Mayor Brown Announces Formation Of Erie Basin Advisory Group

Source/Contact
Office of the Mayor
Peter K. Cutler
Director of Communications
716-851-4841

Mayor Convenes Erie Basin Advisory Group to Provide Recommendations to Improve Public Access to City’s Erie Basin Waterfront Area

Mayor Byron W. Brown today announced the formation of a new Erie Basin Advisory Group, which has been empanelled to provide recommendations to improve public access to city’s Erie Basin Waterfront Area. The group will provide their recommendations to the Mayor by Tuesday, May 27th.

On February 19, 2008, following the great success of the February 16th Labatt USA Pond Hockey tournament on in the Erie Basin Marina, Mayor Brown and Congressman Brian Higgins announced the end to the area’s winter off-limits status for public access.

At that time, Mayor Brown called for the end of the annual Oct 15th to May 1st closing of the Erie Basin Marina and stated that a committee would be formed to provide recommendations on how best to utilize the marina area and the surrounding Erie Basin year round.

“Erie Basin is one of Buffalo’s greatest quality of life assets,” said Mayor Brown. “I am inviting ideas on how to make it an even better waterfront experience that all city residents and visitors can enjoy.  I want to make our city great for all Buffalonians, Western New Yorkers and tourists and I’m interested in innovative recommendations on how to best achieve that goal along our city’s waterfront.  To that end, I will make the Erie Basin Marina Beach open to public access by Memorial Day. At the same time, it’s important to consider the interests of the area’s residents, boaters, anglers and other parties who have long enjoyed their access to this important city waterfront location.”

Mayor Brown has convened this Erie Basin Advisory Group to provide him with recommendations for:

•  increasing access to the water
•  useability and wayfinding
•  and providing a diversity of experiences for different users at different times throughout the year: morning, noon, night,  weekdays, week ends, summer evenings, and Sunday mornings.

“For the first time in decades, debuting on Memorial Day Weekend, Buffalo’s waterfront experience will provide a series of new and fun attractions along a continuous stretch of the water, including a wonderful walk from the Erie Canal Inner Harbor to the Erie Basin with increasing connections to bike, boat and walk to both east and west along our waterfront,” said Mayor Brown. “This committee has an immediate charge to provide me with recommendations that can be implemented to make the most of this years’ opportunities.  I look forward to what they bring to me, making some high impact changes right away, and inviting Buffalonians to enjoy their waterfront even more this summer and throughout the year. I am committed to this process and I promise immediate results “


"The great public response to last winter's Labatt USA pond hockey tournament demonstrated there is a real interest in year-round activities along the Buffalo waterfront," said Congressman Brian Higgins.  "This working group will help set the stage for Erie Basin Marina to be an all season, multi-use, public destination."  

The group will focus on implementation of immediate impact items including:

•  Remove barriers to the water
•  Reviewing access hours
•  Opening the Erie Basin Marina beach
•  Determining appropriate signage
•  Assessing security issues

The advisory group will explore the following areas:

•  Hours of various operations
•  Water access, including the beach
•  User friendliness/beautification
•  Park programming
•  Identification of initial long term opportunities

Mayor Brown has asked Brian Reilly, the City of Buffalo’s Chief Economic Development Officer, to chair the Erie Basin Advisory Group, given that quality of life assets are an essential factor in strengthening the city’s economy. 

Erie Basin Advisory Group:

• Chair                                Brian Reilly, Chief Economic Development Officer, City of Buffalo
• Boaters                             Jimmy Jankowiak
                                          Peter Stevens
• Anglers                             George Johnson, Black Anglers co-chair
• Business                           Mike Wolasz, Operations Director, Erie Basin Marina
• Homeowners                     Len Shabat, Waterfront Village Advisory Group
• Marine Drive Apts.             Elizabeth Harris, Tenant Council President 
• Public Space                      Tim Tielman, Public Space Advocate
• Special Events                   Sue Gonzalez, Special Events Coordinator, City of Buffalo
• Public Works                     Steve Stepniak, Acting Commissioner, DPW
• Police                               Dan Derenda, Deputy Commissioner, BPD
• Congressional                   Bonnie Kane Lockwood, Office of Congressman Higgins