<!--Rick Forgione--><table width="234" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="http://static.cnhi.zope.net/flashpromo/niagaragazette/images/byline_234x60.jpg" height="60"><tr><td><div align="center"><font size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By Rick Forgione</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></font><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="mailto:rick.forgione@niagara-gazette.com">rick.forgione@niagara-gazette.com</a></font></div></td></tr></table>
Gill Creek park was once the site of little league baseball, basketball pickup games and children playing on swings and slides.
Slowly, it all went away.
By the mid-1990s, the dirt diamonds were covered over by grass, the home run fences and cement basketball court were taken out and the playground equipment became too old to play on and was dismantled. All that was left was a large grass field bordering Niagara Street, Hyde Park Boulevard and Falls Street.
It remained that way until about three years ago when the Niagara Street Business Association installed an $80,000 gazebo and named it in memory of active community leader Fran Scarfone, who died in 2004. Next came new landscaping and sidewalks around the gazebo, along the creek’s side and up to the comfort station in the middle of the park.
In total, the business association has spent over $100,000 in community development funds to enhance the park — and though it’s covered in snow right now, there’s big plans for that greenspace in the future.
“We want it to be one of the catalysts for the Niagara Street area,” said Ron Anderluh, revitalization coordinator for the business association. “We’re turning it into a multi-use park that the whole community can enjoy.”
Last month, the Niagara Falls City Council authorized the business association’s $101,790 grant application to the Niagara River Greenway Commission for consideration. Anderluh said the money would be used to install 16 lamp posts along the walkway and upgrade the power capabilities throughout the park to make it easier to host community events, such as the annual International Festival.
New playground equipment is starting to be installed and volunteers are working with the city to clean up the creek, allowing for fishing.
“We’re starting to see a lot more people using it,” said Nick D’Agostino, the business association’s second vice president. “(The park) was in disarray for a long time and a lot of people were talking about fixing it but nothing was getting done. We’re doing something about it now.”
Future plans also call for a small amphitheater to be built at the site. The park already hosts a popular summer concert series from June through August at the gazebo.
Despite all of the improvements, visitors shouldn’t expect to see the return of baseball diamonds or basketball courts. Anderluh said liability issues and concerns of attracting rowdy youths are preventing the association from including them. Instead, much of that old space will be taken up by picnic tables and benches.
The site will eventually be renamed the Gill Creek International Park in recognition of the 26 different nationalities of people living in the east side neighborhood during the 1920s, including Polish, German, Italian, Irish and Greek, Anderluh said. International flags and plaques honoring the area’s rich diversity will be installed near the gazebo.
Anderluh credited the city for its support through community development funds and Department of Public Works employees for cutting the grass and helping maintain the park. The business association will be seeking out more public funding in the future to continue the transformation.
“Persistence pays off,” D’Agostino said.
