Page 4 - RR-7-23-26

4 • • Thursday, July 23, 2026 New inspector Buffalo Irish Fest
Buffalo briefs provides updates set for Aug. 1 & 2

on Riverside

Link to be commissioner from page 1
of Administration, Finance he said. “There’s a ton of debris The 2026 Buffalo Irish Festi- Crikwater, McCarthyizm, Almost
Policy and Urban Affairs and it smells like something died val will be held on Saturday, Aug. Seamus, and Yellow Jack. There
Mayor Sean Ryan announced there, but there’s nothing.” 1 and Sunday, Aug. 2 at Buffalo will also be Irish dancing perfor-
He mentioned a fallen tree and River Fest Park, 249 Ohio St. The mances by Rince na Tiarna and
the appointment of Bryce E. Link, bags of garbage on the property festival has been the premier sum- Harris-Grieco dance schools all
MPA, as Commissioner of Ad-
that have not been properly dis- mer event for the Irish-American weekend long. Additionally, the
ministration, Finance Policy and posed of, in addition to noticing community since 1984, drawing Buffalo Fenians GAA will be
Urban Affairs, subject to confir-
what appeared to be raised flower thousands to its venues and pro- hosting an Irish sports camp for
mation by the Buffalo Common beds that have not been tended to moting Irish music, dance, sports, children ages 4-16. Participants
Council. His planned start date
in a long time. It would be easier and culture. will learn how to play the national
with the administration will be
from residents and visitors who to maintain the whole property if The Buffalo Irish Festival is sports of Ireland (Gaelic football
Aug. 4, 2026. The appointment is
regularly visit or travel the community no longer wanted owned and operated by the Buffa- & hurling). More information
subject to confirmation by the through Niagara Square. the flower beds, he suggested. lo Irish Center, which is a 501c3 about Irish sports can be found at
Common Council.
Safety emerged as the survey's It’s possible NeighborWorks not-for-profit organization that is www.buffalofenians.com.
“Bryce Link brings exactly the
clearest and most consistent con- will build on that location in the deeply committed to promoting There will be vendors, mer-
kind of experience, judgment, and
cern, with 71% of near future, said North District Irish culture and preserving Irish chandise, food, beverages, and
deep understanding of municipal
respondents saying they feel Niag- Councilmember Joe Golombek, heritage in Western New York. representatives of nearly a dozen
finance that our administration
ara Square is unsafe for pedestri- who added that some members of The Buffalo Irish Festival works local Irish organizations and clubs
needs as we continue the work of
ans, 75% saying they feel it is the nearby Burmese community to promote Irish culture through on hand to promote the work that
getting Buffalo’s fiscal house
unsafe for cyclists, and have tried to help keep the grass the various organizations housed they do in our community.
back in order,” Mayor Sean Ryan
42% saying they feel it is unsafe under control, but they’ve used at the Buffalo Irish Center which The festival will officially
said. “His years of experience re-
for drivers. Respondents tools like scythes to cut it down. support the Irish/Irish-American kickoff on Saturday, Aug. 1 with
viewing city budgets, long-term also identified difficult pedestrian The lot had been maintained, community of Buffalo and West- the Parade of County Flags at
financial planning, and govern-
crossings, confusing traffic pat- on and off, as a community garden ern New York. 11:05 a.m. The Erie County Sher-
ment operations will be invaluable
terns, excessive vehicle speeds, under the umbrella of Grassroots Co-chair of the Festival orga- iff’s Pipes & Drums will lead the
as we continue strengthening our
and poor bicycle access as the Gardens, but it was hard to find nizing committee, Tim Flanagan, procession around the River Fest
fiscal foundation so we can focus square's biggest challenges. enough volunteers to keep it going had this to say about the 2026 Park grounds. On Sunday, Aug. 2
on delivering the basic city servic-
"For too long, Niagara Square and was eventually decommis- festival: “The Irish Festival is a at 10:30 a.m., there will be a me-
es residents deserve.”
