JULY 14, 2008

MARINELLI TOUTS ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE OLMSTED PARKS' 21st CENTURY PLAN

In 2004, the County of Erie, the City of Buffalo and the Olmsted Parks Conservancy entered an unprecedented partnership that placed the Conservancy at the helm of the stewardship, management, operations and maintenance of the Buffalo Olmsted Park System. The Conservancy was the first not-for-profit in the nation to manage an entire park system.

The vital role of parks in the quality of place in a community is demonstrated by the proposal for the City of Atlanta to invest nearly $3 billion to develop an urban park system similar to the one that already exists in the City of Buffalo.

It is readily apparent that both public and corporate policymakers, even those who conduct their business in a robust economy such as Atlanta's, recognize the quality of place and competitive edge that a well-planned, designed and developed urban park system provides to a community. Beyond that, they are willing to make the investment to make it happen. There are ample reasons why this is a sound business decision.

Available data on property values in the City of Buffalo consistently reveal that properties, particularly residences, in the vicinity of an Olmsted Park, Parkway or Circle have held their value, and in most cases, appreciated in value to a much greater degree than properties in other parts of the city.

The Buffalo Olmsted Parks System offers the residents of our region an extraordinary experience of natural beauty, as well as an economic enhancement in the values of nearby properties. The system benefits the urban neighborhoods of North and South Buffalo, as well as those on the Eastside and Westside of Buffalo. It has no equal in any other city in the nation.

The Olmsted Parks Conservancy, with the assistance of the University at Buffalo, has unveiled its 21st Century Plan, a bold and insightful strategy to preserve, restore and maximize the return on investment that has been made in the past and will follow in the future to protect the Buffalo Olmsted Park System and demonstrate to the world our thoughtful, responsible stewardship of this sylvan jewel of national significance.

We in the County Legislature believe that the proper upkeep and provision of services for Erie County residents is vital, and we approved adding $300,000 to the 2008 parks' budget to be spent evenly, $150,000 for city parks and $150,000 for parks in the other parts of the county, at our July 10 session. I am also proud to have been one of the county legislators who helped allocate funds to launch the Olmsted plan.

Hats off to everyone who helped the Conservancy reach this milestone in the history of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks System. Let's do everything we can as a community to make the 21st Century Plan a reality.

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