The Niagara Falls Transit Authority along with Senator Tim Kennedy were pleased to join the community Monday night at Cold Spring Garage to announce the completion of the beautification project for the Buffalo Freedom Wall.

With the generous funding of over $700,000 from Senator Kennedy and partnerships with the Albright- Knox Art Gallery and the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor, the NFTA has enhanced the side walk area along Michigan and Ferry Streets.

The twenty eight civil rights leaders from past and present featured on the mural are now in the “spotlight” with a new state of the art LED lighting system, providing a glow to one of the city’s most recognizable works of public art. The work also includes replacement of worn street curbing, improvements of sidewalk accessibility, and a depiction of the Pan-African flag along the wall and in the outer sidewalk.

"This enhancement project ensures that the Freedom Wall is truly illuminated and appreciated in the way it deserves to be. From the very beginning of this process, it was important to us that we were collaborating with groups like the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission and members of the East Side Garden Walk to discuss what these improvements would look like and how they would be incorporated into this powerful piece of art," said Senator Tim Kennedy.

“We are so grateful to Senator Kennedy who made this important and meaningful project come to life,” said Kim Minkel, NFTA Executive Director. “Thanks to Senator Kennedy we had the money needed to improve the curb appeal around the Freedom Wall as well as the special lighting. This moving public art project has become a major destination in Western New York, and we are proud to be part of the Freedom Wall and all it represents.”

The NFTA is proud to continue its work in providing public art to the city and ensuring the beauty of Buffalo is accessible to all.