Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Internship breeds 20-year plan for parks

By Sean Brock and Ally Rotundo
Bengal News Reporters
Over 10 years ago an intern was hired by the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy to assist on a project aimed at returning the parks to their original glory. 

The intern, Brian Dold, began his career with the conservancy soon after graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Landscape Architecture, and immediately began work on a new 20-year project.

Created in 2004, the 20 Year Management and RestorationPlan has adopted a mantra of complete change. The intern, now the Associate Park Superintendent, has remained one of the Conservancy’s few constants. 

 “I was wrapping up college and was wondering what my next move would be,” said Dold. “One of
Dold
my professors at Cornell knew I was from Buffalo and thought I would be a good choice for the internship created as a master plan to restore the Olmsted Parks over time. I was happy to take the internship. To come back to Buffalo and get my legs underneath me was great.” 

During the beginning of the project the Conservancy entered into a partnership with the City of Buffalo, Erie County and the community,  making the Conservancy the official organization of the Buffalo Olmsted Park System, “overseeing its management, operations and maintenance,” according to its website. “Through the development of a 20-year Management and Restoration plan with guidance of its community-based Advisory Council, the Conservancy's experienced and professional staff is now revolutionizing the way common ground is cared for in Buffalo.”

Dold has   had a growing number of responsibilities on the 20-year plan from day one, something that he took great pride in.

 “At first there was a lot of historic research, putting together a lot of information as to how the parks were run up until 2003,” said Dold. “It was a balancing act. Figuring out a systematic approach to restoring the parks to their former glory of the Olmsted era, while realizing the needs of the parks have changed since the late 1800s.”

During Dold’s time at the park, there have been major improvements to many West Side  parks, predominately Delaware and Front.

“We’ve found that people really care about the basics, making sure the paths are smooth, the benches are in good shape, and that there are open accessible bathrooms,” said Dold.

Aside from the basics, the project has given way for massive improvements in playground areas and sports fields in Front Park and the updating of several popular buildings including the Marcy Casino building in Delaware Park.

“We meet with many organizations and clubs to get their input,” said Dold. “We base our restorations on what people in the community want on a day-to-day basis.”

The impact that the 20-year plan has had on the West Side is what keeps Dold and all who work at the conservancy motivated. 

“We have an obligation to raise the quality of life within these neighborhoods,” said Dold. “You can get kind of wrapped up in the restoration process, like we're trying to create a museum, but in following Olmsted’s original plan we look to serve the community first.” 

“Olmsted’s design was done in a way that really touches every community,” said Dold. “We’re in every community in the city, in everyone’s day to day lives.”

Although the conservancy has been successful in completing many tasks for the community, Dold and his coworkers have faced numerous difficulties in their quest to better the parks. 

Dold, on what the Olmsted Parks mean to him:



“We know what we want to do, it’s a matter of finding the resources to make the improvements,” said Dold. “We have our road map for restoring the parks. It’s mainly how quick and how well were able to fundraise to implement them.”

Dold and his coworkers are putting the final touches on the restoration of two Civil War cannons that will be displayed at Front Park later in the spring. When that projected is completed Dold has a handful of options in mind.
           “I’m always thinking about what projects we can do,” said Dold. “It’s actually very hard for me to come to Delaware Park or Front Park and enjoy it the way anyone else can. My mind is too wrapped up in the way things can be improved.

1 comment:

  1. After the October storm of 2006, the Olmsted Parks were forced to put a lot of the projects involved with the 20-year restoration plan on the back burner. With the help of numerous volunteers the restoration process was only hindered for a short time. After the storm, “Volunteer groups helped with everything from getting the trees in the ground, to selecting planting sites, even making sure the soils were appropriate,” Dold said. “About 95 percent of our trees sustained damage during the storm, we ended up losing 600 trees, with the help of volunteers have planted a little over 3,000 trees inside the parks.” - Sean Brock and Ally Rotundo

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