Places

Places on Buffalo's Outer Harbor

Times Beach Nature Preserve

Times Beach Nature Preserve, owned by the City of Buffalo and Managed by Erie County and the Friends of Times Beach Nature Preserve is one of Buffalo and Lake Eries premier lakeside/urban nature preserves. To Learn More CLICK HERE

The Bell Slip

The Bell Slip is a place on the Outer Harbor that has received millions of dollars of money to both create restored habitat and the Greenway Trail. This site is currently being targeted for development that may be inappropriate and may undo the positive effects of the restoration money. Besides the waterway which now provides spawning areas for native fish populations, the area includes beautiful emergent forests and a fragile sand dune habitat that hosts rare plant species such as the Spotted Bee-Balm. We propose that we protect this rare lakeside habitat by creating the Bell Slip Nature Preserve which will not allow commercial or residential development and extended parking facilities at the site, which is being proposed. This is one of the precious natural jewels on Our Outer Harbor and it requires careful conservation and stewardship. Read more by CLICKING HERE.

Tifft Nature Preserve

Owned by the City, managed by the Buffalo Museum of Science, Tifft Nature Preserve is a great place to learn about nature, enjoy the outdoors, and celebrate life and biodiversity. It is an outstanding place for kids and families. Wildife is abundant. More CLICK HERE

Wilkeson Pointe Park

This sign signals the initial concept of Wilkeson Point, but the reality of the site no longer ring as true as initially promoted.

Named after Buffalo's fifth Mayor (1836-1837), Samuel Wilkeson (b. 1781-d.1848), is credited with managing the effort to create Buffalo Harbor. This allowed for the terminus of the Erie Canal to be located where Canalside now is. The development of the harbor led directly to the creation of the breakwalls and landfills that characterize todays outer harbor. The rest is the history of Buffalo's rise to todays metropolis. The parkland that we call Wilkeson Pointe is directly adjacent to the Times Beach Nature Preserve. It was for decades the summer storage place for the New York Power Authority's giant ice boom. The ice boom stretches across this narrow end of Lake Erie as it enters the Niagara River Strait. It is set in place during the winter months in order to restricts the flow of ice into the Niagara River, potentially causing issues with downstream power plants. In 2013 the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation announced that they were going to create a green space at the site. Public meetings, discussions, and negotiations lead to a publicly supported project that involved investing millions of public dollars. This public discussion included plans initially designed to provide a buffer for the Times Beach Nature Preserve by creating enhanced pollinator and bird habitat, and designing drainage to provide model water absorption. The drainage designs included rain gardens, bioswales, and meadows -all planted with native species. The public wanted to save as many trees on the site as possible and managed to save many. The plans were designed to promote best water management practices as provided by the Clean Water Act. For a part of one year, this space grew as planned into significant wildlife habitat. Birds and pollinators flocked to the site. Later that year a citizens group uncovered a development plan by ECHDC and Governor Cuomo that would turn this space into a new, sprawling urban neighborhood of privatized condos and restricted public access. When this plan was revealed to the public, it became and remains, quite controversial.

The original 2014 plan by the ECHDC would turn all of the properties around Times Beach Nature Preserve, into private condos. Wilkeson Point would have vanished as a public space.

After a huge public outcry, the ECHDC has backed away from the privatized development planned for the site. Today the site is used by ECHDC to promote the outer harbor as a destination. Only small fragments of the 2013 publicly funded habitat remains in place, and that is mostly on the boundaries opposite from Times Beach Nature Preserve. Wilkeson Pointe may not be the "green" wildlife, bird, and pollinator friendly site that was initially designed, but it is proving to be a popular destination for thousand of people, events, and activities.

We urge you to experience this place, and we encourage you to think of it as a premier waterfront park.
For more information including events and schedules- CLICK HERE

The Outer Harbor State Park

Gallagher Pier and Beach

Envisioned as a public beach, millions of dollars of public money was spent to create this scenic place. Unfortunately toxic legacy pollution, and ongoing issues with sewers and accompanying bacteria keeps this beach shut for swimmers. You would be well advised not to swim here. However, it is a great location, with a fishing pier, covered overlooks, and a beautiful walkway. its a great place to watch sunsets, people watch, and hang out. Just don't drink the water.
For more on the contamination issues CLICK HERE, HERE, and HERE