As the newly appointed Chair of the Board of the Friends of the GardenAerial, I am looking forward to being part of the transformation of the High Falls District. Early settlers were attracted to High Falls because of its power. The power was harnessed to launch Rochester into the industrial age and today we can use its power to launch an urban renaissance.
Our greatest challenge is building the relationships and collaborations that are essential to the success of the GardenAerial project. Creating a public green space that will encompass the perimeter of the Genesee River Gorge and potentially create access to the river is no easy task. It is a group effort.
In the late 19th century, business leaders, philanthropists, humanitarians and public officials began to champion the need for extensive public space. They hired Fredrick Law Olmsted to create a park system and his first recommendation to the Park Commission was to focus on acquiring and developing generous public parks along the Genesee River, the city’s greatest natural resource.
We believe that the GardenAerial project is a logical extension to Olmstead’s vision for a green corridor along the Genesee River. As a community we can do this. We have the talent and resources to get the job done.
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and be part of a movement toward a sustainable resilient Rochester.