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Delaware Park to be spruced up after Corporate Challenge damage

Corporate Challenge

The annual J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge foot race earlier this month took place with thousands participating on a rainy evening. It resulted in heavy damage to parts of Delaware Park.

Now, the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy has announced that a collaborative business effort will help pay for the restoration of the park. Damage is currently estimated at $25,000 for the initial work.

Delaware District Common Councilmember Joel Feroleto joined with Conservancy officials, plus representatives of J.P. Morgan Chase, Strategic Financial Solutions, Ingram Micro, Labatt USA, Hunt Real Estate, GHD and Curbell in support of the effort.

A phased turf restoration in the damaged areas, including two holes of the park's golf course, will begin next week and continue through September. The Conservancy said the investment requires "ground preparation including rolling and intensive aeration, installation of sod on the golf fairways and a fall reseeding of the surrounding areas with a durable sports turf fescue."

Over $60,000 has been raised toward the effort. The Conservancy said any residual funding will be used to purchase turf equipment for continued care. They have been talking with Elbers Landscape Service, Inc. and sister company Great Lakes Athletic Fields on a restoration plan.

This year's race attracted nearly 14,000 runners and walkers from 427 companies.

Mark Wozniak, WBFO's local All Things Considered host, has been at WBFO since mid-1978.