Following the ribbon cutting, the group enjoyed sandwiches and a cake decorated to look like the butterfly garden on a sunny day. Students went into the school's greenhouse and shared highlights and memories of the past year as a PowerPoint of images, including those from blustery autumn days, were shown. As the PowerPoint concluded, the sun came out, and the day looked more like the one depicted on the cake, as the celebration again shifted outdoors.

Over the course of the school year, Greenbelt Educators Karen Fu and Katherine Trimarco, along with Stephanie Janowitz of PS 35, met with students during weekly afterschool sessions. In the fall, students honed their plant identification, soil testing, measurement, and observation skills, using the school greenhouse and school yard as a learning laboratory. They were well-prepared for the spring planting season.

Students also visited the Greenbelt Native Plant Center and took their parents on a tour of the Greenbelt Recreation Center Nature Trail. During the winter, the entire school became involved, as the student council led an assembly on composting; students and their families brought in fruit and vegetable scraps for the school-wide Compost-a-thon to help produce compost for the butterfly garden.

In the spring, students reviewed what they learned in the fall and applied it to the spring plantings. First, in addition to the compost that was slowly forming from their food scraps, they added over 1 cubic yard of compost, delivered by PRM Frank Carcaterra, to the garden beds and tilled the soil to prepare for planting. On May 14, the students added a colorful array of flowers and grasses such as goldenrod, milkweed, wild bergamot, and switch grass. These species will attract butterflies and other wildlife. On May 2, students helped restore a native forest habitat along the Greenbelt Recreation Center trail, planting trees, shrubs, and flowers that provide ground cover and food for wildlife, including fragrant spicebush, bountiful highbush blueberry, shade-providing sweet gum, red oak, black birch, and tulip trees, and fantastic fall-blooming white wood and blue wood asters. Both the butterfly garden and the native forest habitat have been registered as Certified Wildlife Habitats by the National Wildlife Federation.

The "GreenWorks!" afterschool program, a partnership between the PS 35 Clove Valley School and the Greenbelt, was funded by a $1,000 grant from "GreenWorks!", the service-learning, community action program of Project Learning Tree that partners Project Learning Tree educators, students, and communities in environmental neighborhood improvement projects.

The "GreenWorks!" afterschool program fostered numerous collaborations between various divisions of Parks as well as various segments of the community. Plants and technical assistance were provided by the Greenbelt Native Plant Center. The Greenbelt Natural Areas Manager, Tony Rho, helped determine the site and plant selection. Compost for the butterfly garden at PS 35 near Terrace Playground was provided by District 1. Maintenance and Operations staff of the Greenbelt Recreation Center and Greenbelt Nature Center transported tools, plants, and drinking water, and helped supervise the planting on the trail that adjoins the two facilities. Volunteers, including parents of the students, a retiree, and a student from Susan Wagner High School also helped provide a safe, enjoyable planting experience. And the experience has given these students, from the North Shore community of Sunnyside in Community Board 1, a valuable experience in the heart of the Staten Island Greenbelt, fostering a bridge between the two communities and restoring beautiful habitats that will benefit residents and visitors of both communities.

The butterfly garden and native forest habitat restoration are testament to the importance of collaboration, and proof that, in these trying economic times, when we pool our resources together we can achieve more than we thought possible, and small steps, taken collectively, can lead to giant leaps in the improvement of our green spaces.

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

Anne Bradstreet

1612 - 1672

"Rather than destroying this valuable piece of our history, we have recycled it into an innovative and exciting park that will provide more outdoor space for our citizens and create jobs and economic benefits for our City," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Ten years ago, detractors thought the High Line was an eyesore. Thankfully, there were a handful of people who looked at the High Line and saw also an extraordinary gift to our city's future. Today, we will unwrap that gift."

Access points to the High Line from street level are located at Gansevoort Street, 14th Street, 16th Street, 18th Street and 20th Street and will be open during the park's operating hours, from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The High Line's landscape is fully ADA-accessible, with an elevator at the 16th Street access point, and another at 14th Street to open in July. Visitor access may be limited during the High Line's first summer season due to the anticipated high volume of visitors and the High Line's limited capacity, as well as ongoing construction and horticulture work. During this opening season, visitors will be directed to enter the park at the Gansevoort Street access point, unless an elevator is needed.

