In this issue
Our Community Can Count on You
We are as committed as we've always been, to advocate, communicate and act on behalf of the Parkside neighborhood to preserve and enhance the quality of life. The Parkside Community Association has been an active force here since 1963!
In order to continue the work in our community, we need your support; and one of the most impactful ways you can help is by making a tax-deductible donation to our annual appeal. The work we do this year, and every year for the past 54 years, would not have been possible without the support and generosity of people like you, and for that, we thank you.
PCA Event Calendar
To see all PCA events such as committee meetings and sponsored events, check out our online calendar!
Crime and Safety Committee Meeting
Wednesday, February 22 |7PM
For more information about the Crime and Safety committee, please email pcadirector@gmail.com.
Traffic Committee Meeting
Tuesday, March 7 | 7PM
For more information about the Traffic committee, please email traffic@parksidebuffalo.org.
Housing Committee Meeting
Tuesday,March 14 | 7PM
For more information about the Housing committee, please email housing@parksidebuffalo.org.
Community Arts Academy
Beginning March 4
Buffalo State College | 1300 Elmwood Ave Buffalo 14222
Classes for K-12th grade in photography, painting and digital art, music and creative writing (i.e. pop ups and comic books).
For more information, visit their website, or call 716-878-6326.
Using Art to Express Memories with Julie Lewitzky
Wednesdays, March 29-April 26 | 1-2:30PM
JCC Holland Building | 787 Delaware Ave. Buffalo 14206
For more information, please contact: Sheila Shapiro, 716-886-3172 ext. 470
TriMain Center - Event Calendar
For more information about Tri Main events, such as Game Space, Journey's End Refugee Services Farm Stand and CSA, and/or Free M&T 4th Fridays at the Buffalo Arts Studio, check out their calendar or subscribe to their newsletter by visiting their website.
CoLab - Event Calendar
For more information about the Community Laboratory (CoLab) in the University Heights Neighborhood, such as free DIY bicycle maintenance, tree stewardship, housing repairs, and community meetings, check out their website.
If any of our elderly members are interested in attending any of these events, let us know. The PCA will work towards finding a ride for you.
For general volunteer opportunities, please contact the office, 716-838-1240 or pcadirector@gmail.com.
Street light out? Let us know!
If you see any dimming or nonworking street lights on their blocks, please let us know by emailing PCADirector@gmail.com or calling the PCA office at (716) 838-1240. When reporting these to us, please be sure to include the street address and the cross streets, as well as the number listed on the light pole itself.
Did you know that you could request a tree through 311?
That's right, if you would like a tree planted in front of your home, you can ask the city to do so by calling the City of Buffalo's 311 Call and Resolution Center. This service may be particularly useful to those neighbors who have lost a tree, or have been impacted the construction on Parkside Avenue. For more information, please click HERE.
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PCA Sponsors
Quick Links
PCA News - February 24, 2017 
PCA Sponsored Events!
Recap of the 7th Annual Chili Cook-Off
On Saturday February 18, 2017 you voted for your favorite Parkside Family Chili recipe! Cooks competed for awards and bragging rights, and the winners were:
“Most Creative” - Bruce Wagner's Voodoo Vegan Chili
“People’s Choice” (left) - Monica Cichon's Aunt Monica's Twin Bean Twin Meat Chili and "Best Overall" (right) - Matthew Pelkey's Smokey the Bear Chicken Wing Chili
We also recognized the many children who participated in the fun by hosting their own lemonade or cookie stands! Some of Parkside's youngest entrepreneurs.
19th Annual Tour of Homes
Don't miss out! It's time to put your house on the Parkside Tour of Homes!
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Every year the Parkside Tour of Homes invites people from the city, suburbs, and even Toronto and Rochester to visit our neighborhood. It's a chance for us to show off a little, share our unique slice of Buffalo, and raise money for PCA efforts throughout the year.
The PCA Tour of Homes Committee is hard at work planning our event for 2017, and we still have room on our roster for a few more homes - including yours, hopefully!
We'd be happy to answer any questions or concerns you have, and even put you in touch with homeowners in the neighborhood who have had their homes on the tour in the past. We're looking for a few more homes by the end of February, so if you're thinking about it, please get in touch at pcadirector@gmail.com or call 716-838-1240.
News from the PCA
Ways to Support the PCA
Parkside Community Association relies on the generosity of our members and friends to provide the events and advocacy, support and programming residents have scaffold in the community for more than 50 years. We created a list of some of the other little-everyday-things everyone can do to help.
Amazon Smile
Amazon Smile gives generously to the PCA all year long. Anytime you make an online purchase please consider shopping through our link (https://smile.amazon.com/ch/13-2917881). There is no additional charge to you, and it's a little way to make your purchasing dollars stretch to help the whole neighborhood.
Dash's Tape Saver Program
Your nearest Dash's Market | 1770 Hertel Ave. Buffalo, NY 14216
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Every time you shop at Dash's Market, please save your receipt.
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Turn original receipts into the PCA office, 2318 Main Street (near the corner of W. Oakwood), anytime (drop in our mail slot!) and we will submit them to Dash's office for a cash back.