has been confusing to navigate as sioned. great opportunity for the commu- morial Mass held at the Irish Fam-
Link joins the Ryan adminis- a driver and intimidating for peo- nity to come together and cele- ine Monument located La Riviere
tration after nearly ple outside a vehicle," Mayor brate all aspects of Irish culture in Dr.
two decades as principal Sean Ryan said. "By simplifying Happy! Tacos to open WNY. This continues to be a The festival hours of operation
analyst with the Buffalo Fiscal traffic to a single travel lane, at West Side Bazaar family-friendly event and we are are: Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10
Stability Authority. In that role, he shortening pedestrian crossings, WEDI’s West Side Bazaar on thrilled to be returning to Buffalo p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m.
has been responsible for conduct- Niagara Street has announced July
and creating more space for peo- River Fest Park in the heart of the to 6 p.m. Tickets cost $10 each
ing policy analysis, budget re- ple, we're making immediate im- 21 the grand opening of Happy! Old First Ward, a place that many and can be purchased at the Buffa-
view, and oversight of the City of Tacos, a new restaurant bringing
provements while gathering the of the first Irish immigrants arriv- lo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Road.
Buffalo’s annual budget, four- information we need to guide a creative American fusion tacos to ing to our region called home.” Children 16 and under get in for
year financial plan, capital budget, the business incubator. The cele-
permanent redesign of one of Buf- This year’s musical acts in- free.
and capital improvement program. falo's most important public spac- bration will take place on Satur- clude The Prodigals, Steel City More information visit
He has also evaluated City opera- day, July 25, 2026 at 12 p.m.
es." Rovers, The Fenians, Kilrush, www.buffaloirishfestival.com.
tions, prepared financial and poli- The interim project will use Happy! Tacos is founded by
cy recommendations for the Matt Nowak, who began his jour-
pavement markings and bollards
Authority’s Board of Directors, to organize traffic within Niagara ney at local farmers’ markets,
reviewed state and federal legisla- quickly building a following
Square, converting the square to a
tion affecting municipal finances, single travel lane while creating through pop-up experiences
across Western New York. Now, A look a chemicals in
and served as the Authority’s
new pedestrian space and improv-
Treasurer, Internal Controls Offi- ing visibility. after years of growth and commu-
cer, and media liaison. nity support, a restaurant. American backyards
The improvements include:
Prior to joining the Buffalo • Converting Niagara Square "From the moment we got the
Fiscal Stability Authority, Link call that we were accepted into the
to a single travel lane to simplify By Patricia Davis, 70% lost to the environment.
served as a Budget Fellow with traffic patterns, reduce vehicle West Side Bazaar, we knew it was LawnStarter Wind, rain, and lawn irrigation
the New York State Division of going to be a life-changing oppor-
speeds, eliminate confusion for Americans use a combined spread these chemical residues,
the Budget, where he helped de- drivers, and improve safety tunity. The community and sup- 170 million pounds of fertilizers reducing soil quality and impact-
velop the Governor’s Executive port there has been nothing short
for pedestrians, cyclists, transit and pesticides in their yards each ing local waterways.
Budget and analyzed the fiscal users, and motorists. of amazing. We started serving year. However, evolving local • A study provided early evi-
impacts of major state policy ini- our food with family in mind and
• Shortening pedestrian cross- policies and issues with water sup- dence that lawn fertilizer bans
tiatives. ings and improving sightlines that’s what the West Side Bazaar plies are reshaping consumer in- help improve water quality, find-
In addition to his public fi- is all about,” said Nowak. “We are
by eliminating areas where vehi- terests as “green industries” like ing that phosphorus fertilizer re-
nance experience, Link has taught cles can illegally park. grateful for this chance to feed our landscaping actually go green strictions in Ann Arbor, Michigan,
graduate-level courses in Public neighbors and bring that blissful
• Creating additional pedestri- with electric lawn care equipment reduced phosphorus levels by an
Administration and Public Bud- an space and protecting sidewalks feeling you get when you take a and eco-friendly methods. average of 28% in the nearby Hu-
geting and Finance at Buffalo bite out of something that is truly
from vehicle encroachment. To mark Nitrate Pollution ron River.
