Town of Niagara: Bison Turf Equipment set to take over parcel on Military Road

By Benjamin Joe

Senior Contributing Writer

Bison Turf Equipment Inc. is a step closer to renovating and opening a vacant building in the Town of Niagara – and transforming it into a fully operational retail store before May 1.

Rob Hausrath, vice president of Bison Turf Equipment, said he was “excited,” Tuesday evening, after meeting with the Town of Niagara Town Board. The council unanimously approved the site plan he brought to them, which would convert the vacant Metro Mattress on Military Road into the third retail location for his business.

Hausrath had already met with the Town of Niagara Planning Board and the Niagara County Planning Board, both of which had given their recommendations to go ahead. His attorney in the matter, Sean Hopkins, also said the Town of Niagara Town Board reacted favorably when the subject was brought up in a work session March 11.

“Which was not surprising as, obviously, the property is vacant,” Hopkins said, noting the business would come again to the necessary boards to get approval for an expansion sometime in the future.

That expansion will house a service shop for maintenance of items sold at the retail location, but until it is built, service will be conducted at the company’s other locations, Hausrath said.

The approval given by the Town of Niagara is contingent on Bison Turf providing landscaping and a chain-link fence with slats obscuring the view of the area behind the store, which will be used for open storage.

“We will make landscape improvements,” Hausrath said after the Town Board meeting. “To make it look more attractive; so it’s not just a wall.”

Bison Turf Equipment sells commercial and residential ground-care items such as lawnmowers, snowblowers – used and new – as well as accessories as seen on its website.

Hausrath said he felt the Town Board and town officials were “interested” in both him and his success in the Town of Niagara. The business is 38 years old and family-owned.

“They’re really good people here,” Hausrath said.

In other news

•Councilman Johnny Parks, in his concluding comments at the end of the Town Board meeting Tuesday, asked residents to donate to the Town of Niagara Active Hose Fire Co. to help secure a new fire truck, saying, “It’s dearly needed.”

“They’re a volunteer group and they need our help to help try to fund a new fire truck,” Parks said. “This is one way for citizens can help out.”

Supervisor Sylvia Virtuoso noted the fire company website has a donate button at the top of the page, making it easy for supporters to give.

“Any money is good to help the fire company,” she said.

The website is https://www.townofniagarafire.org/.

•Two Town of Niagara employees helped a man who was lying in his driveway, after spotting him while driving and picking up fallen tree limbs.

Virtuoso commended the two workers, Steve Perri and James Kilbride, for stopping and getting the man into his home at Grauer Road and Colonial Drive.

“They saw one of our residents laying in the driveway and they helped him, brought him in, brought him to safety, and we really appreciate them noticing and taking the time. Thank you, James and Steve,” she said.

Highway Superintendent Richard Sirianni said he spoke to the man’s wife over the phone a few hours after his workers stopped to help, and that man has since recovered.