The city has reached an agreement with the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, ensuring

that the nonprofit group will continue to maintain six of the city's largest parks and

connecting parkways.

The five-year deal includes an option that would allow parties to extend the pact for an

additional five years. The city would pay the conservancy $1 million annually, while allowing

it to keep any money it makes through new programs. The city also would provide a $1 match for

every $2 the conservancy raises from private sources, up to $200,000.

Listen to Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy Chairman David J. Colligan discuss the new agreement with the city:

"We're going to have the incentive to become entrepreneurial," said David J. Colligan,

conservancy chairman. "We're going to be able to develop new revenue sources for the parks

that will help pay for some of the restoration that we're going to do."

The conservancy hopes to undertake $500 million in parks renovations over 20 years. While

Colligan said pinpointing specific money-raising efforts would be premature, some ideas under

consideration include holiday light shows, music festivals and educational programs tailored

to gardening and outdoor enthusiasts.

Mayor Byron W. Brown called the pact a "historic day" in Buffalo. "There were some hurdles

in us getting to where we are today. But with all parties working together, we were able to

overcome those hurdles," Brown said.

The conservancy has been maintaining the Olmsted parks since 2004, when the city signed a

historic deal for Erie County to oversee all the city's 190 parks, playgrounds and

recreational centers.

The county hired the conservancy to manage the six historic Olmsted parks: Delaware, Martin

Luther King Jr., Cazenovia, South, Riverside and Front. The conservancy also oversees the

connecting parkways designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in the 19th century.

After the county indicated that it had no desire to continue the arrangement, the city

reclaimed control of its park Dec. 31. The conservancy has continued to perform its role under

the terms of the old agreement, and negotiations between the group and the city have been

under way since last year.

At a news conference today Friday outside the Parkside Lodge in Delaware Park, Anne H.

Joyce, incoming conservancy chairwoman, hailed the new agreement.

Thomas Herrera-Mishler, president and chief executive officer of the conservancy, said

that, with the city's direct cash contribution, its matching of private donations and

revisions in revenue-sharing formulas, described the new pact as a "good deal" for his group

and for taxpayers. He said comparing the new pact with past compensation would be difficult,

partially because previous arrangements included in-kind manpower provided by the county.

Elements of the agreement include:

A new residency provision ensuring that all future hires by the conservancy will live

in Buffalo, along with a plan to promote work force diversity.

An understanding that the conservancy would not have to pay seasonal or temporary

employees a higher "living wage," which the city typically requires of contractors.

Using welfare-to-work programs and other efforts to beef up manpower.

The Common Council and control board still must approve the agreement, but both have

praised the conservancy's maintenance of the parks.