Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - It was another waterfront benchmark for the City of Buffalo on Tuesday, as groundbreaking took place at the former LaSalle Park, now Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park. A total of $110 million in improvements will be part of Phase 1 of the project.
The park’s name honors the legacy of the late founder of the Buffalo Bills.
“This is Buffalo’s largest waterfront park, and has been an integral part of the Western New York community since 1932, when it hosted the City of Buffalo’s centennial celebration," said Keith Belanger, Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy Board President. “Development of this scale happens once in a lifetime. The Ralph Wilson Park will rank among the country’s best parks, and profoundly impact our neighborhoods. Generations of Buffalonians will gather here and make memories that last a lifetime.”
The park will be built in phases over several years. Construction is expected to begin in late summer, starting with a signature pedestrian bridge to give park-goers easier access to the park.
Plans also call for updating several baseball and softball fields, and rehabilitating the inlet area to create a resilient shoreline and protect the park from higher lake levels and severe weather. Some other work has already been completed.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have significantly renovated the existing seawall in front of the Colonel Ward Pumping Station; the Buffalo Water Authority has completed critical repairs of a 48-inch water main; and improvements to the skatepark and Empire State Trail behind the Waterfront Village housing have been made.
In 2018, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation made a lead commitment of $50 million to support the City of Buffalo and surrounding community to transform LaSalle Park.
"The Foundation provided added funding to launch the Imagine LaSalle initiative, a multi-year, community-driven effort to explore and develop a community vision for the park that would transform it into a world-class destination, serving neighbors and residents of Western New York as a 'people’s park' while also attracting tourists to the region," says the foundation.
Work should be completed by late 2025.