MEDIA ADVISORY / PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
A Designated BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York Healthy Zone
Who: Stephanie L. Crockatt, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Julie R. Snyder, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, Mayor Byron W. Brown, City of Buffalo
What: Celebrate the start of the skating season with family-friendly activities at MLK Jr. Park. Activities include the BlueCross BlueShield Healthy Zone Cruiser, old-fashioned pond ice-skating (weather dependent), free skate rentals (figure and hockey), face-painting, balloon art, hands-on activity with the Buffalo Museum of Science, refreshments donated in-kind by Ashker’s Buffalo, James Desiderios Inc., Tops Friendly Markets, Wegmans and Wolter’s Bakery. All activities are free and open to the public.
Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Park Basin and Casino, West Parade Circle, Buffalo, NY 14211. Parking is available along Humboldt Parkway South (enter via West Parade Circle) and Martin Luther King Jr. Park (enter via Northampton Street)
When: Saturday, January 20, 2018, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m
Agenda: 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.: Press Conference and Photo Opportunity / 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Indoor and Outdoor Activities
Regular ice-skating hours at the MLK Jr. Park Basin are Monday through Friday, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5:30 p.m. Ice-skating is weather dependent. For the most up-to-date information on ice conditions, please call 716-838-1249 ext. 17.
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MLK Jr. Park Basin History
The present brick Casino was constructed in 1926. In 1956, the first of Buffalo’s refrigerated outdoor artificial ice rink was constructed on the west side of the Casino. The park’s most significant feature is the five-acre wading pool on the east of the Casino. Wading pool restoration was completed in 2013. It was transformed into a smaller circular concrete spray pool while its grand dimensions and grassy banks were retained. The pool will serve as a skating facility in the winter as weather allows. For updates on the ice conditions, please call 716-838-1249 ext. 17.
About the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is the first nonprofit organization in the nation to manage and operate an entire urban park system that consists of 850 acres of beautifully designed historic parks, parkways and circles. Celebrating 150 years of Olmsted in Buffalo, The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is a not-for-profit, membership-based, community organization whose mission is to promote, preserve, restore, enhance, and maintain the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks and parkways in the Greater Buffalo area for current and future generations. More than 2.5 million people use Buffalo’s historic, award-winning Olmsted Park system annually for recreation, relaxation and rejuvenation. The parks were designed by America’s first landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted more than 148 years ago. Basic maintenance of the parks has been greatly improved since the 2004 groundbreaking public-private agreement with the City of Buffalo and Erie County. Since that time, the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, now partnering with the City of Buffalo, has retained full responsibility for the management and care of these green spaces which are listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. Most recently, the American Planning Association recognized Delaware Park as one of the 2014 Great Places in America and The Guardian named the Olmsted park system as one of the best park systems in the world. bfloparksapp.wpengine.com
The Buffalo Olmsted Park System includes:
Six parks: Cazenovia Park in South Buffalo, Delaware Park in Delaware/Parkside District, Front Park at the Peace Bridge, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park at Fillmore Avenue, Riverside Park at Niagara and Tonawanda Street, and South Park at McKinley Parkway
Seven parkways: Bidwell, Chapin, Lincoln, McKinley, Porter, Red Jacket, and Richmond
Eight landscaped traffic circles: Agassiz, Colonial, Ferry, Gates, McClellan, McKinley, Soldiers, and Symphony
