Buffalo, NY – New York State Assemblymembers Jon D. Rivera and Bill Conrad today announced a joint investment of $350,000 in state funding to renovate and restore the baseball diamonds at Riverside Park in a significant win for the local River Rock Baseball League and the continued revitalization of Buffalo’s historic park space.

Assemblymember Rivera has secured $250,000 to support major upgrades to the park’s primary baseball fields, including grading and leveling the terrain, resolving drainage issues, and restoring turf. Assemblymember Conrad has committed an additional $100,000 to improvements at the park’s T-ball diamond.

Officials from the Olmsted Park Conservancy joined the announcement as well, as the organization plays a vital role in maintaining and enhancing the city’s historic park system. The Conservancy is the first nonprofit organization in the nation to manage and operate an entire historic urban park system that consists of 850 acres of beautifully designed parks, parkways and circles, which include Front Park, Cazenovia Park, Delaware Park, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, Riverside Park, and South Park.

Within the Riverside/Black Rock neighborhoods, these baseball fields offer a safe space to play and recreate and also provide a buffer from the compact urban environment surrounding it.

Studies have consistently shown that participation in youth sports result in significantly higher health outcomes and improved cognitive skills. A study conducted by the Aspen Institute showed how physical activity in general is associated with improved academic achievement, including grades and standardized test scores. Further, such activity can affect attitudes and academic behavior, including enhanced concentration, attention, and improved classroom behavior.

Yet, those positive benefits are too frequently prevented from trickling into underserved communities.

Project Play’s State of Play report in 2022 found that 24% of kids ages 6 to 12 from homes with $25,000 or less played sports on a regular basis, compared to 40% of kids from $100,000+ homes.

Half of survey respondents who played youth sports or who have children who have played said they have struggled to afford the costs to participate.

The River Rock Baseball League has been free for kids since 2019, underscoring the importance of today’s funding announcement. Since offering its programming to youth free of charge, the league has grown exponentially, from 88 players to more than 300, including a 44 percent growth from last year.

The newly announced funding builds on the momentum of recent improvements at Riverside Park. In May, State Senator Sean Ryan secured $800,000 in state funds for the installation of a new splash pad adjacent to the park’s playground near Tonawanda Street and Crowley Avenue. The pad is expected to undergo construction by 2026.

Beyond its value today, the investment in Riverside Park’s baseball infrastructure also honors Buffalo’s rich baseball legacy.

The former Riverside Park stadium located around Fargo Avenue, Rhode Island Street, West Avenue, and Vermont Street was the very first home to the Buffalo Bisons baseball club of the International Association in 1878, and the National League (one of two leagues that make up modern Major League Baseball) from 1879 through 1883.

The Bisons moved to the former Olympic Park ground for the 1884 season and beyond, located at the northeast corner of Summer and Richmond.

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “This funding ensures that kids in the Riverside and Black Rock neighborhoods have continued access to a free, safe, and welcoming environment to play baseball, build friendships, and learn lessons that will serve them well beyond the field. I’m proud to have secured state resources for a project that builds upon my work investing in parks and communities, and I know that today’s funding announcement will lay a foundation so that future families can continue reaping the benefits of our beautiful park system.”

Assemblymember Bill Conrad said, “There is no better investment in our municipalities than that which we make in the public spaces and youth programming that so enhance our quality of life. The Olmsted Parks are such places, where memories are made, friendships forged, and lasting lessons learned. I look forward to returning to Riverside Park with Assemblymember Rivera once our diamonds project is complete, and there are more kids coming out to play, to hone their skills, to find their confidence, and to eventually become stewards and champions themselves of Buffalo and Western New York.”

Catie Stephenson, Executive Director of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, said, “As caretakers and stewards of Riverside Park, we are so proud to host several athletic leagues, events and groups throughout the park season, every single year. This investment in our ball diamonds, which is aligned with the capital projects in our Five Year Plan, will enhance the park experience for hundreds of kids and families. Our team is grateful to Assemblymembers Rivera and Conrad for their commitment to our community spaces and for aligning with the Conservancy’s vision to create an exceptional park network for all of Buffalo.”