Buffalo's Bird Island Pier, that ribbon of concrete and steel that extends from the south end of Broderick Park at the foot of West Ferry Street to the Peace Bridge and beyond, is going to get a major facelift.
A portion of the historic walkway, which is more than 100 years old, was closed for safety reasons in 2010 due to structural damage. Now, a newly-awarded grant will help fix those issues.
"The city has received the $750,000 grant from the Niagara River Greenway Commission to refurbish the Bird Island Pier, to renovate the pier," Mayor Byron Brown said Monday afternoon.
Mayor Brown says according to estimates by the Army Corps of Engineers, 100,000 people walk on the pier every year.
"This is a very popular spot for fishers, for walkers, for people who want to see the river [and] the water, who want to take in the spectacular view of the city's skyline," Brown added.
Work is scheduled to begin in September.