A group of Niagara Falls residents has been appointed to an ad hoc committee created by the city council to advance plans for the long-stalled Beech Avenue park project.
Committee members added this week include: Michael Barksdale, Bill Carroll, Laura Chenault, Qierra Gregory, Sean Mapp, Josh Randal, Madison Simpson, Markus Williams and Arlene Jackson-Doss, president of Niagara United Vision, Inc., a Falls-based, non-profit organization that has been working on the project for years.
Ad hoc committee members are expected to continue the work of planning and advocating for the construction of the park on the site of the former Moore Business Forms property at Beech and Highland avenues. Committee members will also be involved in keeping residents engaged in the conversation about what the park should include.
State funds were used to fully remediate the Moore Business Forms property after it was formerly acquired by the city in 2020. In a resolution authorizing the city to buy the land for $1, city lawmakers agreed to the purchase for the “purposes of creating a public park there.”
The city has since spent $189,000 on consulting services, which led to the development of a master plan for the site. The plan was based on input obtained from residents who took part in surveys and public workshops. Jackson-Doss, through Niagara United Vision, worked with the project’s consultants to gather public support for the park, collecting signatures from more than 1,100 residents and letters of support from local church pastors, the Niagara Falls School District superintendent and three members of the city council.
As part of the plan’s development, city officials considered applying for $4 million to build the park through the Niagara River Greenway Commission, a public entity that oversees the allocation of funds for public improvement projects tied to the 2007 relicensing agreement with the New York State Power Authority.
In 2024, Mayor Robert Restaino’s administration announced plans to apply for greenway dollars to support improvements at Hyde Park, Jayne Park and Grill Creek Park instead.
Jackson-Doss and other supporters argue the park would serve as an important public investment in recreation, green space, and quality of life for the Highland-Beech neighborhood and surrounding North End community. Past public input identified interest in recreational amenities, safe gathering space, and improvements that could be completed in phases as funding becomes available.
While the project has faced delays and questions over funding, advocates say the formation of the ad hoc committee is an important step toward keeping the park proposal active. The committee is expected to serve as a bridge between residents, community organizations, and city leaders as officials consider priorities, funding options, and the next phase of development.
Residents seeking more information about the committee are encouraged to contact Councilman Vincent Cauley by email at vincent.cauley@niagarafallsny.gov.