An advisory group to the newly created Niagara River Greenway Commission was urged Wednesday evening to push for elimination of the Robert Moses Parkway between Niagara Falls and Lewiston.

The 6.5-mile stretch of highway along the river came under fire from representatives of two organizations attending the second public meeting of the Citizens Advisory Committee at the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society.

Joan E. Johnson of the Niagara Heritage Partnership said its repeated attempts to address the issue with the New York Power Authority were rebuffed by what she called "evasive negotiation tactics."

The Greenway Commission was created by Gov. George E. Pataki to oversee the creation of a continuous recreational area from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. The commission is to receive up to $10 million a year from the Power Authority as part of the relicensing of the Niagara Power Project.

After the commission was created, Johnson said, the Power Authority's negotiators "immediately shifted their stance" and "we were then told the proper venue for voicing our concerns would be the Greenway Commission."

She asked that at least one gorge greenway plan without parkway lanes be drawn up by its consultant, Wendel Duchscherer.

Johnson's Niagara Heritage Partnership - a group of concerned citizens seeking to preserve the natural environment - also submitted these proposals:

Creation of an ecology center at De Veaux Woods State Park, to include entertainment as well as educational programs. It also would house projects of a proposed Joint International Biological Commission.

Creation of a greenhouse where the four-lane Robert Moses Parkway now passes the Niagara Power Project. It would grow native flora to be transplanted for restoration projects.

Restoration of Devil's Hole State Park by repairing damage caused by the Power Authority's road construction.

Michelle Vanstrom of the Niagara Frontier Wildlife Habitat Council also called for demolition of the parkway north of the Falls.

"Eliminating the Robert Moses Parkway entirely would help revitalize Niagara Falls' Main Street as well as other business districts through the redirection of traffic" onto city streets, she said.

"At each greenway meeting," Vanstrom added, "citizen advocates ask for consideration, suggest information and provide supporting environmental data. Yet some commissioners maintain an ongoing refusal to be educated about environmental issues."

Margaret Wooster of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper and Mark Mistretta of Wendel Duchscherer discussed preliminary matters relating to how boundaries will be determined for the Niagara River Greenway.

Advisory Committee Chairman Paul Dyster said its next meeting will be in Niagara County but no date has been set.

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