along Hertel Avenue was finished application in first,” she
part of the family friendly event. were either vacant lots before or
into the wastewater treatment sys- due to the sudden rush of water says. “The first person to get their
tem. into the storm sewers displacing For those who cannot make the application in will have the first had been burned down or needed
While there was localized the air in those pipes and getting run on the 18th but still wish to choice of homes, as long as to come down (and were cleared
participate, a digital 5k option is for the construction of new
flooding on Hertel Avenue and on sucked up onto the street as the they’re income-eligible and can
available as well, allowing run- homes). This is really improving
parts of Delaware Avenue during water also tried to escape. buy the house. People can still
heavy rains on Sept. 3, the Sewer “What they were seeing when ners to run their 5k anywhere they apply for either the three-bedroom the whole community to have new
Authority didn’t have to call the it spouted up from the street was choose before Sept. 30, log in on- or the two-bedroom list and if houses on all these streets.”
new gate into service. not so much that the water in the line and submit their time to the you’re interested in both, we’ll There are also grants and pro-
“The purpose of the gate is to pipe had risen to that level (of the run website. just basically put that down.” grams available to help people
The sponsors for this year’s
hold back the river,” explains Ro- manhole covers) so much as, in People will be able to rank their
run are DiVal Safety Equipment, Continued on page 8
saleen Nogle, a principal sanitary those locations, the sewer that was
West Herr Auto, Joe’s Service
engineer with the Sewer Authori- filled with air suddenly had an
Station, The Rude Chef, Hadley
ty. “The gate’s supposed to be influx of water, and the water was
Exhibits, Cadets FCU, Grace Fu-
open when (there’s a sudden in- displacing the air faster than the air
neral Home, and Loose Lumber.
flux of water) because the idea is could get out,” she says. “When
Inspired Buffalo is the t-shirts for
to let the water get out of the river that occurs, the air will entrap the
run participants, Tops Friendly
if it needs to, if we’ve got nowhere water and take it up with it,” creat-
else for it to go.” ing a fountain-like effect along the Markets 345 Amherst St. is a wa-
During this rain event, in roadway. ter station sponsor for the event,
which more than three inches of Within a few hours, the water and Wegmans is providing run
rain fell in a few hours, the new levels within the sewer pipes had snacks.
Participants can register for
gate system “did what it was sup- returned to normal. Any issues
the River Rock Run online via the
posed to do,” she says. The system people might have had with flood-
River Rock Run It’s Your Race
is “designed to prevent the most ed basements or other problems
page at https://riverrock.itsyour
common type of flooding we ex- might indicate a blockage in the
race.com/ or in person on the day
perience in this system, but it does privately owned sewer lines ex-
of the event. Registration is $30
not prevent the type of flooding” tending from their homes to the
online and $35 in-person on the
that results in high water on streets street, Nogle says.
day of the run, $35 to register as a
and in neighborhoods.
The gates can be used to hold virtual participant and $5 for
youth fun run.
the river back from the wastewater Bush Street home.