The American Planning Association has designated Delaware Park as one of the ‘Great Places in America’ for 2014. Officials celebrated the prestigious designation at the Marcy Casino in Delaware Park Wednesday. The criterion for the award is based on cultural and historical interest, community involvement and vision for the future.
The APA’s Great Places program names 30 exemplary streets, neighborhoods and public spaces each year across the nation. WNY APA Director Angela Keppel says Delaware Park was named one of ten great places nationwide for all the activities it offers.
“In Delaware Park, there are tons of things to do. You can go run around the loop, you can go to the zoo, and you can sit by the lake. Enjoy areas like the Rumsey Woods, where it’s wooded and quiet or you can go play golf and enjoy the meadow. There’s different ecosystems, different environments. It really gives a range of activates and a lot of cultural institutions are located right around the park,” said Keppel.
Olmsted Parks Conservancy President Thomas Herrera-Mishler says the park is one of the city's greatest assets.
“I think that what defines Delaware Park as a Great American public space is that it's really the heart of the city in many ways. It's surrounded by some of the eclectic and prestigious neighborhoods in Buffalo. The criteria for this award represent the gold standard in terms of the sense of a true place, cultural and historic interest, plus community involvement, and a vision for our future," said Herrera-Mishler.
Delaware Park spans 350 acres and was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in 1870. It has been home to the Buffalo Zoo since 1875 and was the site of the Pan-American Exposition in 1901.