In 1894, the opportunity presented itself to the Board of Park Commissioners to obtain lands on the southerly side of Scajaquada Creek between Elmwood avenue and Grant street which would allow for damming the quite shallow creek to raise its level, and construct a path and roadway from Delaware Park to Grant street. It was hoped that, at a future point, the project could be continued west to Niagara street.
Such an extension had been considered, but shelved, for 3 or 4 years previously; lack of funds was the primary consideration. The Panic of 1893, a widespread financial panic regarded as the worst depression prior to the Great Depression, threw hundreds of workers in Buffalo out of employment that year. As winter arrived, the workers’ situation was desperate. Via subscription, a $50,000 relief fund was raised from the city’s well-off citizens and various relief organizations. Seeking a quick means that these funds could get into the hands of the unemployed – direct distribution of funds was not considered – the organizers sought the assistance of the Park Commission to provide work. Three major projects were suggested. One was extending a pipeline from the new South Park to Cazenovia Creek to alleviate a recognized water deficiency there. A second was advancing the schedule for a major paving project in Humboldt Parkway which had been planned for the summer. The third, and largest in terms of labor requirement, was excavating the bed of Scajaquada Creek and grading its banks to permit extending a new parkway along its southern bank. It was expected that up to 1000 men could be so employed among the projects, the greater proportion on the Scajaquada Boulevard project.
As the winter progressed, relief needs expanded. Nearly 8000 men were registered to receive opportunity in the city to work, outstripping capabilities to provide it to all. Crews were rotated, so as to provide at least some work to more men.
On the Scajaquada Boulevard project, as the new year opened, the necessary approval from the State legislature was still pending. The Park Board determined to proceed with the work anyway, on faith that the necessary Act would be forthcoming and with the acquiescence of the State Hospital’s Board of Managers, which controlled a good portion of the necessary land. About 500 men and 100 teamsters were thus able to be given work opportunity daily on the park roadway project.
The goal of the preliminary work was to provide a 10 foot wide footpath near the creek’s waterline, another 20 foot wide path close to the southerly boundary of the allotted parcel of land, and a 40 foot wide roadway between the two paths. The eventual length of the parkway would be about 3000 feet. Most of that work was accomplished during 1894 and 1895, but in rather rough form. In 1896, the project was expanded to include installing a dam in the creek, and then dredging the bed in that section to a depth which would allow boating; effectively, that portion of the project would nearly double the size of the park lake. It was intended to acquire a similar portion of frontage on the opposite northern bank to allow a cycle path, a bridle path and a parkway to be built all around the lake extension, with a bridge at Grant street to complete the circuit, but the northern bank remained in private hands.
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