Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper starts Waterkeeper Week with announcement of newly expanded Buffalo Niagara Blueway

Funding from Buffalo and Erie County Greenway Fund Standing Committee helps connect regional network of public water access sites across Western New York

Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper press release & graphic

Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper announced the continued expansion of the Buffalo Blueway into the Buffalo Niagara Blueway during Waterkeeper Week, showcasing 15 new public access site connections on the ecotourism water trail. One of 15 sites in the expansion is Beaver Island State Park Beach, where Waterkeeper unveiled a newly installed interpretive sign marking the site as part of the Buffalo Niagara Blueway.

The new Buffalo Niagara Blueway signs and corresponding Blueway markers that will be installed later are supported through three rounds of funding totaling $471,344, awarded by the Buffalo and Erie County Greenway Fund Standing Committee, leveraging years of work by Waterkeeper to provide easier community access to area waterways.

The newly included sites are waterfront parks and public water access locations in the City of Buffalo, City of Tonawanda, Town of Tonawanda and Town of Grand Island. A second round of funding will support the installation of matching Blueway waterfront markers at each location, formally designating the sites as part of the Buffalo Niagara Blueway water trail.

All Blueway sites are incorporated into the Buffalo Niagara Blueway website (www.buffaloblueway.com) and interactive map, making it easier for residents and visitors to learn about and plan a trip to area waterways.

“The original intent and vision of the Blueway network have always been to create opportunities for residents and visitors to access, learn more about, and steward the largest freshwater system on the planet,” said Jill Jedlicka, executive director of Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper. “In pursuing these goals, we are also helping grow the region’s ecotourism efforts and inspiring waterfront economic activity. Our work and collaborations at these sites continue to demonstrate how the region can leverage its shared and connected water identity through coordinated public access, while reinforcing the importance of environmental restoration and protection.”

Buffalo & Erie County Greenway Fund Committee Chair, Erie County Representative and Erie County Department of Environment and Planning Commissioner Daniel Castle said, “Connecting people to the waterfront is one of the top priorities of the Buffalo and Erie County Greenway Fund Standing Committee, and its funder the New York Power Authority. Since 2007, the standing committee has been proud to work with partners such as Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper to help make impactful projects like the Blueway network a reality.”

Mark Mistretta, Niagara Region director of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, said, “Thank you to Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper for their diligent work in ensuring that access to our incredible waterfronts – especially here on the Niagara River – is created, maintained and promoted. The Buffalo Niagara Blueway sites provide abundant opportunities for all interests and activity levels and certainly are consistent with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s call to ‘Get Offline, Get Outside.’ ”

“Erie County Parks is proud to see Black Rock Canal Park, Isle View Park, Tow Path Park, and Ellicott Creek Park featured in the expanded Buffalo Niagara Blueway," said Troy P. Schinzel, commissioner of Erie County Parks, Recreation & Forestry. "These improvements strengthen public access to our waterfront and support the recreation opportunities our community values. We’re grateful for this partnership that helps residents and visitors enjoy Western New York’s waterways in new and meaningful ways.”

The Buffalo Niagara Blueway is an expansion of Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper’s original Buffalo Blueway initiative, launched in 2018, which enhanced public access points along the Buffalo River and Outer Harbor in the City of Buffalo. Building on that success, the expanded Buffalo Niagara Blueway extends the water trail beyond the City of Buffalo into additional Western New York communities along the Niagara River, Lake Erie, Tonawanda Creek and Ellicott Creek corridors, in partnership with State Parks, Erie County Parks, the Town of Grand Island, the City of Tonawanda, the Town of Tonawanda and the City of Buffalo.

The new Blueway sites include:

√ Black Rock Canal Park

√ Erie Basin Marina

√ Gallagher Beach Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

√ Isle View Park

√ Woods Creek Kayak Launch at Buckhorn Island State

√ Beaver Island Beach at Beaver Island State Park

√ East River Marsh at Beaver Island State Park

√ Freedom Park

√ Tow Path Park

√ Historic River Lea at Beaver Island State Park

√ Ellicott Creek Park

√ Gateway Harbor

√ Niawanda Park North

√ Niawanda Park South

√ Eastern Park Canoe and Kayak Launch

The interpretive signs provide educational and historical information about each location, as well as wayfinding, while the waterfront markers will serve as highly visible landmarks from both land and water. The new Buffalo Niagara Blueway sites will also be added to the Blueway website (www.buffaloblueway.com) and promoted through coordinated outreach and social media campaigns to encourage exploration of waterfront parks, trails, launch sites, fishing, bird watching, bike trail connections, walking paths and recreational opportunities throughout the region.

Since receiving an initial $10 million investment from Empire State Development in 2017, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper has leveraged additional support to expand the Buffalo Blueway system and improve public access to Western New York waterways. Existing Blueway improvements include accessible paddle launches, ADA-accessible fishing access, shoreline restoration projects, educational features, and enhanced recreational amenities at sites throughout the Buffalo River corridor and Outer Harbor.

The Buffalo Niagara Blueway continues to advance the shared vision of creating a connected network of accessible waterfront destinations that support recreation, tourism, ecological restoration, and community revitalization throughout the Niagara River Greenway corridor. The organization continues to pursue opportunities and funding to physically enhance existing access sites and integrate new sites into the Buffalo Niagara Blueway.

The announcement came during Waterkeeper Week, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper’s celebration of the opening of the Western New York water season with a slate of waterfront activities for the public. Sponsored by Chiampou, Travis, Besaw, & Kershner LLP, Environmental Education Associates, BankOnBuffalo, and Good Collective, Waterkeeper Week has multiple public events. More information on Waterkeeper Week can be found at www.bnwaterkeeper.org/wkw.

More about Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper: Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper is a community-based nonprofit organization that protects and restores waters and surrounding ecosystems for the benefit of current and future generations. For over 35 years, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper has been the guardian of Western New York's fresh water, protecting clean water, restoring the health of ecosystems, connecting people to the water and inspiring sustainable economic growth and community engagement. For more information on this project, visit www.buffaloblueway.com. For more information on Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, visit www.bnwaterkeeper.org.