BFA: Broadway Fillmore Alive.
Some have asked from time to time in the comments section what can they do, their part in ensuring that the Broadway Fillmore neighborhood stays alive and how they can help others to do so. These folks either grew up in BF or they were the first or second generation raised in suburbia.
Pope Paul VI said: “Ours is a day which will only accept as leaders those who first and foremost are witnesses.” In other words, if you’re not coming to BF events or places at least from time to time, forget it.
Why are Catholic Churches like St. Ann’s and St. Adalbert’s being selected for closure? In a word, it’s because of the “White Flight.” Build it and they will come worked 100 years ago, but now the buildings are there and no one’s coming. Yes, parts of BF can be dangerous especially at night time but I have yet see anyone get shot walking out of Mass.
Non-Catholic buildings like Ahavas Sholem Synagogue on Jefferson, very close to Broadway and the now-gone Christ Lutheran two blocks east of St. Ann’s were sold off and vacant or destroyed because of the same problem.
The Broadway Market is in danger mostly because real business only happens at Easter.
Yes, Babcia’s passed away and the old house is barely standing, but does that mean you have to abandon the parish and neighborhood completely?
The only way to get BF really going again is to return. No, you don’t have to necessarily move back, but you should try to get to the parish for at least the occasional Sunday and not to ignore the collection basket when it comes around.
I’m thinking of one family in particular. They have been attending St. Ann’s for 6 generations. While the kids are going to Catholic school on Grand Island and also belong to a church there, they still come to Broadway and Emslie too and their father is a big part of the Friends of Saint Ann’s. Why can’t more take the initiative that they have?
Come for cultural and social events like Dyngus Day and Dozynki. Show up at a concert when performers like Ychtis or Diane Bish visit Buffalo.
Come to Seven Churches on Holy Thursday. Bring your Easter basket to be blessed. Re-live the processions like Corpus Christi just before summer begins and the Rosary in October.
Or else, BFA will be BFD – dead.
Brendan forgot another big project to volunteer for — Central Terminal.
That’s true but the Central Terminal was closed for different reasons. Thanks for the reminder though. 🙂
The terminal is a huge draw for the area, attracting more than 125,000 people over the last 6 seasons. If we can only hold more events during the times the people are there for the terminal, that would help everyone. I’ve talked with people at St. Ann’s and the market, but so far, we haven’t had much cross promotion opportunity.
All the churches, groups, and organizations contribute to the well being and future well being of the neighborhood. The point of this post wasn’t the Central Terminal or its activities. Brendan was talking about the neighborhood as a whole and how people can help in simple ways. There are other groups and causes he left out, but again, that wasn’t the point of his post. The neighborhhod isn’t just about the Central Terminal, don’t take what Brendan wrote as a slight.