Ralph Wilson Park is a 100+-acre waterfront park on the shoreline of Lake Erie in downtown Buffalo. Rooted in a multi-year community visioning process, the park is undergoing a $110M transformation to become one of the most beautiful and inclusive public spaces in the country, serving nearby residents and visitors from across the region and beyond. Construction is expected to continue through 2025.
Read this week’s update to park neighbors and stakeholders here.
Below are updates we include in our monthly e-newsletter.
From Katie Campos, RWPC Executive Director, on October 20th, 2023:
I’m so grateful to share my front row seat of the transformation of Ralph Wilson Park with you. Over the past year, I’ve tried to learn as much as I can from you, our park neighbors, and from park leaders across the globe, so that together we can create a community-driven world-class park that is inclusive & fun.
Through weekly construction updates, we’ve learned together about the fascinating science and engineering that went into designing our new, resilient shoreline. We are transforming the hard, vertical, concrete sea wall to a natural, sloped armored shoreline to protect and sustain RalphWilson Park for generations to come. Follow along with us by signing up for our weekly construction updates.
From Katie Campos, RWPC Executive Director, on September 13th, 2023:
The park is buzzing! The splash pad, pool, skate park and football field were packed right up until the start of school. Our park is clearly beloved by so many neighbors; we’re working hard to build an even better park for you to enjoy!
Construction is also adding to the buzz! Crews have been building the sea wall and the inlet on the south end of the park. We are replacing the vertical, hard sea wall with an armored slope of marine rock.
As strong waves hit the cement seawall now it exacerbates the disturbance in the water. We are replacing that with armored slopes – very large stone with gaps in between. The wave energy will move through those openings and get dissipated instead of gaining force when reflected off the hard embankment.
Learn more about operation: protect our shoreline here and read more about construction progress here.
What makes Ralph Wilson Park great is that it is and has always been deeply rooted in community. Our Community Working Group walked through the park last week and brainstormed ways to keep the park abuzz in every season. Teaser: we are going to host a park pop-IN! Stay tuned for the first date this fall. Our Heritage Engagement Blog below highlights the benefits this outdoor fun can bring us all! Please join us – sign up to be a part of the Community Working Group here or to volunteer here.
From Katie Campos, RWPC Executive Director, on August 9th, 2023:
The core of the park is officially closed for construction! The pool, splash pad, skate park and football field remain OPEN. The temporary dog park is open on the 4th Street side of the park (find directions here). Construction over the next few weeks will focus on fencing, demolition, installing environmental safety-measures, and beginning the shoreline work.
Safety is our number one priority and the public will not be able to access the construction site. As you can see from outside the gates, there is already massive construction equipment moving around the site.
We’re reusing everything we can! The City of Buffalo worked with the crews to sweep and reclaim any materials for reuse – bleachers, benches, fencing, even the granite curbing! And, of course, the dog bone bench which will be featured in the new dog park.
In the coming days and weeks, the construction team will begin excavating the shoreline near the sea plane and dredging for the inlet. Dredging involves excavation or “digging” of soil and rock that is below the water line.When construction takes place in the water, they put up a turbidity curtain to hold the water and sediment back, so it doesn’t disturb the lake. You can learn more about the shoreline and the inlet here.
The Shoreline Trail Detour signs will be in place next week. The Conservancy is putting up temporary signs at Erie and Lakefront Blvd on the south end of the park and by Porter and Niagara on the north side. We regret that there is a gap between when the park closed and when the official detour signs go up. We are sorry for the inconvenience and frustration this caused our bicyclist, walking and running neighbors. Thank you for your patience.
From Katie Campos, RWPC Executive Director, on July 10, 2023:
Construction fencing started going up at the park today, signaling the next big step in transforming Ralph Wilson Park. Over the coming weeks, we will wrap some of the fencing with student art work and images of what the park will look like after construction.
This morning, Andy Rabb (City of Buffalo Deputy Commissioner of Parks and Recreation) and I were joined by the Gilbane Construction team to provide an update on this phase of construction.
