Grand Island Town Board Pursuing Tree City USA Designation

Posted by & filed under Grand Island.

Planting a TreeOne of the things we love about Grand Island is that it’s home to many acres of pristine forested land. Trees are an important part of our community’s identity, and now town board is considering the adoption a new law that could earn Grand Island a spot in the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program.

Tree City USA, which includes more than 3,400 towns and cities throughout the nation, was established in 1976 to help communities maintain and expand their trees.

Under the terms of the proposed ordinance, property owners who purchase forested parcels of land that are larger than 1.5 acres would be required to apply for a permit from the town before cutting down trees. Such an ordinance is a prerequisite for obtaining a Tree City USA designation for Grand Island. The ordinance would also establish a local subcommittee on trees.

Proponents of the tree ordinance argue that it would be minimally disruptive to local citizens and developers, but potentially very beneficial to the health of Grand Island’s trees in the long run. This is because a Tree City USA designation would allow the town to apply for grant money to help with its dead and dying ash trees. In recent years, the invasive Emerald Ash Borer has taken a serious toll on our area’s ash trees.

“We see this as a kind of step one of getting to be a Tree City USA,” said Jeff Green, chairman of the Conservation Advisory Board during a recent meeting of the town board.

Thanks to the efforts of Green and others on the Conservation Advisory Board, Grand Island could soon have access to the resources it needs to protect its trees for the future.

The West River Road Shoreline Trail is Officially Open

Posted by & filed under Grand Island.

Bike PathFollowing a lengthy and sometimes contentious development process, the 8-mile West River Shoreline Trail welcomed cyclists and pedestrians for the first time during its opening ceremony on Tuesday. The new multi-use trail connects Buckhorn Island State Park to Beaver Island State Park, and is part of larger trail system that stretches all the way from Lackawanna to Lewiston. The trail also offers year-round access to the Niagara River.

 

Local residents who attended the opening ceremony expressed excitement about having a new, safe place to explore the Grand Island riverfront.

“It’s so nice not to have to keep turning around looking for cars,” said cyclist Diane Goupil of Grand Island in an interview with WBFO. “So, now they have the bike path and we can ride on a road specifically for bikes and walking, it’s really nice.”

After five years of development, attendees at the ceremony were eager to get out and enjoy the trail, even on a chilly day in October. Next year, Grand Island residents will have yet another new outdoor destination to enjoy when the Margery Gallogly Nature Sanctuary opens in the fall.

At Town Hall Terrace, we also offer a variety of amenities for residents who want to maintain active, healthy lifestyles. From our fully-equipped fitness center to our tennis courts and heated pool, you can choose from a diverse selection of activities to enjoy. To learn more about these or any of the other amenities you can find at Town Hall Terrace, feel free to give us a call at (716) 773-2788 today!

Travel and Leisure Names Buffalo “America’s Friendliest City”

Posted by & filed under Grand Island.

Buffalo City HallIf you’ve spent much time in Western New York, you may already know that our region is well-known for the warm, friendly demeanor of its citizens. In our community, it’s not uncommon to see people helping their neighbors shovel snow from the latest blizzard or lending a hand with their gardens in the summertime. Buffalo has long been known as the City of Good Neighbors, but it recently earned another unique distinction from the popular Travel and Leisure Magazine.

Based on the results of its annual America’s Favorite Places survey, Travel and Leisure has named Buffalo America’s Friendliest City.

“People smile at each other on the streets,” said one Buffalo resident who responded to the survey. “We talk to strangers all the time and are just overall willing to help each other.”

Even Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas weighed in on the results of the survey in a recent interview.

“I’ve been here since 1988 and it is one of the friendliest cities in America,” said Thomas. “One of the reasons that I love it so much here is that we do so much for charity.”

To celebrate Buffalo’s recognition as the nation’s friendliest city, Thomas teamed up with Cheerios this morning to serve a free breakfast to fans at Fountain Plaza. The city is also commemorating the occasion by making parking meters free for the day and lighting the Peace Bridge yellow in the evening.

Interested in joining the famously friendly community of Western New York? We’d love to have you join us here at Town Hall Terrace! Browse our homes online or give us a call today to learn more!

Margery Gallogly Nature Sanctuary to Open Next Fall

Posted by & filed under Grand Island.

Hiking TrailIt’s official: after more than a year of fundraising efforts, the Western New York Land Conservancy has agreed to purchase a 145-acre parcel of undeveloped land from the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo for $269,000. Located adjacent to the Assumption Cemetery on Grand Island, this land will soon become a sprawling nature preserve where people can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, cross-country skiing and birdwatching. The preserve will also offer public access to both the Big and Little Six Mile Creeks.

