Community Highlight

Things to Do in Buffalo This Holiday Season

December 4, 2017 by dl2

The Buffalo-Niagara area at Christmastime has several things you, your friends, and your family can see and do mostly outdoors. Yes, it will probably be cold out, but that’s what warm coats, hats, mittens and boots are for, and there are plenty of things going on this month to enjoy, even when the “weather outside is frightful” as the old “Let It Snow” song goes…

First up, have you ever been on an ice bike? Seems like a cool thing to try out, right? Downtown Buffalo’s Canalside has ice bikes, which are bicycles you can ride on ice. Does that sound odd? It is! That’s exactly why it’s appealing! The ice at Canalside is also where you can choose to ice skate or do the very Canadian sport called curling, which kind of looks like you’re sweeping ice to get a “ball” to a certain spot like in bocce. Well, you might need to read up on curling for a much better description. Suffice it to say, people “curl” at Canalside!

Downtown Buffalo has another place to ice skate, and it’s at Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza— at Main and Chippewa. “Call first” if the weather is above 45 degrees, though– you know, a Buffalo heatwave– to check to see if they’re operating.

Do you like pretty lights? The Hamburg Fairgrounds hosts a Festival of Lights at 5820 South Park Ave. in Hamburg, south of Buffalo. You drive your car through several colorful, lit-up displays. There’s also something called the North Pole Experience involving Santa’s front porch. Visit their site for dates, hours and details.

North of Buffalo, at Niagara Falls, there are fireworks every Friday night at 9pm until Jan. 26, 2018. As Christmas gets nearer, fireworks go off nightly Dec. 23 – 29! You can view the fireworks from both the American and Canadian sides.

Finally, New Year’s Eve is when you’ll want to go to downtown Buffalo. They have a ball drop and fireworks display to ring in the new year at the Iskalo Electric Tower at Roosevelt Plaza. This is located where Main, Huron and Genesee Streets intersect in downtown Buffalo. It’s a family-friendly, alcohol-free event starting about 10:30pm on Dec. 31. Thousands attend this annual celebration. Before that, go to the Buffalo Convention Center for “First Night Buffalo,” where you’ll find carnival rides, bounce houses, acrobats, jugglers and more– great for the kids. That warm, indoor event runs from 5 to 10pm.

Things to Do in WNY this Holiday Season

November 30, 2016 by dl2

Western New York is the kind of place that’s magical during the Christmas season. When the snow comes– and it almost always does– there’s something so beautiful about being outside in it, whether you’re hanging up twinkling lights across your front yard trees and bushes or taking a walk at an area tree farm looking for the perfect Christmas tree.

Have you ever been to Jurek Plantations this time of year? The Jurek Family has been raising and selling Christmas trees for three generations. They have three area locations where you can either cut-your-own tree or get a pre-cut one to take home. A lot of people opt for the fun of cutting their own tree down, and why not? It’s the kind of thing that makes the season memorable! Pre-cuts are available at 9170 Transit Road in East Amherst, while you can go into the woods and cut-your-own at 6600 Strickler Rd. in Clarence or 11370 Hunts Corners Rd. in Akron. Visit http://www.jurekplantations.com/ for details.

While a nice, quiet walk in the country is great this time of year, Western New York is also fortunate to have lively Ice at Canalside in downtown Buffalo near the waterfront. Bring your own ice skates or rent some there, with open skating available for countless hours during most of December. While there, check out the “ice bikes” if you can– something different, for sure. You’ll want to check the Canalside website before your visit for details: https://www.canalsidebuffalo.com/

As for music concerts and plays, December is chock full of holiday themed events. See A Christmas Carol on stage at Buffalo’s Alleyway Theatre, hear the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus perform a Classical Christmas concert at Kleinhans Music Hall, or scroll through the many other fun things to see and do here: http://buffalo.kidsoutandabout.com/category/activity-type/performance

Though the weather may turn a bit frightful, there’s plenty of delightful things to see and do around Western New York this holiday season.

Starpoint Athletic Teams Continue to Excel

November 4, 2016 by dl2

Starpoint Football One of the great things about life in Western New York is people’s love for sports at all levels. Of course there are the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres to cheer for, but there are also plenty of local school teams, like Starpoint, who are worthy of admiration.

Take, for instance, the Starpoint hockey team. They recently managed to beat the Depew Wildcats 4-1 in order to take the state title. It was Starpoint’s first state title in 18 years and the biggest game in the school’s history. Of course the team had to overcome challenges along the way to winning the title, with good competition from larger schools like Orchard Park. Jordan Meisenburg, Josh Krupczyk and Patrick Miklinski scored plenty of goals to help make the Starpoint hockey team finish strong this past season.

Besides hockey, the Starpoint football team also had a banner year. Sophomore Justin Mott ran 62 yards for a touchdown in the big game against the McKinley Macks. Starpoint won 20-13 in that Section VI Class A semifinal game. And guess what? That put the team at 9-0 for the season. Not bad, huh? Starpoint’s football team advanced to the Class A championship game. Held at New Era Field, the home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, this was/is a big deal for Starpoint. Good luck, boys!