Fencing went up on the 4th Street side of the park first for the temporary dog park to ensure there was no disruption in access for all of our dog friends and their humans. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, you will see fencing go up throughout the park, heavy machinery like excavators being delivered, and Gilbane will start mobilizing barges and marine equipment to begin work on the shoreline.
Public safety remains our #1 priority. The core of park will be an active (and major!) construction zone with heavy machinery and materials moving around. While the core of the park will remain closed during construction, we hope you visit us at the splash pad, the pool, the skatepark, and the football fields throughout the summer!
Katie, Andy Rabb, and members of the Gilbane Construction team were on-site on Monday, July 10th to share an update on the next phase of construction.
From Katie Campos, RWPC Executive Director, on June 14, 2023:
The big question on everyone’s mind…when will construction get under way at Ralph Wilson Park? The answer…soon! The construction team, Gilbane is gearing up to start construction in the next month. You will see the construction fencing go up to signal that Gilbane is about to begin. We are working up some designs to put on the public-facing fencing to tell the story of how we got here and tap into the excitement about what the park will look like when it is complete. You’ll also notice lawn signs going up to let park users and neighbors know what to expect.
Last Monday our community celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Bills Stadium. Today, we celebrated the ribbon cutting at the Buffalo AKG. Within the month,
construction will start at Ralph Wilson Park. Not surprisingly, with three major infrastructure projects occurring at the same time, we are hitting the limit of construction crews available! This is problem we haven’t had in Buffalo in a few decades, and while the delays are frustrating, Buffalo is making a huge comeback, and we are incredibly excited to be a part of it.
You can check out what parts of the park will be closed to construction below. The pool, splash pad, skate park and football fields will remain open, as will a temporary dog park.
From Katie Campos, RWPC Executive Director, on April 6, 2023:
Construction on our park will begin in earnest this summer, and we want to make sure our community is aware of what is going on. We also want to share the cool science behind the park design decisions.
The park will be an active (and massive) construction site. Safety is of the utmost importance during this process, and we are working in partnership with the City of Buffalo to communicate what will be accessible and what will be closed off during construction. We want to keep everyone safe and informed while this major infrastructure project is underway.
Quite a bit of the park will still be open, and we hope you take advantage of it! The pool, splash pad, skatepark, football field and a temporary dog park will be open this summer. You’ll notice that the skatepark is actively being used, and we look forward to cooling off in the pool and splashpad this summer! In fact, we just rented the shelter by the splashpad to celebrate my kids 2nd birthday! You can rent a shelter through the City of Buffalo here.
It is important to note that one of the main drivers behind transforming the park is that it was deteriorating. Storms have become more intense with climate change– seiche events are more severe and much more of the park floods with each storm. Unfortunately, the blizzard this past December wreaked further damage on the park – leaving in its wake sinkholes six-feet in diameter and severely damaged paths and breaks in the guard rails along the sea wall.
Gilbane, the site Construction Manager, will begin its work this spring. The park will be a massive construction site, and much of it will be closed to ensure public safety — the park promenade and everything south of the football field parking lot will be closed to the public. Gilbane will be posting a detour for the Empire State/Shoreline Trail in the coming weeks, which we will share.
Over the next few weeks, Gilbane will be selecting companies to begin work on Phase 1 of the park. As their work schedules are confirmed, we will have a better sense of what that construction will look like, and we look forward to sharing that with you. We know that it is important for park users to understand what is going on, and we think the story behind the work is a fascinating one!
PREVIOUS UPDATES
Phase One of Construction is Underway (from Feb 2023)
Phase one of construction began in 2022. The graphic below outlines the area of the park impacted during this phase. We anticipate this phase will be substantially complete by the end of 2024.
