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Public Schools to allow use of facilities to non-students after hours

The Buffalo Common Council approved an agreement between the City of Buffalo and the Buffalo Public School System at their meeting Tuesday.
Posted at 5:41 PM, Nov 09, 2021
and last updated 2021-11-09 17:41:01-05

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — 17 Public School playgrounds will be open very soon to non-students - part of a new initiative from the City of Buffalo and the Buffalo Public School System.

"It's all about accessibility, we want children to be able to go to parks, playgrounds, and whatever they need to play - and we want them to be able to walk there," said Andy Rabb, the Deputy Director of Public Works and the Parks & Rec Department.

The agreement will be hosted in three phases - all focused on opening facilities to help children play within walking distance.

"90% of children live within 10 minutes walking-distance of a park in the city of Buffalo, but not every park has a playground," Rabb added.

Here are the phases:

  1. Opening the Public School Parks (17) by removing barricades and fences. They will then be open for all public access after school hours, or on days school is not in session.
    1. The schools taking part in the program are:
      1. 17 - 1045 West Delavan
      2. 19 - 97 West Delavan
      3. 33 - 157 Elk
      4. 37 - 295 Carleton
      5. 43 - 161 Benzinger
      6. 45 - 141 Hoyt
      7. 54 - 2358 Main Street
      8. 61 - 453 Leroy
      9. 64 - Amherst & Lincoln Pkwy.
      10. 65 - 249 Skillen
      11. 66 - 780 Parkside
      12. 67 - 911 Abbott
      13. 76 - 315 Carolina
      14. 80 - 600 Highgate
      15. 81 - 140 Tacoma
      16. 90/59A - 50 A Street
      17. 94 - 489 Hertel Avenue
  2. Opening large-scale athletic facilities, each having renovations done prior. Facilities will be open on a reservation basis for all recreation, including - but not limited too: sports leagues, recreation, events, etc. There will also be open hours with no reservations allowed.
    1. All High Stadium (Bennett HS, 2885 Main St)
    2. Riverside Stadium (Riverside Park, 84 Parkside Ave.)
    3. MST Field (P.S. 197 - Math, Science, Technology Prep, 646 E Delavan)
    4. Grabiarz Field (P.S. 79 - William J. Grabiarz School of Excellence - 225 Lawn Ave.)
    5. Olmsted/Kensington Field (P.S. 156 - Frederick Law Olmsted at Kensington - 319 Suffolk St)
    6. Johnnie B. Wiley Stadium (Masten Park, 1100 Jefferson Ave.)
      1. Controlled by Buffalo Public Schools - not associated with a specific school.
  3. Developing unused land, both by the Buffalo Public School system and the City of Buffalo.