Western New Yorkers love football and hockey, that’s for sure. Starpoint is a school system in Pendleton. It also serves the nearby communities of Cambria, Lockport, Wheatfield and Royalton in Niagara County. Donna Littlefield can help you find a nice home in the Starpoint school district. If you have kids who are into sports, you should definitely consider living in the area due to Starpoint’s stellar sports’ programs.

To find homes for sale in the Starpoint school district in Western New York, call realtor Donna Littlefield at 716-578-1788 today.

Starpoint Central School District Continues to Draw Rave Reviews

August 4, 2016 by dl2

School Districts People typically move somewhere to be near good jobs and/or good schools. If you have kids, you most likely want them to attend reputable schools where they’ll get the best education possible, right?

When looking to move to a new place “for the schools,” you should consider places where children are used to/known for excelling. In other words, you want to put your kids into schools that have an expectation of success, where getting an “A” is encouraged and academics are taken seriously. Look for districts who care about art, music and sports, too, which help “round out” the educational experience.

The Starpoint Central School District, which covers the Towns of Pendleton, Cambria, Lockport, Wheatfield and Royalton, serves about 7,000 students. Dr. Sean M. Croft is the Superintendent, a role he recently stepped into after serving for nine years as the assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Assessment and Staff Development. Under his leadership, Starpoint continues its rich tradition of academic excellence and community support.

Indeed, Starpoint is a school district on the rise, ranked eighth highest performing school district in Western New York. For the record, it went from number 26 in 2011 to number 8 in 2015.

What makes Starpoint stand out from the competition? They place an emphasis on supporting students throughout their whole educational experience and family involvement is key. The schools are community hubs, and people are friendly toward one another. Of course, Starpoint owes a lot of its success to its teachers. There’s an attitude of continuous improvement in the district, with more STEM classes being offered in order to meet the needs of jobs young people will seek after they complete their studies.

Realtor Donna Littlefield can help you find the right house for your family with school-aged kids so they’ll attend Starpoint schools. With offerings in Wheatfield and Pendleton, call Littlefield today at 716-578-1788.

Would You Consider Solar Panels on Your Property?

June 2, 2016 by dl2

Solar Panels A recent article in the Niagara-Wheatfield Tribune mentioned that the Wheatfield Town Board is taking time to figure out a town law to regulate the installation and location of ground-mounted solar panels. As solar panels become more commonplace, even in places like Western New York where it’s not always sunny, towns, villages and cities have to figure out what they’ll allow because some people like the looks of solar panels while others think they mess with aesthetic value.

Because solar panels are a relatively new development, governments need to determine what’s best for their local municipality. For instance, in Wheatfield, a family wanted to put a standalone solar unit in their backyard. While it might have been fine for them, what would the neighbors think? Would they want to stare out their window and notice this solar unit everyday?

Interestingly, at this point in time, the Town of Wheatfield would probably tell that family that putting the solar panel unit in their backyard is against the law, simply because there’s a brief mention in a town ordinance that says no to solar farms or ground-mounted solar systems. However, solar panels made specifically to be placed atop roofs are allowed. Indeed, you’re much more likely to see rooftop solar panels on homes around Western New York than to see personal, residential ground-mounted ones.

If you were thinking of “going solar” you’d want to approach your town’s building department and inquire what rules need to be followed. You might need a permit, too.

Solar panels use energy from the sun to create power. If someone has an issue with them, it’s usually about aesthetics and/or awkward glare coming from them. Some panels are like mirrors while others are very low glare.

Would you consider solar panels on your property? Do you think they’re the way of the future?

Western New York is Home to Great Outdoor Music

May 3, 2016 by dl2

Outdoor Concerts Western New Yorkers have so many concerts and events to choose from during the summer months. Two places where many people go– locals and tourists alike– are Artpark in Lewiston and Canalside in downtown Buffalo. Both are fun places that take advantage of their natural surroundings– Artpark is high above the Niagara River and Canalside is Buffalo’s premier waterfront place for people to gather and have a great time.

If you’re a music lover, Artpark’s 2016 concerts will not disappoint. Dolly Parton makes a rare Western New York appearance at Artpark on June 12, followed by Canadian favorites Barenaked Ladies (BNL) on June 14. If you’re a fan of 1980s music, OMD and Howard Jones are also on the ticket for the BNL show! Tuesday nights at Artpark include affordable concerts from Blue Rodeo (June 21), rock group Whitesnake (June 28), The Band Perry (July 5), Tears For Fears (July 19) and Styx (August 16), among others. Other big names coming to Artpark this summer include Bob Dylan, Boz Scaggs, Pat Benatar, Melissa Etheridge and Ben Folds. Go to http://www.artpark.net/ for complete information.

Canalside Buffalo is known for its Thursday night concert series during the summer. Besides hosting concerts, Canalside is a great place to relax in a colorful “Buffalo sunset” chair and do some people watching as locals and out-of-town visitors stroll around historically aligned canals and the Buffalo River boardwalk. At night, you’ll want to watch the magnificent Grain Elevator Light Display, which can be seen from Canalside, across the river, from sundown until 11 p.m. nightly. Take some time, too, to admire the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park and/or Harbor Center, with its indoor ice rinks featuring hockey practices and more. Canalside has all sorts of things to see and do during the summer; visit https://www.canalsidebuffalo.com/ to find out about daily activities there, as well as planned summer concerts.