On June 1,  I wrote here about my concerns regarding plans to remove about 700 feet of asphalt pathway in Cazenovia Park – alongside and providing views of the Cazenovia Creek.  On June 2, Stephanie Crockatt, Executive Director of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, replied by email to many of the issues that I raised concerning plans to remove the asphalt pathway and concrete steps at Cazenovia Park.  Ms. Crockatt’s correspondence confirms BOPC’s plan to, in fact, eliminate that portion of the upper pathway starting at Warren Spahn Way.  I share her correspondence below, and provide my initial response to her comments in brackets and bold print.  Also, I am attaching a pdf containing a slide presentation, provided to me on June 3 by BOPC’s Director of Planning and Advocacy, Brian Dold, reflecting Caz Park history and BOPC’s current proposal for pathway reconstruction, etc. Caz Park – June 2021 slide presentation

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From: “Stephanie Crockatt”
To: AJGiacalone@twc.com
Cc: “Andy Rabb”, “Greg Robinson”, “Councilmember Scanlon – South”
Sent: Wednesday June 2 2021 4:33:51PM
Subject: Cazenovia Paths/Stairs

Mr. Giacalone and Ms. ______________,

The Conservancy appreciates your outreach on the topic of the pathway reconstruction along the southern edge of Cazenovia Creek.

As you may know, these paths have been in rough condition for years, with numerous complaints from the community.  Thankfully in working with the City and funding allocations, we were able to partner on a restoration project.

[AJG:  Every person with whom I have spoken in Caz Park since May 27 is pleased to hear that the bumpy and uneven condition of the asphalt pathway, primarily found between Cazenovia St. and the northern set of concrete steps, will be removed and replaced.  However, not one of the two or three dozen park-goers was aware of the plan to remove a 700-foot portion of the asphalt pathway that provides proximity and views of the creek.]

The project stems from our master plan’s five-year priority project update.  You may recall the Conservancy held several public input sessions throughout 2018 and into 2019 in working to determine projects the communities around the Olmsted parks would like to see elevated in attention and improvement.  Number 4 for Cazenovia Park is the pathways.

[AJG: I was in attendance at the Cazenovia Park public sessions in 2018-2019.  Not once did I hear anyone from BOPC state or suggest that pathway attention and improvements would involve removal of approximately one-third of the existing asphalt pathway along the creek’s shore.  The fact that South District Councilmember Christopher Scanlon – for whom pathway improvements is a very high priority – did not know on May 27 that any of the asphalt pathway would be removed and replaced by lawn reflects a failure by BOPC to keep our elected representative, much less the users of Caz Park, adequately informed.]

Yes, in this project there are areas where the path will be relocated to the correct historical alignment.  This is due to the fact that the current high pathway (and the staircases) were part of a DPW project – maybe 30 or 40 years ago – which tried to address the flooding, ice damming and other creek impacts on the park.

[AJG: The original plans for Cazenovia Park included a 20-acre recreational lake as its centerpiece, separated into two sections by a carriage bridge and featuring two islands.  As existing signage in the park describes, the original plan “allowed park-goers more access to the water than in other, larger parks.”  Later changes in the park altered “the once pastoral landscape” by introducing an ice-skating rink, community center, and an indoor swimming pool, etc.  The pursuit of “historic integrity,” by removal of a popular section of pathway that provides proximity and views of the creek not available from the “historic parallel route,” appears to be little more than a fanciful conceit attainable only at the expense of current park-goers (who now have the option of experiencing the contrasting ambience of either the high or low road).] 

The high berm constructed along the southern shore was not part of the Olmsted alignment or topography, and some of those higher paths have actually become a safety hazard.  The odd staircases are not historic and are not something the Conservancy would advocate to keep or even ask the City to continue for deferred maintenance expenses.

[AJG: The reality is that the high berm is not being eliminated and is, most likely, a permanent feature in the park and obstacle to any meaningful replication of the Olmsted alignment or topography.  The berm, along with the concrete steps, are a testament to the unrealistic nature of the original Olmstedian plans.  The “odd staircases” (which I believe have been there for more than a half-century) provide an excellent opportunity for educating the public about both the history of Caz Park and the difficulties of creating a park adjacent to a mighty creek.  Olmstedians should embrace such an educational effort.]

The process the Conservancy follows in such planning and design decisions is to first vet with the public, which we did in 2018-2019.  We then work with City parks and engineering on historic realignments, repairs or renovations in mapping out the project.  We pass the designs through our Design Review Committee with the Conservancy which is a group of community volunteers and professionals.  We then take final designs through to the Preservation Board for their approval, which also has a public input component.

[AJG: No matter BOPC’s intent, the vetting process as a means to educate and obtain the consensus of the public was extremely flawed.  The Preservation Board process added to the misinformation.  Not only was the subject line for the May 27 meeting devoid of any reference to removal-without-replacement of a significant section of asphalt pathway (“Reconstruct and realign asphalt pathways and remove concrete steps”), the publicly available documents lacked a narrative, and failed to include informative images of the actual plans.]