The High Line's design is inspired by the wild, self-seeded landscape that grew up naturally on the High Line when the trains stopped running in 1980. It retains the original railroad tracks from the industrial structure and restored steel elements including the High Line's signature Art-Deco railings. An integrated system of concrete pathways, seating areas and special features blend with naturalistic planting areas to create a singular landscape.

"Today's opening of the first section of the High Line demonstrates our commitment to finding innovative ways to continue adding open space to New York City," said Commissioner Benepe. "Thanks to a fundamental partnership between City government, elected officials, and an extraordinary, grass-roots citizen organization, Friends of the High Line, this park project is the most exciting in generations. This new public park, elevated 30 feet above the ground, will serve a neighborhood in need of parkland and attract visitors from around the world."

The total cost for Section One and Two of the High Line is $152.3 million. The design and construction cost of the section of the park that opened today is $86.2 million. Funding for the project includes $112.2 million from the City, $20.3 million from the federal government, and $400,000 from the State. Remaining funds will be raised privately by Friends of the High Line as part of their operating agreement with the City. To date, Friends of the High Line has raised $44 million in their capital campaign for the High Line.

"Ten years in the making, the High Line is a testament to what New Yorkers can accomplish if they dream big and work together," said Friends of the High Line Co-Founder Robert Hammond, "In these challenging times, gifts like those from the Diller - von Furstenberg Family Foundation and Philip and Lisa Maria Falcone will allow us to finish construction on Section 2 and help build an endowment for the future maintenance of the High Line."

With the opening of the first section of the High Line, Friends of the High Line, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, begins its role as the conservancy charged with maintaining and operating the High Line. Under a license agreement with the Parks Department, Friends of the High Line is responsible for raising the private funds for and staffing the High Line's day to day maintenance and operations on behalf of the Parks Department, as well as public programming and outreach related to the park.

Friends of the High Line began advocating for the High Line's reuse as public open space in 1999. In 2002, the Bloomberg Administration endorsed the project when it filed with the United States Surface Transportation Board requesting authorization to create a railbanked trail on the High Line. The Surface Transportation Board granted a Certificate of Interim Trail Use in June 2005. The High Line structure south of 30th Street was donated to the City of New York by CSX Transportation, Inc., in November 2005. Construction began on the High Line's transformation into a public park in 2006.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Criticism comes easier than craftsmanship."

Zeuxis
(~400 BC)

Among those saluted were Gardener John Vei who is assisted by the gardening mobile crew of Assistant Gardener Raphael Perez and City Park Workers Carlos Romero and Jesus Meija. Park Supervisor Philip Lorenz, Park & Recreation Manager Lena Neglia and Borough Commissioner Julius Spiegel were also acknowledged for their support, direction and leadership.

Each spring, the seasonal beds are filled with 'Pink Impression' and 'Purple Negrita' tulips, followed by summer 'Victoria Blue' salvias and purple verbenas. Edging the beds are blue-grey leaved 'Hidcote' lavenders and 'Apple Blossom' carpet roses. The sheared English yew topiaries and boxwood hedges in a fleur-de-lys pattern provide year-round interest.

Mr. Vei, a 22-year veteran of horticulture said, "It's always nice to be told we do a good job. But we know it when people look and ask us questions while we're working. I always smile because it means they stopped and saw the flowers." In addition to maintaining Borough Hall, Mr. Vei and the mobile crew also garden at the Brooklyn War Memorial, Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Cuyler Gore and the South Oxford Park in downtown Brooklyn. Congratulations to all for receiving this honor!

To see what these jobs entail and for other opportunities to grow at parks, please visit the Parks Intranet (http://home.intranet.parks/Home/main.aspx). You can access the postings three ways: 1) from the top of the screen click on Jobs or 2) go to Divisions to Personnel to Job Postings or 3) scroll down on the left side to Job Postings tab.

