Compost adds to fruitful West Side gardens

By Jeff Pawlak and Brittney Singletary
Bengal News West Reporters

As the weather warms up in Buffalo, so does the composting effort across the West Side. While most of America tosses away its yard waste and kitchen scraps, food markets and farmers on the West Side band together to provide compost to nourish the city’s farms and gardens.

         Composting is a means of fertilization that reuses crops and other organic foods, particularly the scraps. Since farming can be difficult in the middle of the city, the West Side’s movement to provide fertilizer through composting has become an invaluable asset to urban farmers.

         “In the past few years, more and more folks have rallied around community gardens in Buffalo, which is really exciting,” said Nicole Dionne, a prominent community gardener. “Community gardens have the potential to be such a boon to a neighborhood—they can be a gathering space, a source of food, a break from the monotony of concrete and asphalt, a way to create a healthier urban environment, and something that allows folks to practice working together toward a common goal.”

Nicole Dionne, on West Side gardens

         Dionne is one of many urban farmers who receive  compost from Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo, an organization dedicated to agricultural growth in the city. Grassroots collects its compost from a variety of sources, from produce markets to some of the West Side’s largest gardens, before parceling it out to local farmers in need of additional fertilization; particularly during Buffalo’s chilly spring season.

         Grassroots isn’t the only program spearheading the compost movement. The Lexington Cooperative Market on Elmwood Avenue assists groups that manage urban farms, such as Grassroots, as well as the Massachusetts Avenue Project and farmers from the East Side. 

Lexington provides those farmers with organic materials from some of its   own products: the tops of carrots, the outsides of cabbages, even produce or vegetables that are past their due date.

         Lexington expects to increase its  compost supply as winter finally fades from Buffalo.

         “If you were to take a look at our produce section now in comparison to two months from now, it’s going to be way different,” said Tom Vrabel, a bookkeeping clerk for Lexington. “A lot of the stuff we have right now isn’t local, just because farmers can’t do much aside from apples and things like that, so that’s definitely going to be picking up a lot in the next couple months.”

         Lexington currently provides its   urban farm projects with compost between three-to-four days a week, but Vrabel hopes that the market can expand to a seven-day-supply soon enough.

         “I think that what a lot of grocery stores do and what they’ve done traditionally is they’ll just throw it into the garbage,” said Vrabel. “I mean, that’s wasteful when there’s people down the street who want to use it and would benefit from it and know that’s it’s kind of a higher quality because a lot of it is organic.”

         The compost movement also benefits the grocers who provide it. According to Vrabel, Lexington’s dedication to separating compost from its  trash has kept its  garbage containers from filling up quicker, saving  money since it  requires less garbage pickups.

         Much of the United States can’t claim that benefit. According to a report filed by the Environmental ProtectionAgency, the country sent approximately 26 million tons (67 percent) -  of its yard waste to landfills in the year 2012 alone.

         “If you take a look at nationwide organic waste statistics, you start to see why it's great that our city is starting to be proactive about this issue,” said Dionne. “A lot of folks will start out throwing that stuff into a landfill, but as you begin to think about and understand how different resources cycle through our environment, you realize that it makes more sense to figure out a way to re-incorporate all that organic waste back into the soil, where it will help create a healthy garden.”

         According to Dionne, several gardens are working with the city government to start a yard waste composting pilot program.

         “Compost is a valuable resource, while the stuff that gets trucked off to a landfill is a burden,” said Dionne. “I would like to see zero percent of our yard waste going to the landfill.”

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.

West Side street names a matter of history

By Sashana Campbell and Andrew Manzella
Bengal News West Reporters

What's in a name?

If it’s a street name on the West Side, it may consist of a rich history of trade, family legacy and geography.

Many streets were named after early landowners, family and friends or for political purposes that had  nationalistic underpinnings to them.

Porter Avenue, as an example, was named after Peter Porter, who was one of the Village of Black Rock’s founders. Anything north of Huron Street to Riverside neighborhood was considered to be the   Village of Black Rock. 

"Buffalo at that time  had a series of large country estates,” said Dana Saylor, a professional historical researcher in Buffalo. “A lot of the names are related to the estates of the people who founded the city or had a lot of money.”

According to Saylor, the Porter family, who settled on Niagara and Breckenridge Street, lived on the land where Rich Products now resides.

Fargo Avenue was named after William Fargo, who was a former mayor of Buffalo and one of the owners of Wells Fargo Bank, according to Chris Hawley, a Buffalo urban planner at City Hall.

“He owned the estate that Fargo (Avenue)  bounds, so I’m sure that when the estate was broken the street was named Fargo,” Hawley said.

