This long-time NYSDEC Fishing Access and Boat Launch Site on the Buffalo River becomes the seventh Buffalo Blueway site and second ADA-accessible fishing pier in the region. The public access enhancements are made possible thanks to funding from Empire State Development.
WEST SENECA, NY – Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper continues the expansion of public access to our Western New York waterways this spring with the announced opening of a newly enhanced Buffalo Blueway site at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Harlem Road Fishing Access and Boat Launch on the Buffalo River.
The popular fishing site now boasts the second Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible fishing pier in the region, an ADA-accessible pathway, a concrete paddle launch and staircase, a gravel pathway, shoreline vegetation, educational signage, and a Blueway marker that is easy to spot from the water.
Funded in part with a grant from Empire State Development, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper’s Buffalo Blueway project enhances public access to our waterways by creating a water-based trail system that also connects to the land-based Greenway system.
The Harlem Road Fishing Access Site is near the transition point where the Buffalo River splits into Cayuga Creek and Buffalo Creek, and it changes from a slower river to more of a large stream. The area is stocked each spring by DEC staff with steelhead from DEC’s Salmon River Fish Hatchery.
From the left: Katherine Winkler, Senior Program Manager at Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper; Jill Jedlicka, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Executive Director; Bonnie Kane Lockwood, Empire State Development/ Regional Director WNY; Gary Dickson, West Seneca Town Supervisor; Mike Todd, Aquatic Biologist with DEC’s Fish and Wildlife Division
Fish species, including steelhead and smallmouth bass, will naturally gather in the pool areas within the stream, and now the new accessible platform will provide excellent angling opportunities for these and other species. Steelhead will begin running up the Buffalo River in the fall months, typically late October, and will be present until the following spring. Smallmouth bass along with species like Suckers and Redhorse will move into the stream in the spring months. DEC acquired the property in March 1992 and officially opened and dedicated the Harlem Road Fishing Access Site on June 14, 1997. DEC has managed and maintained the access site since its opening.
“Thanks to our partners at Empire State Development, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Town of West Seneca, our vision and implementation of the Buffalo Blueway continues to expand. This Harlem Road access project complements the interconnected water trail system of the other Blueway sites that have opened or will open soon and provides new and improved fishing access to all members of our community,” said Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Executive Director Jill Jedlicka. “For over 37 years, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper worked tirelessly to advocate for and lead the partnership efforts that resulted in a restoring a once-dead Buffalo River into a thriving, vibrant ecosystem that is now being activated with recreational activity from locals and tourists alike. Supporting the growth of a sustainable blue economy continues to be a goal of our ongoing environmental restoration work, and by offering increased access to our waterways through the Blueway system, these kinds of projects will continue to benefit local communities as well as accelerate economic activity for the greater WNY region.”
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The opening of the Harlem Road site marks another significant milestone to reconnect Western New Yorkers with our world-class waterfront. By investing in the Buffalo Blueway, we are protecting our precious freshwater ecosystems while creating a destination for recreation and tourism. This site ensures that people of all abilities can experience the Buffalo River, ultimately inspiring the community engagement and local investment that drives regional growth.”
“The New York State Department of environmental Conservation (DEC) is pleased to partner with Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper on this important project that enhances public access and recreational opportunities in Western New York,” said DEC Region 9 Director Julie Barrett-O’Neill. “DEC acquired the property more than three decades ago and dedicated this access site to retired Regional Director John Spagnoli, who championed a canoe trail along the Buffalo River. Making fishing access and boat launches more accessible for community residents and other visitors is vital to the ongoing revitalization of our waterways by bringing people closer to nature and amplifying the ecological and social benefits of these sites for future generations.”
In January 2017, New York State announced a $10 million award to Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper to expand and enhance waterfront access. Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper’s Buffalo Blueway project aims to connect a network of public access points located strategically near existing sites and attractions along Lake Erie, the Niagara River and Buffalo River corridors to increase recreation and tourism, and spur economic activity.
Since then, numerous projects have been implemented, including enhancements at Buffalo RiverWorks, Wilkeson Pointe, Mutual Riverfront Park, Ohio Street, Red Jacket Park and Higgins Park. The site enhancements include the Buffalo River’s first ADA-accessible paddle launch dock, a massive public art mural, new seating and parking areas, new walking paths, and new ADA-accessible fishing access, among other things.
After Harlem Road is complete, Waterkeeper’s next Buffalo Blueway construction projects will include a public access site at Seneca Bluffs Natural Habitat Park and installing a Blueway site at the newly reimagined Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park. Building on the success of Buffalo Blueway, in 2026 Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper will be expanding this eco-tourism water trail to include additional public access water sites throughout the Niagara River/Lake Erie watershed. With funding from the Buffalo Erie County Greenway Standing Committee, the expanded water trail will now be known as the Buffalo Niagara Blueway.
From the left: Jill Jedlicka, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper Executive Director; Bonnie Kane Lockwood, Empire State Development/ Regional Director WNY; Katherine Winkler, Senior Program Manager at Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper; Gary Dickson, West Seneca Town Supervisor; Mike Todd, Aquatic Biologist with DEC’s Fish and Wildlife Division
