BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Spring construction season is underway in Buffalo, bringing planned infrastructure improvements one step closer to fruition.
Cazenovia Park in South Buffalo is among the sites set for upgrades. The ice rink there will get a new roof for a little over $1 million, and the Peter Crotty Casino building is also set to get a new roof, for a little over $1.6 million if bonds are released to fund the improvements.
Brand-new electric vehicle charging points are set to be installed in Cazenovia Park, along with some in MLK Park and downtown Buffalo at 269 George Street, according to a city spokesperson.
Other upgrades include new playground equipment at Riverside Park and improvements at JFK Park, including converting the kiddie pool to a splashpad and upgrading the basketball courts.
WATCH: Buffalo parks among planned city upgrades as construction season begins
Cazenovia Park users welcomed the news on Monday.
Rick Singer, 63, has used the park his entire life.
"It's about time," he said of plans to repair the casino roof. "I think it's great. I think it should have been done a while ago, but I'm really happy to hear it's happening."
Jessica Wilson was visiting the park with her three-year-old niece, Harper.
"I'm excited to see what they do with it. We actually forget about this place sometimes, even though it's only like, five minutes away," Wilson said. "I think it's fantastic they are making more charging stations around, so then it makes it so people want to buy more vehicles because it's more accessible."
The upgrades have been a long time coming. They will be funded through former Acting Mayor Christopher Scanlon's 2025 and 2026 capital budget. The bonds bankrolling the improvements should now be released after Buffalo Comptroller Barbara Miller-Williams lost her appeal in the lawsuit filed against her by councilmembers Scanlon and Mitch Nowakowski. The comptroller previously refused to issue all of the bonds in Scanlon's 2025 and 2026 capital budgets, citing concerns about the city's fiscal health, essentially pushing pause on some planned city upgrades.
Speaking last month, Scanlon warned that the delay means many projects may not be completed this summer either.
"So that's two construction seasons for the 2025 budget we've missed out on," Scanlon said. "Now you also run into a capacity issue. We're trying to put $200 million of additional projects out into the streets [this season] while there are other things going on as well - state and federal projects coming in - and there are only so many people to do the work."