A video primer on street names in Buffalo: 

According to Hawley, in the 19^th century, a lot of family-owned lots were farms that took up several blocks. Saylor said those families would break up the land and sell it off during immigration waves or population booms.

“They named them after whatever they wanted to name them for. Sometimes they would name them after sons or daughters, good friends or business partners,” Hawley said.

One example is Breckenridge Street, which was named for one of Porter’s in-laws from Kentucky.

In an article published in The Courier Express newspaper, changes to street names started occurring in 1826 around Buffalo when highway commissioners decided to wipe out unwieldy names.

Saylor said Niagara Street used to be called Shimmelpenninck Avenue and was changed in the early 19th century.

A number of streets on the West Side are also named after states, like Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Virginia and Connecticut.

Hawley said naming city streets after states is an urban tradition across the United States.

“Probably every early 19^th century city has it,” Hawley said. “We were a very early republic at the time so reinforcing our patriotism and sense of nationhood was very important in place names throughout the country.”

Another reason was the early surveyors of Buffalo, who were responsible for a lot of modern street names throughout the city, were workers from the State of New York.  This is why so many other state names were used.

“Often, when streets were officially named, the reason was not recorded in the minutes of the common council,” Hawley said.  “Many streets were named, and now it’s a complete mystery as to why.”

West Side community supports Ukraine

By Jamie Hall, Kamesha Jones and Jazmina Rivera
Bengal News West reporters

Members of the West Side Ukrainian community were among those who marched across the Peace Bridge to meet their fellow Canadian comrades in a peaceful protest against the violence that many activists were facing in Kiev, Ukraine in December.

Four months later, Russia has annexed Crimea and the Ukraine has conceded and is facing  more challenges. Buffalo activists continue to be concerned about Ukraine's future and standing by to help. 

A strong community movement on the West Side  continues to provide supplies for Ukrainian efforts. Anyone who wishes to support Ukraine’s cause is welcome to make  contributions that will fund Ukrainian organizations that help those in need of basic resources or medical attention. Organizations are also accepting warm clothing to send to the activist in Ukraine. 

“In times of crisis and uncertainty people want to come together,” Dianna Derhak, member of the Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center said. “Alone there’s very little you can do, but if you start joining together things do change.” 

When Slavka Kutsay, a student activist and journalist arrived in Buffalo in March she sparked conversation of the realities of activism in times of conflict. Kutsay shared stories at SUNY Buffalo State on March 3 about her experiences as a peacefulprotester during the ongoing conflict in her country.

“Someone called it the revolution of dignity,” Kutsay said. “One of Ukrainian poets said that ‘It is better to be a drop in the ocean, rather than to be a drop of blood in the asphalt.’ ”

Organizations have been following the conflict and setting up ways to show their advocacy in the West Side. Yuri Hreshchyshyn, president of the Ukrainian-American CivicCenter,  has been involved with at least three peaceful protests.

“The first thought was to do a quick positive, supportive rally in front of City Hall,” Hreshchyshyn said. “We organized that in about a week’s time and walked around Niagara Square, so that was the first one.”

Yuri Hreshchyshyn, on the local response to Ukraine's plight:

Derhak helped organize the second demonstration, held on the Peace Bridge. The idea was to have both the Canadian and the American group of supporters meet at the bridge at the same time. Although there were dangerous weather conditions in Canada, supporters still came out for the cause.

“The weather was horrific that day,” Derhak said. “Our Canadian friends had an ice storm and electricity was out. Even though the winds were whipping us around we had a very nice turn out.”

 Members of both the Ukrainian-American Civic Center and Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center attended the rally as well as members of the Ukrainian Congress of America and congregations of Ukrainian affiliated churches in the area.

A third rally was held on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. American advocates gathered for this one as well.

Along with non-violent protests, social media has helped in gathering people to join in peaceful activism. During her lecture Kutsay mentioned how important social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, have had a huge impact on bringing awareness to others. Things such as sharing Facebook posts or re-tweeting news, videos, or pictures can help the cause. Hreschyshyn believes that traditional media still makes an impact as well.

“Well social media is good to get a message across quickly,” Hreschyshyn said. “It takes the weight of traditional press to make something more tangible for the general population.”

West Side figured notably in War of 1812

Historical sign marks a War of 1812 battle fought on the West Side

By Ebony Linzy

Bengal News West Reporter

Located near the corner of Grant  and Amherst streets,  the stand-alone sign appears be out of place. With bold gold letters  navy blue background,   the sign is almost unnoticeable among the passing traffic and pedestrians.