State University. He has also • Preventing vehicles from delicious: Happy!ness.” Awareness Week (July 26 to Aug. • Interest in organic lawn care
served on the Town of Hamburg “We are thrilled to welcome
parking on the historic brick sur- 1), LawnStarter looked into the is highest in the District of Colum-
Budget Review Committee and face surrounding the McKinley Happy! Taco to the West Side most recent data related to Organ- bia, followed by Vermont, Wyo-
the Village of Hamburg Economic Bazaar family’” said West Side
Monument, allowing the space to ic Lawn Care and The Hidden ming, and Hawaii, based on local
Development Committee. function safely as a public Bazaar program manager Lisa Eo- Costs of Lawn Chemicals. Google searches. D.C. residents
Link earned a Master of Public dice. “Chef Matt has created a
gathering area and reducing the Key stats from their research are about 4X more interested in
Administration from the Maxwell need for repairs to the surface. unique yet approachable menu include: this topic than Arizona residents,
School of Citizenship and Public that will make each visit to him a
• Adding seating and other • 10X more chemical pesti- who demonstrate the lowest inter-
Affairs at Syracuse University, amenities to make the square more fresh experience, and we cannot cides are used by homeowners per est in organic lawn care.
widely recognized as one of the wait to watch him grow as he es-
welcoming for residents and visi- acre than farmers use on crops, Read through more stats, con-
nation’s leading public adminis- tors. tablishes himself as a full-time according to the U.S. Fish and sumer trends, and expert insights
tration programs. venture.”
To support the new traffic pat- Wildlife Service. in the full story here:
tern, the City has begun issuing • Agricultural research sug- https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog
City to make changes warning notices to illegally parked County seeks artists for gests that only 30-50% of synthet- /studies/organic-lawn-fertilizer-
to Niagara Square vehicles in Niagara Square while Convention Center project ic nitrogen is actually absorbed by pest-control/
Erie County announced a new
Mayor Sean Ryan announced motorists adjust to the changes. the plants, with the remaining 50-
Call for Artists as part of the Arts
interim improvements to Niagara Following a brief education peri-
in Public Places program, focus-
Square, marking what he says will od, parking regulations will be
ing on works to be installed exclu-
be the beginning of a long-term actively enforced throughout the
sively in the Buffalo Convention
effort to transform the square into square to keep travel lanes, pedes-
Center. This opportunity is for
“a safer, more accessible, and trian areas, and sidewalks
artists residing in Erie County,
more welcoming space for every- clear. Enforcement will apply to
one who uses it.” all vehicles, including City-owned with selected projects receiving
funding of up to $2,000 per piece.
The improvements follow a vehicles that have traditionally
All works will be prominently
community survey conducted last been parked in no-parking zones.
month that gathered 562 responses displayed within the Buffalo Con-
vention Center, providing high
visibility and engagement with di-
verse audiences.
The deadline to apply is Mon-
day, Aug. 17 2026, at noon.
A virtual Q&A session will be
held on Monday, July 27, 2026 at
5:30 p.m. Artists interested in ap-
plying are strongly encouraged to
attend to learn more about the op-
portunity, selection process, and
project requirements. For full de-
tails and to apply, visit:
www.erie.gov/publicart
“This small works opportunity
reflects our ongoing commitment
to making art more accessible and
supporting local artists,” said
Deputy County Executive Lisa M.
Chimera. “By bringing unique,
original pieces into the Buffalo
Convention Center, we continue
to build a stronger, more vibrant
Erie County – one artwork at a
time.”