In addition to the site preparation and tree replacement process, the first phase will also include improvements to three baseball and softball fields, renovations to soccer fields, adding restrooms, and rehabilitating the inlet area to strengthen the shoreline and protect the park from higher lake levels and severe weather. There will also be a new pedestrian bridge across the I-190. The bridge will increase access to the park and waterfront and include new landscape landings.
The second phase of construction will begin concurrently, likely in late 2024. Many factors impact construction timing – we will continue to update the website with current status and information.
Site Preparation Began in 2022
In late 2022, the tree replacement process began to allow for shoreline reconfiguration which is necessary for flood protection, ADA accessibility, and significant changes in topography (think: hills). At this time, 276 trees were removed. About 2,680 trees will be planted as part of the park’s reconstruction. The WNY Land Conservancy is collecting seeds from local native plants and growing many of these plants from the ground up. WNY Land Conservancy will provide 50,000 plants, including trees, shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers to the park. This tree replacement process will provide a greater ecologic benefit to our shoreline than what was there before.
Each piece of this project is designed to protect and improve the environment. Some of the trees will be used as part of a plan for submerged shoreline habitat, called a rootwad*, and the rest would be chipped up. Many of the newly planted trees will be native species and will provide year-round seasonal enjoyment, shade, and ecological benefits to terrestrial and avian species. *A rootwad is a bank stabilization and aquatic habitat improvement strategy. It is a buried or a partially buried dead tree into the stream-bank with the root system still attached. This method improves the natural habitat and enhances the bank stability.
The process will help reconfigure the shoreline to provide flood protection for the parkland and to create pathways that meet American Disability Act (ADA) standards. Residents will be able to continue to use the park during this process. The park’s design was created with the community’s help and input, and it celebrates the equity and diversity reflected in Buffalo and the surrounding community.
In addition to the site preparation and tree replacement process, the first phase will also include improvements to three baseball and softball fields, renovations to soccer fields, adding restrooms, rehabilitating the inlet area to strengthen the shoreline and protect the park from higher lake levels and severe weather. There will also be a new pedestrian bridge across the I-190. The bridge will increase access and include new landscape landings.
Once complete, the Ralph Wilson Park will be an interactive recreation space for both children and adults to enjoy. The park will feature a diverse assortment of native plant and tree species that will improve the lives of birds and other area wildlife.
Event Updates or Cancellations
Events in Ralph Wilson Park have been suspended during construction.
Contact Us
If you have additional questions or would like to receive our weekly construction email (indicate that in additional comments), please fill out the form below.
You’ve joined us on this ride. You’ve contributed your thoughts, ideas and questions. You’ve learned alongside us about the importance of transforming our shoreline into a natural, resilient, scalloped armored slope. You’ve joined us at community meetings and events. I am hopeful that now you will consider a donation to Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy before the end of the calendar year.
I am reaching out today to ask for your financial support of the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy. Over the past year, we built up our non-profit into a dynamic, small but mighty organization that will operate a thriving, world-class, public park on Buffalo’s waterfront when we open in late 2025.
Our goal is to raise $10,000 by the end of 2023. You can donate securely on-line here or by mailing a check to our office (One W. Seneca St. Suite 2969, Buffalo, NY, 14203).
Funds raised will be used to:
Support construction of the community’s vision for Ralph Wilson Park.
Build our operations and maintenance endowment, to ensure we can maintain a world-class park.
Fund programming, events and communication during construction – the weekly construction updates and monthly letters, the seasonal festivals in the park, the community meetings, and the events at the dog park, splash pad and skate park.
By contributing to the Conservancy, you are ensuring that Ralph Wilson Park is an inclusive, accessible, safe and fun space for everyone; a space that brings people together across our community and beyond.
Thank you for continuing to support the exciting transformation of our park!
Katie Campos, Inaugural Executive Director
P.S. The picture on our fundraising website is of my son Leo at the splashpad at Ralph Wilson Park this summer. Whenever we went down to the splash pad, it was packed with kids speaking languages from all over the world, laughing together and chasing each other. I hope this picture brings you as much joy as it does to me!
