BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The transformation of LaSalle Park into the new Ralph Wilson Park is well underway, with significant progress made over the past several months.
Katie Campos, executive director of the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy, highlighted the $110 million project’s advancements when I visited with her on Friday.
“It was a cold winter, and a lot of the work that we were doing was moving soils around,” Campos said.
The construction focuses on creating trails, a sled hill, and managing the southern section of the 100-acre waterfront park.
The goal of Ralph Wilson Park is to create a world-class community gathering place. Key highlights from Phase One of construction include the addition of two new lighted soccer fields that Campos emphasized will serve the entire West Side community.
“Our kids are going to be able to play under the lights, some of the best soccer fields in the community right on the water,” said Campos.
In addition to athletic facilities, a newly constructed inlet along the south shoreline has already created a habitat for fish and wildlife. The planting of 2,600 new trees has also begun, with many sourced locally in Western New York.
"The trees are a really important feature of the park for structural resiliency and creating a pleasant experience for visitors," Campos explained.
The first phase of the park is expected to be completed later this year, with an official opening scheduled for the summer of 2026.
Phase two will include the construction of ball fields, a playground and a kayak launch, which will open in 2027.
The park is named in honor of Ralph C. Wilson Jr., the late founder and owner of the Buffalo Bills, whose foundation contributed $50 million to the project.
Mary Wilson, the wife of the late owner of the Buffalo Bills, expressed pride in her husband’s lasting legacy.
“Ralph Wilson's name will always be on the park,” she said. “There are people that will hopefully remember Ralph forever, and it’s going to be his greatest legacy.”
The Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy is hosting a community forum to update the progress of the park on May 20 from 5:30-7 pm at Waterfront Elementary School, located at 95 4th Street in Buffalo.
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