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
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.”
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| Dold |
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.
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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