Mutual Riverfront Park

Fishing Elevator Alley from Mutual Riverfront Park

At the corner of South and Hamburg you'll find a hidden little gem of a park. On the river, guarded by the towering cement walls of silos, is nestled Mutual Riverfront Park. This neighborhood oasis was like stepping into a library with quiet greetings and folks deep in the meditation of fishing. The park, opened in 2012 sits along "Elevator Alley" in the First Ward. There is a replica of the 1892 Mutual Boathouse, the Waterfront Museum with research library and gardens. Did we mention it has a small boat launch and amphitheater. The Valley Community Association and its Executive Director Peg Overdorf were instrumental in the park's creation, as well as that of neighboring Riverfest Park. In addition to the vital role the Valley Association plays in the lives of families in the Valley and First Ward neighborhoods, they also maintain these revitalizing green spaces. This unexpected diamond is a real treasure. Keep up the great work.

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Ship Canal

Union Ship Canal - Outer Harbor

http://www.historicalmarkerproject.com/markers/HM1M6K_the-union-ship-canal_Buffalo-NY.html

At the far end of the Outer Harbor Parkway,  there lies a 22 acre park framing a canal built 117 years ago. The Union Ship Canal was central to Buffalo's glorious past as America's steel maker. The waterway allowed ore freighters to feed the furnaces and steel mills that ringed that area of Lake Erie. Remediation of the canal began in 1999 and today, the only vessels allowed on the canal are kayaks and canoes. Now, fathers and sons fish, hoping to catch some memories, not necessarily fish. From the pathways of the park, one can see the white windmills that stand at the lakes edge, where once furnaces fired around the clock. A bike path cuts through the grounds and will take you as far as the Tonawandas. Historical placards adorn artistically placed iron beams, as an homage to the workers and history of that tremendous, industrial achievement.