HIGGS: DO YOU KNOW YOUR CITY PARKS?
By Norma Higgs
Niagara Gazette, NY
Oct 18 2006
During the summer I heard a lot about Hyde Park as the Niagara
Beautification Commission did a project in conjunction with the city
near the golf course. I learned this is a 580 acre park with many
activities for people of all ages. I also learned that there are 25
other parks in the city of Niagara Falls with nearly 135 acres of
green space. Some of these I never heard of and I wondered how many
you are aware of.
Let’s start in the LaSalle section with Caravelle Drive Park (0.5
acres) near Marine Memorial Drive which has a playground area. Then
on to Griffon Park, (20 acres) on River Road and 95th Street near
the boat docks. Moving over to Bollier Avenue and 82nd Street we find
Hennepin Park, (7 acres) another natural habitat area.
We all know of Jayne Park (22 acres) on Cayuga Island, which is a
full service park. LaSalle Park (6 acres) is also a full service park
and is located at Frontier Avenue and 91st Street. How about Perry
Park? (5 acres)
Also in LaSalle adjacent to 60th Street School is 70th Street Park
also known as Kies (5 acres).^PIt has two Little League diamonds
and is at Girard and 70th Street. 63rd Street Park at the corner of
Stephenson (1.3 acres) is really nothing more than a vacant lot but
it is kept up by the Parks Department. Further along Stephenson is,
well, Stephenson Park (1.39 acres), which has a playground, with a
sandbox and basketball courts. Finally we have Black Creek Park at
96th and Colvin Boulevard which was established at the urging of the
Black Creek Block Club.
So now we have determined that at least half of the city parks are
in LaSalle and we travel to the west side of Hyde Park where there
are also parks that I did not know about. Jerauld Park (2.5 acres)
on Jerauld Avenue and 29th Street which is actually owned by the
Niagara Falls School District but given to the city to maintain,
has a softball diamond, a small playground and basketball court in
need of repair. Lafayette Park (0.4 acres) is not more than a vacant
lot which is mowed and maintained by the Parks Department.
D’Amelio Park (15 acres) on Center Avenue and 15th Street next to the
Community Center in the Highland Avenue area is a full service park.
DiFranco Park (2 acres) on Main and Second streets is in a prime
development area downtown near the Howard Johnson Hotel. This facility
is being used temporarily as a construction storage site for the
Department of Transportation road improvement project in that area.
Gill Creek Park (7 acres) is on Niagara Street near 31st Street
and is in the process of renewal. A new gazebo and nature walk,
along with a picnic shelter, playground and comfort station will be
dedicated on Oct. 28. Robert Kostoff and the late Frances Scarfone
of the Niagara Street Business Association had a lot to do with the
updating of this park. Gluck Park (1.3 acres) is situated like one
of the squares of Savannah surrounded by 15th and 16th streets and
South and Weston avenues.
We head to Liberty Park (0.56 acres) at Elmwood Avenue and 19th
Street where we find a playground used extensively by children in
the area. The city recreation program is held here during the summer
months with supervised activities and free lunches. Over on the east
side we find a mystery park which is virtually unused and currently
under study for the future.
There is a house adjacent where once stood Moon’s Saloon, rumored
to have been a favorite hangout of the Buffalo Sabres. Also in this
area are two parks on Orleans Avenue (1.15 acres each) surrounded by
homes built after World War II on 24th Street and 25th Street.
The reincarnation of vacant land at North and Lockport (1.95 acres)
is a dream of the North End Block Club. This was once a busy city park
with a playground and sports activities. This neighborhood club is
currently attempting to raise interest and funds to bring this back
to what it once was and more. Their vision includes ball diamonds,
playground, basketball courts and handicap accessibility which would
be the only park with this advantage. Anyone interested in helping
in this goal can contact member Candace Corsaro at 284-2177.
Another historical park is Porter Park (4 acres) on Buffalo Avenue at
Ninth Street. It is believed that the Small Fort of the Portage was
situated nearby at the Niagara River. This structure was destroyed
by the French during the French and Indian War. At one point in
history the home of John Stedman of Goat Island fame was here as was
a local tavern, but today only the chimney believed to be from the
Fort remains. During the construction of the Robert Moses Parkway,
the chimney was moved at the urging of the Niagara Beautification
Commission to its present location to save it, thus establishing
the park.
Staying in the downtown area we find the Statue of Liberty Park (0.5
acres) sitting between the Rainbow Bridge and the Twist of the Mist.
The NBC arranged to have the Statue of Liberty moved here from Hyde
Park some years ago and there is also a civic monument placed here.
The last stop is on Main and Pine where we find Wright’s Park aka
Cenotaph Park and who some call Veteran’s Park. A triangle shape
dividing the streets, this is used for services and commemorations
on Memorial Day, Flag Day and Veterans Day. There is also a monument
recognizing the Armenian population lost during genocide from a
Turkish uprising in the 1900s.
As you can see, we have lots of parks to enjoy in all areas of the
city. We are very fortunate aren’t we? These small parks are a lot
of work for only five members of the Parks Department assigned to
"small parks" who must also keep up vacant lots owned by the city. I
acknowledge and thank the city Parks Department for some of the
factual information you read here.
Norma Higgs serves with the Niagara Beautification Commission and
Niagara Falls Block Club Council. Her columns appear Wednesday’s in
the Gazette.