Buffalo Promise Neighborhood Park
Location
Buffalo, NY
Status
Designing
Construction Completion
2025
Site Area
1.1 Acres
Construction Cost
$1.75M
People Served
9,908
Design Consultants
MNLA
Special Features
Nature inspired play features, exercise loop, school garden
New City Parks is working with the Westminster Community Charter School and Buffalo Promise Neighborhood to convert a large schoolyard into a safe and accessible public park in the Kensington neighborhood on Buffalo’s East Side. The existing schoolyard is open to the public, but consists of only a large open lawn, outdated play equipment, and a paved area that was once a basketball court. There are no trees or seating, yet the community still comes to use the space, as there are no nearby alternatives in this diverse and historic neighborhood.
NCP is working as project manager for this project, overseeing the park design and outreach processes with Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects and working closely with the Charter School. The new design will transform the space into a vibrant park, with ample seating, new plantings, and shade trees, along with a track, an open multipurpose field, and a new nature-themed playground. The design also features a rain garden planted with native species for both stormwater management and educational value, mounded lawn areas for play and visual interest, and stone walls for additional seating. A separate area, that is not open to the public, has been designed for the school's youngest students and includes a small play structure and raised garden beds for instructional use.
The public park will be open from dawn to dusk and taken care of by the Charter School’s maintenance team.
Proposed schematic design for Westminster Community Charter School Schoolyard (Buffalo Promise Neighborhood Park). Courtesy of MNLA.
Community Partners
M&T Bank, Buffalo Promise Neighborhood
