October 21, 2022:

The BRRAlliance held its official Ribbon Cutting ceremony for the newly updated Market Square Park on October 21, 2022. The ceremony occurred on a beautiful cool October afternoon where attendees turned out to view the park’s newly-updated amenities including the new concrete staging area and native plant garden. Attendees got to view the expansion of the park’s art installations in real time, as artist Chris Piontkowski was on site completing the expansion to the park’s mural at the time of the ceremony.

Speakers at the ceremony included BRRAlliance Executive Director Anne McCooey, Congressman Brian Higgins, County Legislator (now Deputy Erie County Executive) Lisa Chimera, and New York State Assemblymen William Conrad and Jonathan Rivera. Important attendees included New York State Senator Sean Ryan, members of the BRRAlliance Board of Directors, City of Buffalo Common Council North District representative Evelyn Vossler, and representatives from Gardens Buffalo Niagara, who received a citation from the City of Buffalo Common Council for their work transforming Buffalo neighborhoods through their Lunenfeld Beautification Grants.

After the ceremony, a reception was held for all in attendance at the Story Garage.

The BRRAlliance would like to thank all our speakers and special guests as well as the Story Garage for their presence and support during this important event. Market Square Park is the physical embodiment of the BRRAlliance’s commitment to the Black Rock and Riverside communities and their history, and it is our belief that the newly updated park both supports and represents the invigorated spirit of our neighborhood community.

The updates to the park were made possible through $52,000 worth of grants and donations, including a Lowes Hometowns Grant and the Gardens Buffalo Niagara 2022 Lunenfeld Beautification Grant. The BRRAlliance would also like to thank our Lowes Red Vest Day volunteers, Royal Fern Nursery, the contractors at Buffalo Blacktop & More, artist Justin Dahl who painted the park’s “People of Black Rock” window art, and our Buffalo State and Hilbert College student gardener volunteers, without whom this project would not have been possible.

Our Press Release for the Market Square Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony