The last wall of Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium will be down by the end of the week, and officials are gathering today for a formal sendoff, opening a time capsule put there in 1939, and unveiling the winners of an aud photo contest.
All but one wall (see below) of the aud remains, and crews expect final site work to be done within by the end of next month, as they prepare the site for a large Bass Pro fishing store and related developments including Canalside, a series of retail shops using Bass Pro as an anchor.
The Aud is only only ten percent of the inner harbor development work underway, according to Cong. Brian Higgins. Eventually, the region will include new cobblestone streets and a re-watered canal which will run up to Main Street in front of the Bass Pro facility.
Exclusive WBEN Audio
Click Below to Listen
WEB EXTRA: Hear Memorable Broadcasts From the Aud
WBEN's Steve Cichon
with the Official Aud Demolition Photographer
WBEN's Barbara Burns
previews the Demolition Ceremony
WBEN's Dave Debo
looks at the Other Harbor
WBEN's Tom Puckett
Aud Memories from Ernie DiGregorio
On the WBEN Liveline:
Suzanne Taylor - Chronicling demise of the Aud
Anthony Masiello - Sabres Aud Memories
Jordan Levy, Erie Canal Harbor Dev. Corp.
And from the WBEN Audio Archives:
More Aud Memories from....
Former Buffalo Braves owner Paul Snyder
Hockey Writer Budd Bailey
Hockey Writer Jim Kelley
Jean Knox, Sabres Founder's Widow
Beyond Downtown: More Waterfront Development ....
and coming soon....a way to get to it.
Work on the outer harbor (L , beyond grain elevators, and arena) rmoves forward with plans for a parkway along the shore, eventually connecting to a new bridge that would link Main Street to the parkway.
Middle income housing and shoreline access for hikers and waders is planned there.
The Aud Today: One Wall Remains
Remembering "Our home away from home for such a long time..."
WBEN.com has a series of quotes from various individuals who were close to the aud during its 70- year history.
"Back in the old days, people could see you sweat, they were so close to you, they could see the sweat drip off your face, and every given night it was the same fan sitting in the same seat. You became familiar with them, you became friends with some of them,"
-- Rene Robert, Buffalo Sabre forward, 1970-1979
"It was our home away from home for such a long time. it was a wonderful era for Buffalo... For me the Aud was just a wonderful place in Buffalo, We went to concerts, we went to the circus, and of course we went to hockey. It was just such a wonderful time."
-- Jean Knox, widow of Sabres Founder
"It was a kind of dreary place inside, but I guess we brought a lot of cheer into it. "
--Paul Wieland, former Sabres PR director
" I played hockey there. I watched hockey there. It was a piece of Buffalo's history... "
-- Cong. Brian Higgins (D-Buffalo)
"In grammar school that was our Saturday night out... The arena is new and it's exciting and it's spacious but it doesn't have the rickety old sounds, and the noise echoing, vibrating off the roof and the sides, and people right on top of the ice or the basketball court."
-- Former Buffalo Mayor, and Canisius College basketball star Anthony Masiello
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