Riverkeeper Position On
Bass Pro Announcement

As many of you know, the Erie Canal Harbor Redevelopment Corporation announced that it finalized a development agreement with Bass Pro to site the store on what was supposed to be our newest waterfront park. Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper was actively involved with numerous other organizations in the development of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Plan.

The plan took several years and millions of state dollars to complete. Riverkeeper does not oppose the recent effort to bring Bass Pro to the downtown. We do, however, oppose the siting of the new store on the Erie Canal Wharf Park site.

In particular, the announcement was deeply disturbing because:

1) This decision will cause more delays. Erie Canal Harbor Redevelopment Corporation threw out a great plan for the site- one that took the best of our history and improved public waterfront access. Now, we have to start all over again with a full environmental review of the new plans. This process could take another year and will likely end up in litigation.

2) Another back room waterfront liquidation sale. In siting the Bass Pro store, the dealmakers traded the jewel of the Erie Canal Harbor project - the public park - in order to accommodate a corporation that has been on the fence for months. Riverkeeper believes deeply that local governments have a legal responsibility to protect public waterfront access for the entire community - not just those who have political access and money. And of course, all negotiations were in the back room - without public input - and without any competitive bidding. What is next - will they sell Bidwell Parkway, Father Conway Park?, LaSalle?

3) New park insufficient. In exchange for giving Bass Pro the Central Wharf park site, the new plan gives the community a smaller park located UNDER THE SKYWAY (better watch your head!) and with no access to the Buffalo River. The new park may also be too small to host the large community events (think waterfront version of Thursday in the Square) that were planned for the site.

This type of waterfront development process is unacceptable and seriously erodes public confidence in government redevelopment efforts. Riverkeeper will be watching this project very closely over the next few months and plan to actively participate in the new project environmental review process.

Please help get the word out - this is not about Bass Pro. - this is about back room deals that sell our waterfront to corporate interests and ignore legitimate plans that involved all community stakeholders.

Julie Barrett O'Neill, Esq.
Executive Director
Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER
(formerly Friends of the Buffalo Niagara Rivers, Inc.)
Market Arcade Building
617 Main Street , M108 Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 852-RIVER (7483)
www.BNRiverkeeper.org
jboneill@BNRiverkeeper.org