Blackwater Acres Opens in Alden, with a Farm, a Kitchen and Space to Rent.

ALDEN - The Arc Erie County New York has opened Blackwater Acres, an accessible farm and four-season site at 170 Slade Drive where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities train for jobs. It also has something new for the whole town: a building the public can rent for weddings, parties and other events.

The Arc held a ceremony and ribbon cutting Oct. 8, paired with a celebration of the agency's 75th anniversary. About 250 people attended, CEO Douglas DiGesare said.

Glenn and Cindy Wetzl of Wetzl Development donated more than 150 acres for the project. The first phase is a 12,000-square-foot main building with a commercial teaching kitchen and program space. The Golisano Foundation gave $2 million toward the site.

By day the building is a training center. People supported by The Arc learn culinary, hospitality, janitorial, retail and agricultural skills.

On evenings and weekends, the building becomes an event hall open to the community. The Arc lists spacious banquet rooms that can hold more than 250 people, a large commercial kitchen, a covered outdoor patio, a gas fire pit, a conference room, a movement room and a bridal suite. It is offering the space for weddings, showers, parties, business conferences, and community and corporate group rentals. People The Arc supports can work events alongside caterers, so each rental doubles as job training and brings income to the site. Rental rates have not been posted yet; The Arc says more information is coming soon.

"What if somebody wanted to get married? Would they want to be married in a place like this? I think they would," DiGesare said.

Out back, Farm Operations Coordinator Teresa Kaczynski planted late-season crops this year, including beets, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Swiss chard and kale. The farm also keeps an apiary, and its bee boxes were decorated by members of The Arc community. A hydroponic container farm built with Nimble Farms is expected to be fully growing in late December or early January, producing lettuces and basil for local grocery stores, restaurants and community partners.

Future phases call for a field house, walking trails, an art building and sensory spaces. Staff are also planning an open house and a free community event for families in December.

Program questions go to Intake@ArcErieCounty.org or 1-833-ARC-ERIE. More information is at arceriecounty.org/blackwateracres.