Restore Our Community Coalition Launches
“I Remember” Campaign

The following article was posted on December 14th, 2014 by Buffalo Rising.

Restore Our Community Coalition Launches “I Remember” Campaign

Everyone living in Buffalo has one or two ‘lost along the way” items on their wish list that they would like to see brought back and restored. I’m talking about significant historic landmarks that got pummeled at one point or another. Landmarks that made this city great, but are no longer with us at this point.

Today, a group called Restore Our Community Coalition (ROCC) is gathering to launch an “I Remember” campaign that focuses on the tragic loss of the Humboldt Parkway. The parkway was decimated when urban renewal efforts steamrolled the beautiful, tree-lined Olmsted parkway. Now residents living near the parkway are coming together to recreate the memories they still have, pertaining to Humboldt Parkway.

It is the hope of ROCC that by coming together as a community, via an “I Remember” Holiday Reception, a message will be forged that the damage that was unleashed upon the community 60 years ago has not been forgotten. Nor will it ever be forgotten. Not until the parkway is restored will the community be at peace. Humboldt Parkway was never meant to be a freeway for cars. Rather it was created to provide a peaceful, protected boulevard between Delaware park and The Parade (now MLK Park). see the plan.

The bounding neighborhoods will never be as strong as they once were, if Humboldt Parkway is not restored to its original state. That is the message that community leaders from the Hamlin Park Tax Payers Association, Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Buffalo Museum of Science and the Black Chamber of Commerce as well as Humboldt Parkway community residents are spreading this holiday season.

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