Now that the deal has been finalized, the Land Conservancy is in the process of planning where the hiking trails will be built in the spring of 2019. According to the conservancy’s executive director Jajuan Rose-Burney, their first priority will be to minimize the project’s impact on the local ecosystem.

“Let’s make sure we’re not hurting any of the ecology, but let’s also make sure people can really experience some of the things that make the preserve really interesting,” said Rose-Burney in a recent interview.

Meanwhile, Town Supervisor Nate McMurray is excited about the impact the new nature preserve will have on the community of Grand Island.

“You really are starting to see a new vision of what Grand Island is, which is in many ways a green haven between Buffalo and Niagara Falls,” said McMurray.

The Margery Gallogly Nature Sanctuary is expected to be open by fall of 2019, but additional work will continue on the project over the course of the next two years. Here at Town Hall Terrace, we can’t wait to get outside and taking a relaxing hike in the pristine forest of this beautiful woodland retreat.

Grand Island’s New Welcome Center Is Open for Business

Posted by & filed under Grand Island.

Welcome to New YorkAfter months of planning and construction, Grand Island is now home to a beautiful Western New York Welcome Center designed in the iconic Prairie style of Frank Lloyd Wright. The new $25-million welcome center, which opened on Monday of this week, can be found just off the Whitehaven Road exit on Route 190.

In addition to the usual lineup of restrooms and dog-walking areas, the Western New York Welcome Center features a number of other more unusual amenities as well. These include a local museum, electric vehicle charging stations, a playground and a snack bar with foods from local farmers and artisans. This way, travelers will not only have an opportunity to relax and stretch their legs, but also get a sneak preview of everything our region has in store for them. Furthermore, the welcome center will give nearby farmers an ideal place to showcase their goods.

According to Diane Held of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County, the welcome center will periodically rotate snack bar products from different farms and vendors to give everyone as much exposure as possible. There’s even an area designated for farmers’ markets located in a second structure behind the welcome center.

If you missed the soft open on Monday, the welcome center’s developers reportedly plan on hosting a grand opening celebration in the near future. To learn more about everything that’s happening on Grand Island, stay tuned for the latest updates from our blog at Town Hall Terrace!

Grand Island Releases Comprehensive Plan for Future Development

Posted by & filed under Grand Island.

Grand Island BridgeThe future is looking bright here on Grand Island. Earlier this week, local officials released a sweeping 115-page document that outlines the strategies, goals and principles that will shape the next 20 years of growth and development in the Town of Grand Island. This new comprehensive plan is the successor to a 1995 report which was last revised in 1998.

The 2018 Comprehensive Plan is the culmination of thousands of hours of work from volunteers throughout the community. According to its introduction, the purpose of the new plan is to “address the future land use of the Town of Grand Island and to refit many of the previous planning elements to meet today’s needs and challenges.”

The new plan places a strong emphasis on improving access to walkable trails and flexible transportation options on Grand Island. It’s also designed to tackle the civic planning challenges associated with Grand Island’s unique history; whereas most towns begin at a central point and grow outward, the community of Grand Island was born on its shorelines and spread inward.

“What we heard over and over again is that people want walkability, they want accessibility and they want to control sprawl,” said Town Supervisor Nate McMurray in a statement.

The town is already putting its plans to improve walkability into action, thanks to a $1.3 million grant which will go toward building sidewalks on both sides of Grand Island Boulevard from Webb Road to Fantasy Island. These sidewalks will receive new trees and streetlights, and the town plans to apply for additional funding to extend the sidewalks south to Baseline Road as well.

If you’d like to check out the 2018 Comprehensive Plan for yourself, you can view the entire document here!

Canal Fest Offers a Host of Attractions This Weekend

Posted by & filed under Summer Activities.

Summer CarnivalIf you haven’t had a chance to stop by Canal Fest yet, there will still plenty of activity going on in the Tonawandas this weekend! This week-long celebration of the Erie Canal is always worth a visit, with carnival rides, food vendors, daily musical performances and more. Best of all, entrance to the event is free!

This weekend’s festivities will kick off at 9 am on Saturday with a flea market hosted by the Historical Society of the Tonawandas in Clinton Park. Soon afterward the arts and crafts show, which begins at Main and Broad streets in Tonawanda, will be open for business as well. Later in the afternoon, guests can watch the annual Sika Cup Boat Races, where teams who have sent all week building boats test the seaworthiness of their home-made vessels.

Sunday’s events begin at 10 am, with the second day of the Canal Fest flea market and arts and crafts show. The final day of Canal Fest will continue well into the evening with line dancing, music from local performers and the usual lineup of delicious foods from a variety of vendors. Finally, the event will close at dusk with the grand finale fireworks display on the Renaissance Bridge.