"Parks & Recreation is pleased to welcome the innovative work of Bascove to the Arsenal Gallery," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "Inspired by the work of Olmsted and Vaux, her imaginative interpretations of Central Park's historic bridges highlight the seamless blend of functionality and artistry that can be found throughout the park. A Walk in the Park is sure to compel visitors to revisit these landmark structures this summer."

When Central Park was designed in 1858, it was fitted with an intricate composition of pedestrian paths, bridal trails, and drives. To maintain its integrity as a park, while catering to the various modes of transportation needed in an urban setting, the park's designers included over 40 unique arched bridges to provide pedestrians with unbroken pathways, most of which remain today.

Throughout her career, Bascove has painted many of New York City's bridges, from the Verrazano Bridge to the Harlem River Bridges, using curved geometrical strokes and vivid colors to render monumental structures. For this exhibition she has concentrated on Central Park and the arched structures that span its waterways, roads, and paths. Although these bridges are smaller in scale than others in New York, Bascove treats each bridge as a grand object allowing the details of its construction and the frenetic park life surrounding it to shine through.

For over two decades, her work has been exhibited regularly in New York and Paris. Her work is represented by galleries in New York City, Los Angeles, Paris, and Kent, CT., and found in many private and public collections, including: The Museum of the City of New York, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, The Norwalk Transit District, Time Warner, the Oresman Collection, and the Mus of Cherbourg.

The Gallery wishes to thank Thomas Paul Fine Art, of Los Angeles, for its generous support of this exhibition.

The Arsenal Gallery is dedicated to examining themes of nature, urban space, and wildlife, in the context of New York City parks and their history. Works in this exhibition are for sale. A portion of proceeds supports the Arsenal Gallery and Parks' Public Art Program. The Gallery is located on the third floor of the Park's headquarters in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue at 64th Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gallery closed on holidays. Admission is free.

GO GREEN! ECO TIP OF THE DAY

Switch to paperless bank statements and online bill paying!

Sick of all that mail? Log on to your bank's website and enroll in their
paperless banking program. If every home in the US viewed and paid bills
electronically, the country would save 18.5 million trees and avoid 2.2 billion
tons of toxic air pollutants. And if you want to reduce the junk mail you
receive, visit NYCWasteLe$$ to remove your name from mailing lists.

Source: http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/greenyc/greenyc.shtml#list

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see."

Edgar Degas
(1834 - 1917)

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY
"Life is something to do when you can't get to sleep."

Fran Lebowitz
(1951 - )

Enjoy the great outdoors with dad this Father's Day! With events ranging from canoeing to singing to fishing to running, we've got something sure to please every father figure.

Make Music New York

Happily, you won't be able to get very far on Sunday without bumping into a live music performance. That's thanks to Make Music New York, a festival of free concerts in public spaces being celebrated in New York City for the third year. See what's playing in your local park, or use Make Music New York your inspiration to discover new music and new parks while participating in a global celebration of music-making.

Saturday, June 20

Yoga in the Park
9:00 a.m.
Little Bay Park, Queens

Chess Tournament
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Shorefront Parkway & Beach 105th Street, Queens

The New Village Music Festival
11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Tompkins Square Park, Manhattan

Waterfall Hike
12:00 p.m.
Prospect Park, Brooklyn

The Chubby Hubby Fun Run
12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Clove Lakes Park, Staten Island

Sunday, June 21

Bronx Week Parade
8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx

First Annual Herb Festival
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Hattie Carthan Garden, Brooklyn

Kayaking in Hallets Cove
1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Socrates Sculpture Park, Queens

How Green Are You?
1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
11BC Garden, Manhattan

Summer Solstice Saunter
2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
High Rock Park, Staten Island

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope."

Bill Cosby
(1937- )

In Queens Parks, Dockmaster Seth Goodwin kicked off this year's effort, speaking to several hundred 4th and 5th graders assembled in their school auditorium and classrooms for Public School 24's recent Career Day. Dockmaster Goodwin introduced the students to the busy and exciting world of boating and waterfront life and to a career many had never heard of before. New York City is surrounded by water but only a few students had been on a boat before or were familiar with maritime careers. Many seemed surprised that boating has such a presence in the City.