However the sign is actually a historical marker for a significant part of our American history. And while it may be posted on a busy city street near the entrance of a major highway, it marks one of the many battle sites between America and the superpower Great Britain during the War of 1812.

Often described as very brief but bitter time period, the war of 1812 is not only essential to the history of Western New York, but especially essential to the West Side. Although the area was young and developing during the time of the war, the West Side was actually home to a lot of its key events. 

Starting in June of 1812, the war resulted due to a number of growing issues between Great Britain and America, including British attempts to restrict American trade and growth. As Canada was the nearest British colony at the time, American troops began a series of attacks using areas in Buffalo as a station for its troops, meanwhile using the Niagara River as a forefront for fighting the war. 

“There were burial grounds, cannon batteries and several battle sites on today’s West Side,” said Author and Paranormal Expert Mason Winfield. 

Having studied the war for years, ultimately publishing a book  of the war titled “Ghosts of 1812: History, Folklore, Tradition and the Niagara War,” Winfield said that regions in Buffalo were gravely impacted by the war which lasted until December 1814.

“Buffalo’s West Side   was taking a lot of cannon fire constantly for three solid years of the war,” said Winfield.

Referring to a number of battles including the first battle of Black Rock in July 1813, the second battle of Black Rock in December 1813   and the battle of the Scajaquada Creek in August 1814, the areas we   see today are actually where a lot of these events took place, said Winfield.

Of course with these challenging battles, there were also came a number of casualties.

“I think a lot of people are not aware of the tragedies,” said Historian John Percy.  “Buffalo was totally destroyed. The sad thing was that a lot of people were killed.”

Working for the Town of Tonawanda Historical Society Museum, Percy said that Buffalo has come a long way since it was completely destroyed during the tragic burning of Buffalo in December   1813.

“After the burning of Buffalo, there were only three buildings left standing. Oh yes, a jail, a cottage and a blacksmith shop,” said Percy. 

Professor Andrew D. Nicholls, on the War of 1812:

Speaking positively of the short lived war, Andrew D. Nicholls, said that although there were hundreds of casualties, Buffalo did play a large role in the American victories.  

“Buffalo was the place of training that helped American forces bring in those victories including the Battle of Chippewa in 1814,” said the chair and professor  of the history department at SUNY Buffalo State.

Nicholls is among many people who have studied the war over the years and say that there is no doubt about important role of the West Side in the war.

In celebration of its 200^th anniversary, there also have been a number of events taking place locally to commemorate the war.

Celebrating peace between the United States and Canada, “Flames Across Niagara” took  place on Dec. 8 in Squaw Island Park. The bi-national event  included a bonfire, canons and re-enactment of certain parts of the war.

Hosted by a number of organizations including The Niagara 1812 Legacy Council, Nicholls  said that such events usually have a wonderful turnout.

As 2014 is right around the corner and will still be within 200^th mark of the war, similar events and commemorations are also set to take place.

In the meantime Professors like Nicholls are spreading the word teaching the facts about this unforgettable war.

“The U.S. stood up to fight a superpower,” said Nicholls. “It was a coming of age for us.” 

W.S. beer gardens: What's old is new again

By Lauren Coppola and Samantha Wulff
Bengal News West Reporters

The year was 1946 when Lottie Gall  took a boat from her hometown in Michigan to Buffalo.

“I just came to visit my Aunt Sally, she lived on Roswell,” Gall said. “She introduced me to Ellen Jensen, she took me to the bars – the beer gardens they called them a long time ago.” 

            Gall had never been to a bar or beer garden before coming to the Queen City, but they, along with the people inside them, convinced her to stay. Gall has seen Buffalo beer gardens in their heyday, seen them fall apart, and, with the opening of Resurgence Beer Company and beer garden at 1250 Niagara St. come April, is now witnessing their rebirth.

Gall and her future husband both relocated to Riverside in July 1946. Stanley, a Polish accordion player, soon became the apple of Gall's eye. She recalls them dancing and drinking at Peggy's.  What made Peggy’s more than just a bar was that it had a spot to play shuffleboard. Such games are quite common in beer gardens, for they allow patrons to bide their time while having a pint or so. 

Dave Mik, Buffalo beer historian,  said that places like Peggy's were formed in response to prohibition being lifted. The typical German beer gardens were suddenly a thing of the past.

“Once prohibition took effect in 1919, the beer gardens closed, along with most of the breweries in the city,” Mik said. “Once prohibition ended in 1933, neighborhood taverns and saloons were opened, taking the place of the large German beer gardens.”

Gall, now 90, often passes by the old bars in the town where she used to live.

“The bars look so broken down,” she said.

