LABATT USA TO COVER VANDALISM COSTS FOR DELAWARE PARK

LABATT USA TO COVER VANDALISM COSTS FOR DELAWARE PARK

Generous community response gives the parks a lift

Buffalo, New York – Imagine if someone took a spray can to one of Van Gogh’s masterpieces. That’s essentially what happened in Delaware Park earlier this week when vandals, attempted to ruin one of the most cherished treasures in the region. About 100 teenagers and young adults created thousands of dollars in damages, leaving the park in disrepair just before its busiest season.

According to Thomas Herrera-Mishler, CEO of Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, the damage to the parks quieted his otherwise hard-working and enthusiastic staff. “We were all very discouraged,” said Herrera-Mishler. “We get a lot done on a very tight budget and to have someone maliciously vandalize it – was shocking and sad.”

But a quick and compassionate response from numerous small donors, HSBC Bank and Labatt USA provided a boost to morale. Within hours of news reports at local media outlets, donations began pouring in $10 at a time.

Then came the phone call from Labatt USA.  “They asked how much it would take to repair the damage in Delaware Park. We gave them the total and an hour later they offered to cover the cost in full,” said Herrera-Mishler. “The most effective way to counteract the vandals is to remove the graffiti, fix the playground and repair the fountain. To do it quickly and with the help of our community, only diminishes the vandals’ negative impact on us.”

Donations will go toward quickly restoring the damage and to implement additional security measures to help prevent future attacks.  Specialized and expensive formulas are required to remove and prevent graffiti on the parks’ historic buildings and these donations will allow the Conservancy to move fast to restore the Marcy Casino and Delaware Park Rose Gardens before this coming weekend’s weddings.

 “Without the money in-hand, we wouldn’t be able to immediately make the repairs,” said Herrera-Mishler. “There will be many brides and grooms toasting Labatt for their generosity.”

Additional vandalism occurred at Day’s Park, Cazenovia Park and Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. If you would like to make a one-time $10 donation, please text the word “parks” to 20222 on cell phones* or visit Olmsted’s website at www.bfloparks.org

About Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy

The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is a not-for-profit, independent, community

organization that promotes, preserves, restores, enhances, and ensures maintenance of Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks and parkways in the Greater Buffalo area now and for future generations. In 2008, the Conservancy released its Plan for the 21st

Century, a blueprint for the management and restoration of the entire park system.

Listed on the National and State Register of Historic Places, the Olmsted system in

Buffalo is the first of its kind in the nation designed by America’s greatest landscape

architect. The major Olmsted Parks in Buffalo are Cazenovia, Delaware, Front, Martin

Luther King, Jr., Riverside and South Parks. 

Visit www.BFLOParks.org for more details.

* Your phone bill will show a $10 charge or will be deducted from your prepaid account. Standard message or data rates may apply.  Privacy policy.

SEVERE VANDALISM IN DELAWARE PARK!

On Saturday night, May 21^st, the southern half of Delaware Park in the City of Buffalo sustained significant damage due to vandalism.  The Marcy Casino building (199 Lincoln Pkwy) was the victim of graffiti on several of its columns and walls as well as the elevator for the handicapped.    The Ivy Bridge in Rumsey Woods was spray painted.  The decorative top of the ornamental fountain in the Rose Garden was snapped off.  The slide at the children’s playground was maliciously destroyed by caving in its base and the top being tied up with rope.  Earlier in the evening more than 100 teenagers and young adults were witnessed congregating around the Marcy Casino.  The president and CEO of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Thomas Herrera-Mishler, held a press conference today at 2:00 pm at the Marcy Casino to address this recent rash of vandalism.  Council Members LoCurto, Rivera, and Police Chief Barba were in attendance for the press conference.  Below are a few photos of the damage.

It is up to the community who patronizes the park to see that the Japanese Gardens are maintained as a kid-friendly place free from crime and destruction.  Those with information regarding the vandalism are asked to contact the Buffalo City Police tip line, (716)847-2255, and or the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, (716)838-1249.

Seminar on invasive species in Western New York

The Buffalo Olmsted Parks is proud to host an informational seminar for Buffalo and the surrounding communities. The purpose of this seminar is to provide training and education for the detection, identification, and reporting procedure of forest pests, such as the Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian Longnorned Beetle. The seminar is sponsored by the New York State Agriculture Department.

The seminar will be held on Tuesday August 17th 2010, from 5:30pm until 8:00pm. The location is Marcy Casino (199 Lincoln Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14214)

The seminar includes refreshments, a powerpoint presentation, as well as a Q&A session.

Attendees should RSVP by email only!
Contact: Rachel Lithgow at rachel@bfloparks.org