6 Thursday programs to explore solutions for future of City of Niagara Falls

A six-week series, “Imagining a More Livable Niagara Falls – Exploring Solutions for the Future of the City,” initiated by a group of local activists joined by the City of Niagara Falls and the New York State Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism (Partners for a Livable Western New York – Western Region of CNU-New York), will be presented on consecutive Thursday evenings beginning May 2. The program is designed to focus on the built environment and livability of the city.

All programs are free to attend and will be held at the Niagara Falls Train Station at 825 Depot Ave., beginning at 6 p.m. Some programs will be preceded by late-afternoon walking tours or visits to development sites.

The more than 30 confirmed participants include Michael Lydon of Street Plans Collaborative and co-author of “Tactical Urbanism”; Rob Steuteville, editor of the “Public Square” journal and author of “25 Ideas of the New Urbanism”; and Lynn Richards, president and chief operating officer of the Congress for the New Urbanism.

The opening program on May 2 is designed to identify the major issues confronting the city’s built environment and will include a presentation by Jeff Belt, co-chair of the Western New York Economic Development Council, followed by a panel discussion. Subsequent programs will feature presentations and panel discussions on issues including mobility, housing, place-making, and the relationship between government and developers. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask presenters and panelists questions at each session. The final program on June 6 will be a community conversation about the future of the city. The Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., Niagara University president, will be the keynote speaker for this session.

Program sponsors include: Niagara Falls National Heritage Area, Partners for a Livable WNY, City of Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls Historic Preservation Society, Niagara University’s Levesque Institute for Civic Engagement, Destination Niagara USA, TM Montante Development, Niagara USA Chamber, Grassroots Gardens of WNY, and LiveNF.

For more information, contact George Grasser at [email protected] or 716-480-4970, or Tom Lowe at [email protected].