Although Gall said she is past the age of going to such places, a new look to Niagara Street would give her hope for a beer garden similar to what she experienced in her youth. Jeff Ware,  owner of Resurgence Beer Co., hopes his brewery and beer garden will foster a family-friendly environment to the West Side.

“We really like the West Side,” Ware said of him and his wife. “Elmwood is our neighborhood so we feel the West Side is just an extension of our neighborhood.”

Ware met his future wife when he was working at the Boston Brewing Company in New York City. He soon became enamored by the large beer gardens in the area.

“They had these big beer gardens down there, they're these really great places,” he said. “They're probably like 20,000 square foot places that are really a community style.”

He thought: “Wouldn't it be even cooler if these places made their own beer on site?”

That thought turned into an inspiration for his own business. Originally from Orchard Park,  Ware came back to Western New York to take a risk on a new beer garden. Such waters are basically uncharted.

“I don't think it's a huge risk,” Ware said. “I think that people are going to appreciate it...I think people will take the opportunity to go outside and get a pint.”

Ware will have the traditional back yard game, bocce, available for patrons to play outside. He wants his establishment to be the type of place where somebody can sit next to a complete stranger or bring their children down in strollers, have a pint it the garden, and feel comfortable doing so. Resurgence will not be open late, nor will it have a party-atmosphere such as Chippewa Street.  It will be community and family based. 

“I think the idea of opening a new beer garden on Niagara Street is very interesting,” Mik said, “and if done properly, could be very successful.”

Magazine keeps 'old neighborhood' alive

By Marybeth Calabrese and Ally Selva

Bengal News West Reporters

            Italian families left their windows open and doors unlocked and when the smell of Sunday sauce wafted through the street, everyone was invited for dinner.

             That’s what the West Side use to be like. 

The memories and history of Italian culture on the West Side are kept alive through the magazine and club called "Per Niente", which means “for nothing” in Italian. Per Niente is a way for subscribers to share their experiences of living on the West Side.  

Per Niente started out nine years ago as a way for the publisher Joe Di Leo, to remind his close group of friends what their childhood was like on the West Side.  Little did Di Leo know that the articles he had written for fun would soon turn into an ongoing success. 

“People started asking me to write more articles so that they could share their own memories with others. Word of mouth began to spread time about us and more people wanted to contribute as well,” Di Leo said. 

Per Niente editors, on the magazine's mission:

The goal of the Per Niente club is to share the history of what the West Side use to be like.   The members of the club have bonded over the friendships and cultural connections that they’ve made growing up. Membership in the club is $40 a year, which covers four quarterly issues made per season.  Per Niente is non-profit and uses the membership money towards the magazine’s publication fees and uses the leftover money to donate to local charities. 

“Putting together the magazine has been very enjoyable for me because I get to listen to the heartfelt  stories about the West Side. It has helped others relive their childhood and the relationships they had with their families and friends, “ Di Leo said.

What started out as a one-page newsletter, turned into an anticipated publication for Italians who have once lived on the West Side who moved else where in the city and in the country. Di Leo had his hands full trying to write, print and edit the articles himself for his friends. In early 2009, about 150 people wanted to start contributing stories as well.  That’s when Di Leo decided to ask his old friend Joe Giambra to help out with the editing and publication. 

After the pair began working together the magazine’s popularity skyrocketed to having about 400 people subscribe.  Today, the club brings in enough money so that Keller Bros. and Miller Inc. ? can do the magazine’s printing layouts.

“I remember when Joe first came to me and asked me to write an article for the magazine and of course I was willing to help out my friend. Later down the road, Per Niente became so popular that for the last six years this is what I’ve been doing all year round,” Giambra said.

The working relationship between Giambra and Di Leo has been going strong, as they both share the same passion for their Italian culture. The way of life that was once shared on the West Side doesn’t exist anymore, which makes the Italians of Buffalo eager to get their voices heard. 

“We’ve given a lot of people a whole new perspective on the way they look at their past and the future of their children. Per Niente has also helped share with today’s generation the Italian lifestyle that once existed and was never forgotten,” Giambra said.

The members of Per Niente feel passionately about sharing their stories and experiences. They all intend to stay in touch and remind each other of where they came from. Local resident and Per Niente club member, Carmella Gata, decided to join in 2010, as a way for her to get in touch with her roots. Gata’s family had owned a  bar on the West Side in the 1930s - called Nick’s Tavern.

“Ever since I joined Per Niente I have been actively keeping in contact with other members who share the same memories as me about the West Side,” Gata said.  “If you grew up in my neighborhood, everyone was family to you and that’s just the way us Italians are.”