Bethlehem Waterfront Park

[Goodfishing]

From one fellow Walleye fishermen to another, could you please consider signing a petition to help in securing a Great Erie fishery for all.

https://www.change.org/petitions/jim...ly-right-place



Bethlehem Waterfront Park

* Change Western New York's image forever from the rust belt to a green belt, national showcase.

* Create 1200 acres of usable waterfront, two miles wide and a mile deep of uninterrupted land with plenty of green space projects and parking.

* Provide a domed stadium (retractable roof) beside a large Outer Harbor, with an impressive front plaza and boardwalk overlooking the harbor (600 to 1,000 boat slips). Elevated enclosed walkways connecting domed stadium, Buffalo Bills office, high rise hotels and condos.

* Offer opportunities for other attractions such as a splash lagoon, (possible museums/sports theme attractions), Woodlawn beach extension (total two mile beach), outdoor youth athletic areas (football, baseball and soccer), boat ramps, 10,000 trees, 200 to 400 RV/camper sites, amphitheater/elevated patios overlooking the beach with sunset views, picnic shelters, wildlife/bird nursery, art area (think Artpark), garden area (close to Botanical Gardens), restaurant and shopping district on Ridge Road and old Route Five Boulevard.

* The land has multiple six main existing access roads. A seventh fast track thruway connector (quick access to waterfront for thruway drivers, attracts visitors) can be built on an abandon 2.3 miles railway to link up with Route Five and Waterfront with no tolls. Fast track Route Five, with no stop lights. These will enhance and maximize existing traffic flow for the City of Buffalo rush hour, park and events.

* The domed stadium would be enough away from the immediate shoreline to protect tens of thousands of tailgating Bills fans from the weather. Take advantage of the temperature of the air will be ten degrees warming from the lake retaining the summer heat in the later season.

* Highlight the City of Buffalo’s numerous hotels, restaurants, shops and waterfront by connecting the light rail transit system out and along the waterfront to the park.

* A natural wonder showcase for 80,000 fans and the NATIONAL AWARENESS of millions of viewers to see on TV multiple times a year, attract the SUPER BOWL.

* Western New York offering a vast multiple use and family friendly atmosphere all along the waterfront.

* The greatest of youth plans in miles of waterfront natural beauty, which re-energizes souls and spirits.

* Create tens of thousands of jobs

I sense there are insights from ancient history, a people freed from bondage of four hundred years. They could have gone into their promise land but their conditioning from being in bondage cause them to turn away, saying there were giants in the land. They wandered aimlessly in disbelief for forty years in the wilderness. Only when the older generation died off, the younger generation not afraid, courageously entered the promise land and overcame the obstacles.

When the Bethlehem Steel plant closed in 1983 (31 years ago), Lackawanna citizens doubted saying to themselves there were as if giants in the land in the many large empty buildings, it is to polluted, and there is no money, became wandering aimlessly.

A city on the great lakes where its citizens are completely walled off of its two miles of waterfront shore for a hundred years.

Abraham Lincoln had said: “A house divided against itself can't stand ........... I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”

It should be ask, can the waterfront in it's present state endure with industry side by side clean waterfront tourism in the city of Buffalo for long? An example of our house divided is the destruction of the Bethlehem Steel Administration Building https://www.facebook...46390728721646/ . This could of been easily saved for a tourist destination on the waterfont of Lackawanna. Instead outside politicians became mysteriously silent over night as if bowed down to the steel plant legacy mentality of industry on the waterfront.

Twenty years ago Lackawanna citizens, including myself, barely fended off (even by way of death threats) a tire burning plant and medical waste burning faculty to be built on Lackawanna’s waterfront. If not for this victory, there would be smokestacks on Lackawanna’s waterfront today with their exhaust pollution drifting over Buffalo’s Canalside. Much of Buffalo’s waterfront resurgence, revitalization, beautification and saving of the old buildings would have perhaps never solidified the way it has as of late.

Today industry is ramping up again on Lackawanna's waterfront, where more Lackawanna citizens will be economically yoked to the heavy industry on the waterfront. What will happen next time when another polluting industry will offer Lackawanna a deal too good to be true, easy fast money? Will you trust Lackawanna politicians when they see dollars signs in their dreams? Will there be enough citizens not yoked to the growing industry foot print on the waterfront to stop them, next time?

I don't expect the same degree of the steel plant pollution, but it will be another black mark on Western New York’s waterfront. Where again Western New York's clean waterfront image will lose out and jeopardize Buffalo’s resurgence.



If you're going to begin a waterfront beautification and revitalization, you must go all the way, and carry it to all parts before it is too late. (The mayor on July 12, 2013 said during his conversation with a citizen, there is a company form India interesting in moving to Lackawanna's waterfront, three times as big as the recent large business moved to the waterfront.)

What happens on Lackawanna's waterfront, does not stay on Lackawanna's waterfront, reflects an image and affects all citizens in W.N.Y., New York State and the U.S.A.




Buffalo is beginning to prosper, 1.7 billion dollars is being invested in beautifying their waterfront, new buildings throughout the city, and restoring their architectural rich designed buildings. Will Lackawanna ever learn the word diversify, clean light industry currently on Lackawanna's waterfront can be relocated with state and federal grants inland?




The Buffalo Bills dome stadium can be the catalyst to kick start the two remaining cylinders of W.N.Y. economic engine. The raw economic power will ignite the greatest private, State, and Federal investment revitalization and beautification of Western New York's waterfront. A Western New York's waterfront complete makeover, in the shortest time horizon to be enjoyed, bring prosperity and be appreciated by all a place to live, work and play.


Steven Appler AMHERST, NY
6 days ago
I agree that is time to begin wrestling this mess that Bethlehem left, cleaning it up and putting that amazing area back into the tax roll.


Andrew Jansa OMAHA, NE6 days ago
I am from Orchard Park, I still come back all the time and go to games. This is important to me because not only is it a fantastic spot, getting rid of one of the scars of the city and putting something else there that would remind us of where the city use to come from in the Steel days would be a great way to honor past and present.


sally zak EDEN, NY
11 days ago
Season ticket holders and if you have to move it then Lackawanna has more than enough room along the waterfront plus it's an eye sore now. Let's make the most of that empty land. Great idea and easy access for all.


Mary Gallivan BUFFALO, NY
12 days ago
I believe that the message is true! We failed at our last attempt. Let's not allow Lackawanna fall to the wayside. I'm from the north side of the city and I can totally see the wisdom of this argument.


Peter Kujawski KENMORE, NY
6 days ago
While not only providing a permanent and contemporary home to the Buffalo Bills, this plan would turn a long dominant and polluted site into a local, national and international destination. I grew up in Buffalo and the Bethlehem Steel site always conjured images for a long gone era. We can reclaim part of that hay day and help rejuvenate the city and surrounding neighborhoods.


Tracy Snyder CANANDAIGUA, NY
6 days ago
The Buffalo Bills are an integral part of the Western New York Community and need to be recognized and part of a larger long lasting project here. Local, national, and even international recognition of a project of this magnitude would benefit the region and be a positive move in the right direction for improving the economic and cultural climate. These are critical times and losing the Bills is not an option. This plan is a forward thinking and practical way to ensuring the growth of the region and the future of a long lasting and deeply engrained tradition.

https://www.change.org/petitions/jim...ly-right-place

Please share with other fishermen and ask them to sign.

Thanks