Frequently Asked Questions

Boat rental at Hoyt Lake in Delaware Park is available at the following hours, weather dependent. Opening hours are:

Rental rates:
$10/30minutes for Row Boats
$15/30minutes for the FLOATmingo Paddle Boat

Regular opening hours:
Daily from Noon to 8:00 p.m. (last boat rental at 7:30 p.m.), weather dependent.

Rental location: By The Terrace at Delaware Park and Hoyt Lake, 199 Lincoln Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14222 (Parking is available along Lincoln Parkway)

For any inquiries, follow @Hoyt_Lake_Rowboats on Instagram for updates or contact Paul Koessler at 716-227-0333.

The Conservancy’s practice is to mow the Olmsted parks, parkways and circles at least once every 7 to 10 days. Our operations team works 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. each day, and depending on the weather and turf conditions, we determine if mowing can occur. Our priority is to keep the parks accessible while ensuring worker safety and no damage to equipment or turf.

Through our Olmsted Naturally practices we work with organic and green alternatives to chemicals.  As a result, we often have fields of dandelions which can grow very quickly between mow cycles.  We also work to enhance our managed meadow areas in several parks to reintroduce native plants for pollinators and to reduce our overall carbon footprint and gasoline consumption/emissions.

There are brick and mortar facilities in almost every Olmsted Park with running water and plumbing (see list/times below). Portable toilets have been reduced in 2019 throughout all City parks. The Conservancy has never been responsible for portable toilets, however, with this reduction we are looking into affording them at the three Olmsted golf courses. If your sports league or event is in need of portable toilets, we encourage you to contact the City.

There are currently no off-leash areas in the Olmsted Parks for dogs to run. By City of Buffalo ordinance, all dogs in the parks must be on leash at all times, and pet excrement should be removed immediately, to keep the parks healthy and clean for all users.

The Hoyt Lake Fountain is traditionally turned on from Memorial to Labor Day, however start up can often be impacted by environmental conditions in the lake and/or weather.

The Buffalo Olmsted Park System is made up 850 acres of parkland throughout the city of Buffalo. The main system is comprised of 6 major parks: Cazenovia Park, Delaware Park, Front Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Riverside Park, and South Park. The park system also includes 7 parkways, 8 circles and 4 smaller park spaces.

Please click here to access the annual reports.

For groups and individuals interested in volunteering in the Buffalo Olmsted Parks, please visit bfloparks.org/volunteer.

Our offices are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Conservancy’s main office is located at the Parkside Lodge in Delaware Park, 84 Parkside Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214. Click here for directions.

The ring road is 1.89 miles; the inner path or cinderpath is 1.5 miles

Cazenovia Park Pool: 716-851-5998
Riverside Park Pool: 716-851-5998

Cazenovia Ice Rink: 716-875-4820
Riverside Ice Rink: 716-875-4820

Botanical Gardens: 716-827-1584
Buffalo Zoo: 716-837-3900

Please call 911 in case of criminal activity, and please do not intervene.

Yes, you do! If you are planning to use any of the shelters in the parks or you are holding a special event, please contact Arlene Mustafa from the city of Buffalo to reserve it, 716-851-9670 or amustafa@city-buffalo.com. You can also place your request online using the “City of Buffalo Parks Rental and Event Permit page”.

Please refer to Facilities

The city of Buffalo has an ordinance against open flames, but in Front Park and Martin Luther King, Jr. Park there are grilling stations which are the ONLY places grilling can occur. Charcoal and embers must be disposed of properly. Please do not dump these on the grass.

You may park only on paved surfaces and complying with street signage. Parking on the grass, pedestrain pathways, and other restricted areas will result in parking tickets and towing.

Yes! Please call Gary Tomporowski at 716-851-9694 or place your request online.

For soccer, please contact Delaware Soccer Club.

For tennis, contact Tennis Buffalo for information including tennis in Olmsted parks in Buffalo.

For baseball, you might start with Buffalo Wings Baseball, and the American Legion Baseball, but a quick online search will show more users of baseball fields in the Olmsted parks that you might contact.

Please do not drink the water in Hoyt Lake as it is not potable. Provided you have a NYS fishing license, fishing is allowed. Please use your own discretion if you plan to consume the fish you catch.