The students particularly enjoyed Goodwin's description of the challenges involved in navigating boats in and around the busy waterways of New York City, working outdoors and close to nature, and the nearly endless variety of vessels that moor at Parks marinas. Some of the challenges of maintaining our waterways were reinforced by photos Goodwin displayed of a sunken vessel removal operation Parks coordinated in northern Manhattan last year. The photos that seemed to attract the most attention, however, were of the two harbor seals that have visited the World's Fair Marina and 79th Street Boat Basin.

After a lively question & answer session, students had opportunity to learn some hands-on maritime skills. Goodwin led students in a nautical knot-tying clinic where students learned several specialized knots popular to the maritime industry. Students also had opportunity to examine the nautical maps, tools and compasses that Goodwin had brought along to further demonstrate some of the tools used by mariners.

Meanwhile, the best is yet to come for the PS 24 students. On June 2nd the students will be visiting the World's Fair Marina for an on-site opportunity to learn about marinas, on-water safety, nautical skills and environmental awareness. The educational program, which will culminate in a dockside sail training aboard the 7-sail, 120 foot educational tallship Unicorn, is part of a larger educational programming and events schedule that the Parks Marina Division will be hosting throughout 2009, many of which will be open to the general public.

Written by Nate Grove, Marina Manager

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY
"Love looks through a telescope; envy, through a microscope.

Josh Billings
(1818 - 1885)

"The whole point of the show is to let people know about the great programs out there that are free or low cost so they can take advantage of them," said Adrian Sas, the program's producer who created the cable series four years ago. "We try to find and present the lesser known programs and parks."

In past seasons, It's My Park has featured stories about public art and film festivals, gone backstage at concerts and performances, and toured houses in the Historic House Trust. The series has explored amphibious terrain, taking viewers kayaking on Jamaica Bay and mountain biking in Cunningham Park, and even up into the sky at the model helicopter field in Drier Offerman Park.

This season, It's My Park visits New York's "South Pole" in Conference House Park on Staten Island, and a 19th century cemetery chapel converted into a jazz hall in Queens. Viewers will meet inline speed skaters who race at 30 mph, and champion shuffleboard players, as well as the volunteers who help keep parks beautiful.

One of the additions this season is "Poets in the Park," a new series of 30 second interstitials featuring poets reading excerpts of their work in either their favorite park or a park that is relevant to the poem. Bob Harding, artist and poet, came up with the idea of introducing footage of readings to the program.

"I think of it as being edited together like a music video, so there's visual correspondence with verbal art," Sas said. "It's supposed to be a little surprising, a little daring, and bring poetry into the foreground for everyone's enjoyment."

Each episode concludes with a listing of events from the BeFit website, which are complemented by animations by graphic designer Amy Tsao.

It's My Park streams on the parks website at nyc.gov/parks/video. This year its presence on the web is expanding with videos available on YouTube and Facebook.

If you have any ideas for upcoming It's My Park stories, please e-mail pressoffice@parks.nyc.gov.

It's My Park airs Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. on NYC TV Channel 25.

Written by Michael Young

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating: people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing."

Oscar Wilde
(1854 - 1900)

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"The earth is like a spaceship that didn't come with an operating manual."

R. Buckminster Fuller
(1895 - 1983)

Julia Vogl, Leaves of Fort Greene, Fort Greene Park, through July 10.
Vogl is an independent artist whose Leaves of Fort Greene is situated in Brooklyn's oldest major park. Her installation explores how light colors our experience. Large plexi-glass panels embellished with images of enlarged foliage layered in translucent paint rely on the movement of sunlight to create ever-changing combinations of pattern, color and light.

Julie Farris and Sarah Wayland-Smith, A Clearing in the Streets, at Collect Pond Park, through October 1, 2009.
A project of the Public Art Fund, A Clearing in the Streets is an urban viewing structure that provides a glimpse of a natural habitat in a city setting and demonstrates in real time, how landscapes evolve. Located where a great wetland stood until the early 19th century, this ten-sided plywood structure is punctuated with viewing slots offering fleeting glances that reveal an idealized meadow of wild flowers growing surrounded by a panoramic mural of a vast blue sky. Starting from seeds and young plants, the meadow will grow and flourish over the duration of the piece turning in to a lush native habitat in a plaza framed by courthouses.

