New ballfields, giant playground and shoreline improvements are among the changes coming to Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, shown here on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020.Â
Plans to fortify the shoreline along the emerging Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park against intensifying lake weather patterns got a major boost Tuesday.
A groundbreaking ceremony at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park on Buffalo's waterfront heralded big things to come. The former LaSalle Park will be transformed in phases over the next several years at an estimated cost of $110 million in public and private dollars.
After years of community engagement and planning, the construction of Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park – formerly LaSalle Park – starts today.
On tap are the first three projects: a new pedestrian bridge over the Niagara Thruway, new baseball diamonds and soccer fields, and a redesigned shoreline for public access and habitat restoration.
The park is expected to be completed in late 2025.
"What that does is enable the resilience of the community (and) the resilience of the infrastructure we have here ... " U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers Lt. Col. Eli Adams said.
New ballfields, giant playground and shoreline improvements are among the changes coming to Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park, shown here on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020.Â