There are no increased premiums, no sign up forms, no fees, no new key tags. Simply drop off your receipts. We will take care of the rest. Thanks to Dash's Tape Saver Program, your shopping dollars will be put to use to further our mission to advocate, communicate and act on behalf of the Parkside neighborhood to preserve and enhance the quality of life.
Assisting Our Seniors
The PCA Aging in Place program has been providing transportation for the North Buffalo area for nearly six years, is in their second year of the Snow Angels initiative, and has been accumulating resources and implementing ways to help the seniors of our community to live in their homes by making Parkside an accessible neighborhood. All of these efforts have been forged by long time resident, and board member Susan Udin.
University at Buffalo visited with the PCA recently and you can read all about Udin and the efforts of the Aging in Place program here.
To volunteer with the PCA's North Buffalo Neighbors Door-to-Door Transportation, follow this link.
To serve with the PCA's Snow Angels, click here.
PCA Traffic Committee Update
In response to concerns from neighbors, the PCA has been requesting additional police enforcement for traffic violations in Parkside. Neighbors have reported excessive speeding, stop sign running, and overall dangerous driving throughout the community, with these instances being highest at peak travel times before and after the work day. In response to this, we have been advised that our D District Police Officers have been enforcing in the neighborhood. We have been advised they have written more than 150 tickets in the last 3 weeks, and plan to continue this enforcement. If you continue to see traffic violations in the neighborhood, please let us know so that we can report this on to the police for continued enforcement.
If you have a traffic concern or suggestion, please join in our efforts! You can contact the Traffic Committee by emailing traffic@parksidebuffalo.org or you call the PCA office at (716) 838-1240.
Information from the Community
Get Handy: A Home-ownership Workshop
Saturday March 4, 2017 | 10AM-Noon
University Heights Tool Library | 5 W. Northrup Place
FREE, RSVP: 716-877-3910
GET HANDY is a free DIY homeownership workshop presented by West Side & Black Rock-Riverside NHS that provides the experienced and first-time homeowner a chance to expand their education to promote DIY repairs featuring some of Buffalo’s grassroots-organization such as:
Grassroots Gardens: Worms & Soil Testing
PUSH Green: Green Energy Efficiency Options
Kevin Gould (City Inspector): Code Compliance Advisement
Buffalo Niagara RIVERKEEPER: The “How’s & Whys” of Rainbarrels
West Side NHS: Budgeting with Technology
University Heights Tool Library: An Invaluable Resource for All Homeowners
Weatherization Grants
Masten Council District: FLARE | 716-838-6740
Delaware Council District: UDCDA | 716-832-1010
Mayor Byron W. Brown announced a Weatherization Assistance Program Fund, for up to $5000 per structure, is available to weatherize homes in the City of Buffalo. The program is available city-wide to income-eligible, owner occupants who meet the program application guidelines. Applicants must be classified as one of the following:
- Elderly (household income 80% or less of median income)
- Disabled (household income 80% or less of median income)
- Families with children (household income 80% or less of median income)
- Or very-low income individuals or families (household income 50% or less of median income)
Applicants will be required to supply support documentation to verify eligibility for the program (including proof of ownership, income, household size and composition, status of the city/county taxes, water bill and user fees).
Call your council district housing agency for more information and to determine eligibility.
BPS 54 Headphone Drive
2358 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214
Buffalo Public School 54 is seeking community donations to provide headphones for their students. Individual headphones are more sanitary and allow access to reading and math technology without disrupting classroom activities. They have a goal of 500 headphones.
Monetary or material donations can be made at the school, or through the PCA office and events (such as tomorrow's Chili Cook-off). They are asking for new headphones (no earbuds please), but have identified an inexpensive source. If you'd like to purchase headphones online they can be sent directly to:
BPS 54 - George E Blackman School of Excellence,
c/o Ms. Cheney
2358 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14214
Aloma D. Johnson Charter School - Open Enrollment
15 Jewett Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14214 | 716-856-4390
Aloma D. Johnson Charter School is now accepting enrollment for Kindergarten through 4th grade. For more information visit their website or contact them through the information above.
Become a PCA Member!
If you appreciate what we do, please consider joining. Already a member? Share our efforts and events with your family, friends, and neighbors!
Learn more about the Parkside Community Association here.
Neighborhood photo of the week!
Help us showcase our beautiful Parkside community by submitting a photo of the neighborhood for inclusion below.
If you've got a great shot you would like to share, please send it to PCADirector@gmail.com!
Porch coffee chronicles resurrected ?
Sign Up to Volunteer!
Would you like to Volunteer with the PCA's events? Take a look at which events the PCA needs assistance with by clicking below! Thank you!
All money raised helps support continuing non-profit programs of the Parkside Community Association—among them are the Summer Arts Camp for kids, Aging in Place, Crime Prevention, Housing Advocacy, Arts and Crafts Show, Traffic Safety, the renowned Parkside Tour of Homes and Garden & Architecture Tour, and the popular free summer “Movies in the Meadow” series.