Spencer Finch, The River That Flows Both Ways, The Highline, through June 2010.
A collaboration of Creative Time with Friends of the Highline and NYC Parks, this installation will be presented on the occasion of the opening of the High Line as a City park in June 2009. Where freight once traveled Finch transforms an existing grid of window frames into a complex and soothing matrix of 700 individually crafted panes of glass representing the tidal cycle of the Hudson River over a period of 700 minutes on a single day. The installation is placed in a semi-enclosed tunnel atop the line, between 15th and 16th Streets, viewable from both the street and up on the Chelsea Market section of the High Line. The work links the movement of the river, viewable from the site, with the historic movement of the railway and the atmospheric conditions of its location on Manhattan's West Side.

Kyu Seok Oh, Renka, Montefiore Park, up through June 15.
A project of West Harlem Art Fund with Harlem School of the Arts, Renka is a massive reclining figure created from hundreds of strips of wood. Inspired by his mother, artist Kyu Seok Oh created this piece as a symbol of all women. Students from the Harlem School of the Arts assisted with the construction of the work, which while ephemeral in nature has strong physical presence.

Richard Baronio, Spotted Leaf, Fort Tryon Park, through September 25.
Baronio created Spotted Leaf--a four-foot long self supporting perforated stainless steel leaf-- based on his recent interest in gardens as a source of inspiration and subject matter. With many beautiful locations in Fort Tryon, the artist settled on the beloved heather gardens as a temporary home for this work.

Natalie Pham and Avanti Patel, America's Chinatown Voices, through August 8.
Organized by the Asian American Arts Center, America's Chinatown Voices consists of 80 brightly colored panels mounted on the fence encircling Columbus Park. Local voices, ideas, stories, and images have painted by the artists on these wood panels. The black silhouetted images on red backgrounds have the potency of political posters, and collectively create a dynamic rhythm framing this historic park at the heart of Chinatown. Every weekend throughout the summer, the artists and volunteers will come to repaint many of the panels with new comments and thoughts, renewing each artwork.

John Morton, Sound Tunnel, Central Park Zoo, through September 10.
Avant-garde composer John Morton's rich sonic collage, Central Park Sound Tunnel, will resonate in the pedestrian tunnel between the Central Park Zoo and Children's Zoo adjacent to 5th Avenue. Beginning every half-hour with the ringing of the Delacorte chimes, this 20-minute, 6-speaker sound installation incorporates field recordings made in Central Park over the last year. Randomly-generated selections of ambient sounds such as horses clopping, baseball games, birds, and the carousel are woven together to form a complex ever-changing compositions that echo through the cavernous tunnel. The installation will run every day from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"To find a fault is easy; to do better may be difficult."

Plutarch
(46 AD - 120 AD)

Although it might be hard to imagine a sunny New York summer day, brighter and warmer weather is on its way, and our outdoor pools will be waiting for you when it arrives! All 54 Parks outdoor pools open for the season on Saturday and remain open through Labor Day. Enroll in a free swim program, begin or end your day with a few laps, or simply enjoy relaxing on the deck of the Floating Pool at Barretto Point Park in the Bronx.

School's Out for Summer

If you're looking for open water adventure this weekend, head to Michaelis-Bayswater Park on Saturday for a celebration of the school year's end. The Urban Park Rangers will provide canoes, lifejackets, and instructions to newly liberated children and their parents, while music, games, and refreshments keep their land-loving family members entertained.

Saturday, June 27

Greenwich Village Walking Tour
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Hudson River Park, Manhattan

Bronx River Festival
11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
180th & Boston Road, Bronx

Be a History Detective
1:00 p.m.
Fort Totten Park, Queens

Creatures of the Night
7:00 p.m.
Blue Heron Park, Staten Island

Sunday, June 28

Spanning Time
11:00 a.m.
Brooklyn Borough Hall, Brooklyn

Bike the Greenway
11:00 a.m.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens

Canoeing Basics
11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Wolfes Pond Park, Staten Island

Bayside Historical Society Annual Lawn Concert: The Something Special Big Band
6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Fort Totten Park, Queens

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"The most beautiful thing in the world is, of course, the world itself."