November’s attention to science continues on the 30th with the start of the UN climate change conference. COP or the ‘Conference of the Parties’ is an annual event that shares new scientific data while determining a global response to climate change. It is about both knowledge and action in light of what science tells us about our changing world.
With two major events focused on science and human society this month, we’ll turn our attention to science at the park. That science is what will allow us to build a place of Buffalo heritage for years to come. As a conservancy promoting the creation of a sustainable community greenspace, we are responsible for keeping our citizens informed of the science behind the redesign. That science is vital to building a park that can withstand the test of time and we want to share it with you. With that, here are five ways science is transforming the new Ralph Wilson Park into a longstanding Western New York treasure:
Science was used to design a shoreline with a future climate in mind.
Scientific research on climate change points to a future with more severe storms hitting Buffalo’s waterfront. This means the current shoreline will be hit harder and harder as time goes on, eventually leading to collapse. Current construction brings to life a substantial redesign of the shoreline engineered for structural resilience. Science allows us to build with the future climate, and future storm patterns, as our guide.
Science was used to anticipate (and prevent) future floods.
Climate research indicates flooding will increase in the future, which is why the bulkhead (the barrier wall between park and water) will soon be elevated two feet. The new park design also uses our understanding of wave energy, as it includes a new stone barrier to absorb destructive waves and prevent flooding.
Science was used to determine how to fill the park with trees.
When the redesign is complete, 2,600 new trees will be planted in the park. The trees were thoughtfully selected to provide shade and habitat for local animal species. Science also helped determine where the new trees will be planted, decisions that will ultimately stabilize the shoreline and provide barriers against wind. In urban areas, purposefully-placed trees provide a large return on investment, increasing quality of life for human and non-human inhabitants alike.
Science was used to determine the best time to enact sensitive changes.
Timing in nature is important. When enacting change, understanding plant and animal cycles can mitigate negative impacts. For example, during recent construction, the hibernation cycle of a native bat species informed when to remove a group of existing trees slated for replacement. Removing them when the bat was in hibernation elsewhere lessened impact on the animals. Change will inevitably affect current wildlife at the park, but a scientific understanding of those species lessens impacts in the present, while making way for better habitats in the future.
Science was used to design future wildlife habitats
The changes to the park and shoreline will not only make the land stable, they will foster habitats for local plants and animals. This will increase biodiversity. Time spent at the park will be enhanced, as visitors will be surrounded by the local birds, bugs, and critters who bring nature to life.
We know that real change requires not just knowledge but action. At the Buffalo waterfront, a redesign using science is happening right now. The construction down at the waterfront is moving us towards a sustainable greenspace that will be inherited by generations to come. Buffalo is a city with a bright future as a climate haven in an increasingly climate-stressed world. Greenspaces will increase our ability to enjoy that climate thanks to scientific developments and their inclusion in park redesigns. The heritage we are building now will be a massive investment in our city’s future, and that investment will be guaranteed to withstand changes to come, thanks to science.
Gilbane Building Company was selected as Construction Manager for the park in June 2022, and the official groundbreaking was held in July 2022. The core park was closed in July 2023 and the park is currently under active construction.
Increasing access to greenspace and waterfront
Construction continues on the main park, including the signature pedestrian bridge and the Great Lawn. The Great Lawn will be a location for respite and events. It will transition to a sledding hill during the winter month to ensure year-round activation.
Creating dramatic spaces
The Grove features the Edith Wilson and Linda Bogdan Gardens. It creates an eye-popping entrance as park-goers walk into the park across the pedestrian bridge.
Ensuring shoreline resiliency
Initial construction will also include the inlet, a park element which combines shoreline resiliency with ecological uplift.
Enriching the wildlife habitat
Throughout the construction, thousands of new trees and native plants will be added, as well as additional landscaping improvements.
Future construction
Future construction will include the destination play garden, blueway site to increase safe water access, expanded bike and pedestrian trails, additional sports fields/courts, and more.
