BUFFALO, N.Y. — LaSalle Park makes up about 90-acres of Buffalo, but for a few days, you can see the whole thing on a 16-by-six foot model.
The replica isn't a look at LaSalle Park today. Instead, it's a look at what it could be in the future.
Community members are invited to get an up-close view at Michael Van Valkenburgh's plans for LaSalle Park, soon-to-be-renamed the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.
The plans include broadening recreational activities to make the space a year-round attraction. Some of the most significant changes are to literally reshape the land and quadruple the extent of pedestrian paths.
Buffalo resident Faustenia Morrow checked out the display. She said, "I'm skeptical a little bit about whether all these things will happen, but I'm encouraged because we're having the conversations that are gonna move our city forward."
While the proposal covers a wide range of projects, one main recurring theme is giving park goers better access to the water.
"I think it's important to get people connected to the waterfront for Buffalo especially because it's so important to the history of Buffalo," said Victor Acevedo, an environmental design student at SUNY Buffalo, who also came to see the model.
The design team worked alongside the Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper organization to come up with ways to better utilize the water's edge.
Coordinators with Imagine LaSalle want people to share their thoughts and leave them in a comment bin on their way out.
The model will be set up in the park pool building for select hours through Sunday.
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