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The Future of Delaware Park’s Lost Quarry Garden

By November 1, 2016November 14th, 2016No Comments

ONE OF DELAWARE PARK’S MOST MARVELOUS FEATURES WAS ONCE THE QUARRY GARDENS THAT ONCE GRACED AN AREA NEAR THE PARKSIDE LODGE.

Unfortunately, the gardens disappeared when they were filled in with debris from the Scajaquada Expressway project.

It’s too bad that another one of Olmsted’s visions for the park system was buried along with the infill. But that was the pervasive sentiment in Buffalo back then. Progress for the sake of progress, with no regard to the city’s historic and cultural jewels.

Now, there is a band of preservationists and park lovers who want to see some sort of rectification of the dastardly deed. Whether it’s fully restoring the Quarry Gardens, or paying tribute to the gardens in another form, the conversation has finally started in the public realm.

A couple of the remains of the Quarry Gardens exist to this day. Two of the stone bridges that once traversed the gardens are still present. They are basically fixtures of the lawn that separate The Lodge from the golf course.
quarry-stone-bridges-buffalo-ny-3

Original plan of the Quarry Garden

On Saturday, November 12, join The Buffalo Olmsted Park’s Conservancy and landscape architect Sam Valentine for a presentation on this lost park feature. Valentine will also discuss the future of the Quarry Gardens, and what it would take to get them back up and operational. At the time when they were filled in, they were not in the best of shape. Today, liability is an issue (darn this litigious society). But there are always solutions to the problems. It only takes creative thinking, and undeterred drive. 

The presentation is made possible thanks to two of the Quarry Gardens’ staunch advocates – Corinne & Victor Rice.

The event is free and open to all.

The Future of Delaware Park’s Lost Quarry Garden

Saturday, November 12, 2016

The Buffalo History Museum, 1 Museum Court, Buffalo, NY 14216

1:00 – 2:00 p.m., See Facebook event

Source: https://www.buffalorising.com/2016/11/the-future-of-delaware-parks-lost-quarry-garden/