To see everything Canal Fest has in store for attendees this weekend, check out the complete schedule here. This fun, family-friendly festival is one of our favorite events of the summer. Whether this is your first visit or you’ve been going for years, you’ll be sure to enjoy a day at Canal Fest.

Celebrating the 4th of July in Western New York

Posted by & filed under Summer Activities.

4th of July FireworksIndependence Day is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to start celebrating here at Town Hall Terrace. Fortunately, there are all sorts of fun and patriotic events going on in our area in the days leading up to the 4th. Let’s start with one happening right here on Grand Island!

Declaration Celebration at Fantasy Island

From June 30 to July 4, Fantasy Island Amusement Park will be hosting its first annual Declaration Celebration. This multi-day event will include flag-raising ceremonies, live performances from local musicians, hot dog eating contests and a nightly fireworks display. This is sure to be a great kid-friendly event for the whole family.

Fireworks on Woodlawn Beach

On the evening of July 3, you can kick back on a sandy beach and watch a stunning fireworks display reflected in the waters of Lake Erie. Located just south of Buffalo, Woodlawn Beach is an easy 30-minute drive from Town Hall Terrace. The show starts at 10 pm, but get there early to find a good spot!

4th of July Celebration at Canalside

The highlight of Buffalo’s Independence Day celebration is sure to be the festivities on the waterfront at Canalside. This event will kick off at 4 pm on the 4th with live music, mouth-watering cuisine from local food trucks and more. Later in the evening, guests will be treated to a fireworks show synchronized to a patriotic soundtrack of classic American songs.

For even more 4th of July ideas, check out this extensive list of fireworks displays from Channel 7 News!

Treat Dad to Some Father’s Day Fun This Weekend

Posted by & filed under Things to Do Around Town Hall Terrace.

Father and DaughterLooking for some last-minute Father’s Day ideas for this weekend? There are a number of fun, family-friendly events going on in our area that are perfect for spending a day with dad. Check out a few of our favorite Father’s Day ideas below!

Get Him Something Sweet

This weekend, Fowler’s Chocolates is offering a wide variety of Father’s Day gift packages that include everything from chocolate-covered popcorn to their famous sponge candy. Just stop by any of their locations in Western New York to find your dad’s favorite delectables made right here in Western New York.

Watch the Ball Game

The Buffalo Bisons are taking on their old rivals the Rochester Red Wings in a three-game series at Coca Cola Field. In honor of the regional rivalry, the two teams will play as the “Buffalo Wings” and the “Rochester Plates” while wearing special commemorative uniforms that feature images of the two cities’ signature dishes.

Enjoy Cars, Coasters and Cold-Ones at Darien Lake

On Saturday and Sunday, Darien Lake will host a car show and beer festival featuring a diverse lineup of classic cars and beers from breweries throughout the region. The event will also include a BBQ lunch deal at the Beaver Brother’s Lakeside Café.

Visit the Lewiston GardenFest

If your dad has been looking for some landscaping inspiration this spring, swing by the 13th annual Lewiston GardenFest on Saturday and Sunday! Located in the heart of Lewiston on the historic Center Street, this event will feature vendors, speakers, gardening demonstrations and more.

Wishing you and yours a happy Father’s Day from all of us here at Town Hall Terrace!

Taste of Buffalo Announces Vendor Lineup for 2018

Posted by & filed under Summer Activities.

Food FestivalDid you know that Buffalo is home to the largest two-day food festival in the United States? More than 400,000 people attended the annual Taste of Buffalo Last year, where they had an opportunity to sample food and beverages from some of the best restaurants, food trucks and wineries in the region. The event occupies several blocks of Delaware Avenue between City Hall and Chippewa Street, and it will kick off this year at 11 a.m. sharp on July 7.

Now, with a little more than a month before the event begins, the Taste of Buffalo’s event coordinators have released this year’s lineup of the 53 restaurants and six local wineries that will be in attendance. Crowd favorites include Western New York staples like Paula’s Donuts, Lloyd Taco Truck, Chiavetta’s BBQ and Anderson’s Frozen Custard. Wineries will include the Spring Lake Winery from Lockport and Three Brothers Wineries and Estates from Geneva.

In addition to the many culinary options at the Taste of Buffalo, there will also be plenty of local musicians providing entertainment on stage in the beer tent. Meanwhile, younger patrons can enjoy child-friendly food and entertainment options at the event’s Kid Zone as well. Cooking enthusiasts can even take lessons from professional chefs at the Culinary Stage in the New Era Cap parking lot.

If you’ve never had an opportunity to enjoy the Taste of Buffalo in the past, be sure to check it out this year. Just a 20-minute drive from Town Hall Terrace, this is one of our favorite summer events in the area.