It is unfortunate that the project is causing you concern, but I can assure you that we take every project seriously in it’s historical context and integrity, public safety aspects, and sustainability as to further investment and/or anticipated aging and repairs.

[AJG: BOPC can demonstrate its commitment by: (a) asking the City to discontinue implementation of any aspect of the project other than removal and replacement of the asphalt pathway between Cazenovia Street and the northern concrete steps; and (b) conducting a well-advertised public forum at the Caz Park community center to allow the users of Caz Park the opportunity to learn about the final designs, and to express their preferences regarding the portion of the asphalt pathway commencing at Warren Spahn Way, and the other features of the proposed project.]

If you would like to speak with me directly or perhaps even meet out on site with our staff landscape architect, Greg Robinson, let me know.

[AJG: I would appreciate the opportunity to meet on site with you, Greg Robinson, and perhaps BOPC’s Brian Dold, as well as Councilmember Chris Scanlon.  Thank you.]

Best,

Stephanie

Stephanie Crockatt

Executive Director, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy

716-838-1249×16 Office / http://www.bfloparks.org

With all due respect,

Art Giacalone

[For an update of this posting, please see https://withallduerespectblog.com/2021/06/03/bopc-responds-and-i-reply-to-caz-park-pathway-concerns/ .]

[A version of the following post was published as a letter-to-the-editor in the Buffalo News “Everybody Column” on June 5, 2021.]

Cazenovia Creek is the heart of Cazenovia Park, providing a feature missing from the other gems in the Queen City’s Olmsted Park system’s crown.

Despite the creek’s unique role, the public will soon lose the ability to safely and conveniently walk, run, or bike along a substantial portion of the Caz Creek shoreline if plans approved by Buffalo’s Preservation Board on May 27 are implemented.

[Detail from city’s engineering plans showing the section where asphalt will be replaced by lawn.]

Parkgoers are currently able to traverse an asphalt pathway that starts at Warren Spahn Way (across from a public parking lot) and hugs the creek for about 2,080 feet, the length of just over 5 football fields.

[Beginning of asphalt pathway, across from Warren Spahn Way parking lot, slated for removal.]

The bumpiest section of the pathway – closest to Cazenovia Street – will be removed and replaced with a new asphalt path, a worthy improvement.

Unfortunately, about 700 feet of the path, the section that starts at the bridge near the public parking lot and extends to the northern set of concrete steps, will be removed and not replaced with a new pathway, but filled with topsoil, seeded, and turned into lawn.

[Part of 700-foot pathway slated for removal, replaced with lawn.]

 [Section of asphalt path extending between two sets of concrete steps, slated for removal without replacement.]

[View of creek from pathway section that will not be replaced.]

The public was unaware of this disturbing aspect of the plan.  The official description of the proposal merely states, “Reconstruct and realign asphalt pathways and remove concrete steps.” The documents available to the public (and, apparently, the Preservation Board), included no narrative, and no discussion of the reasons a 700-foot long portion of the asphalt pavement would not be replaced.

[Northern set of concrete steps slated for removal and replacement with lawn.]

Even the South District Councilmember, Chris Scanlon, did not know the specifics of the proposed project.  An hour before the Preservation Board’s vote to approve the plans, my Councilmember emailed me that, “the pathways along the creek are not being removed, they are being replaced.”  Mr, Scanlon was incorrect, despite proclaiming that replacing the deteriorated paths “has been a major priority of mine.”

[View of creek through portion of path slated to be removed and not replaced.]

It is bad enough that no public explanation has been given for removal of the iconic concrete steps – a physical reminder of Cazenovia Park’s history.

 [Southern concrete steps, slated for removal and replacement by lawn.]

[Northern concrete steps, slated for removal and replacement by lawn.]

There is no excuse for limiting the public’s ability to walk, run and bike along the creek without providing a meaningful explanation for diminishing that option.

[An activity that will be impossible to enjoy if plans to remove the asphalt pathway and replace it with grass is implemented.]

If implemented, the approved plan, apparently proposed by the Buffalo Olmsted Park Conservancy and endorsed by the South District Councilmember, will eliminate the existing choice offered to Cazenovia Park users:  to take the high road or low road.

 [If implemented, removal of the path alongside Cazenovia Creek will force walkers, runners, and bicyclists to all use the path on the left in this photo, unable to see the creek.]

For the sake of transparency and fairness, Buffalo Olmsted Park Conservancy and city officials owe it to the public to reconsider this plan, with input from a fully-informed public.

If you agree, you can express your views to the following individuals:

Christopher P. Scanlon, South District Council Member at:  65 Niagara St., Room 1401, Buffalo, NY 14202; cscanlon@city-buffalo.com; 716-851-5169.

Stephanie Crockatt, BOPC Executive Director at:  84 Parkside Ave., Buffalo, NY 14214; 716-838-1249; www.bfloparks.org.

Andrew R. Rabb, Dep. Commr. For Parks & Recreation at:  arabb@city-buffalo.com; 716-851-5553.

Thank you.

With All Due Respect,

Art Giacalone