ImagineLaSalleBriefingBook_FINAL_Singles

There’s
barely any
bathroom
access.”
Improved maintenance
could enhance the park
experience.
The number one concern about LaSalle
Park is the need for more maintenance.
Comments point to every area of the
park, including roads, pathways, railings,
the seawall, sports fields, port-a-potties,
playgrounds, and open spaces as being
areas of concern. Maintenance issues are
often related to concerns about safety,
functionality of amenities, and aesthetic
appeal of the park.
Active recreation areas
should be expanded and
improved.
Respondents emphasize the need to
improve the condition of athletic fields, bike
trails, and pedestrian paths. Comments also
note a desire for amenities people feel are
missing from the park, such as tennis courts,
basketball courts, a boat launch, and more
unconventional features like rock climbing
walls or exercise facilities. Sometimes,
respondents like existing amenities but feel
they should be expanded, including the dog
park, skate park, and bike paths.
The park needs some basic
necessities like bathrooms
and water fountains.
Public restrooms in the pool house are
only available when the pool is open (from
Sunday to Friday over summer, weather
permitting). The concession stand building
also has bathrooms, but are not open to the
public. Port-a-potties dot the landscape
around LaSalle, but respondents would
prefer permanent facilities that are more
sanitary and accessible to families. Water
fountains throughout the park could
complement athletic and active uses and
facilitate longer stays in the park.
Getting to and moving
around the park can be
difficult.
Some respondents want safer pedestrian
and bicycle access at Porter and Hudson
entrances, as well as pedestrian-only access
on the waterfront to improve safety and
aesthetics. Others desire better vehicle
connections to adjacent neighborhoods
and waterfront destinations, especially
since the I-190 presents a physical, visual,
and mental barrier that cuts off the park
from surrounding neighborhoods and
the city. Because sections of the park are
isolated from one another, some want
better connectivity within the park itself.
Respondents also desire water access for
paddle or motor boats.
The park could use an
aesthetic update.
Generally, people see a need to make
LaSalle modern, clean, and inviting. People
mention that there is not a lot of variety
in the terrain; large, open, mowed spaces
can make the park feel desolate. Many
respondents wish for planned landscaping
or wild-growth areas. Others think the
highway visually detracts from the view of
the city at the northern edge of the park.
Some respondents also feel that park
entrances could be beautified to make the
park feel more visually welcoming.
Visitors wish the park felt
safer.
Respondents express concerns over
the general feeling of safety in the park,
especially during dark hours and in areas
without lighting. There are also safety
concerns about drug use resulting in used
needles around the park. Athletes point out
that soccer fields and baseball diamonds
can be unsafe because of holes and rocks.
Several respondents also note that the
seaway railings are unsafe and pose a threat
to children. Pedestrians and bicyclists feel
that park roads are unsafe because of carcentric
design and speeding vehicles.
Imagine LaSalle: A Community Vision for Buffalo’s LaSalle Park | October 2018
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