Wallace Stevens
(1879 - 1955)

Jessica Stockholder, Flooded Chambers Maid, Madison Square Park through August 15. Organized by Madison Square Park Conservancy, this work is anchored by a 1300 sq. ft. arrow-shaped platform sprawling across the park's Oval Lawn. The platform-a wildly colorful and intricately-patterned combination of custom cut and colored industrial steel and molded fiberglass grating-emerges from a shock of colored rubber mulch to spread itself across the lawn, enveloping a tree and stretching to reach the pathway surrounding the lawn. The platform's dynamic pop colors spill from the edge of the platform and Oval Lawn across the bordering pathway, leading to an equally colorful staircase and viewing platform installed on one of the smaller adjacent lawns. From this elevated perspective, visitors are invited to view the installation's garden: swaths of bright flowers and boldly colored plastic bins and buckets that sweep across the small adjoining lawn.

Katie Holten, Tree Museum, Grand Concourse, June 21 through October 12.
A project of the Bronx Museum of Art and Wave Hill with NYC Parks & Recreation, the Tree Museum runs from 138th Street to Mosholu Parkway. It features 100 existing trees, using them as a springboard for exploring the neighborhoods' ecological and cultural life. A corresponding audio guide can be accessed by keying in a number into a cell phone, to listen to impressions from historians, tree experts, rappers, architects, bee keepers, schoolchildren and many others.

Ethan Long, Dirt Cube, Rockaway Beach at 32nd Street. Rockaway Waterfront Alliance, through November 1.
Far Rockaway resident Ethan Long has created a rammed-earth sculpture along the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk. This large-scale earthwork resembles a minimal cube during the day, but as night falls a series of fiber-optic lights dotting the structure's surface are revealed. These lights glint like stars against the dirt structure adding a cyber-electric dimension to this powerful tribute of the dexterity of environmental elements.

Socrates Sculpture Park, State Fair, through August 9.
Curated by Alyson Baker, Mark Dion, and Marichris Ty, State Fair is a group exhibition exploring the theme of American rural life. It uses the platform of the state fair as a means to examine topics such as animal husbandry, specialized horticulture, small scale farming, culinary arts, and the pageantry within these fields that occurs at fairgrounds across the country. The show will also incorporate work that references traditional craft, and the myriad of amusements, rides, competitions, and entertainment that are presented as part of state fairs. Featured artists include Margarita Cabrera, Jennifer Cecere, Emily Feinstein, Charles Gute, Jeanine Oleson, Risa Puno, Dana Sherwood & The Black Forest Fancies, Stephen Shore, Jason Simon, William Stone, and Bernard Williams.

LEAP, Crotona Park, Claremont Park; Commodore Barry Park; Green Central Knoll; Inwood Hill Park; Tompkins Square Park; Juniper Valley Park; Parsons Greenstreet; Silver Lake Park; Stapleton Playground through September 1.
Learning Through an Expanded Arts Program (LEAP) is a 30 year old nonprofit that works with schools to use art as a tool for learning. As part of a program on public art that LEAP presented in NYC public schools, 10 works were created by high school students at parks in the 5 boroughs. Each work has a standard framework - a school lunch table - on which the students paint, draw and apply tiles. The students worked closely with experienced public artists to create content that reflects issues such as the environment, gang violence, and the economy.

James Surls, Park Avenue between 50th-57th Streets, through July 1.
Seven large-scale bronze and stainless steel sculptures by James Surls line Park Avenue. Based on natural forms, Surls' constructions are created using his own iconic imagery of diamonds, vortexes, needles, and flowers. Born in East Texas James Surls has been based in Colorado since 1998. The exhibition was sponsored by the Gerald Peters Gallery.

Bascove, A Walk in the Park, The Arsenal Gallery in Central Park, through August 13.
This exhibition celebrates the vibrant diversity of Central Park's bridges by New York based artist Bascove. In her colorful and pulsating oil paintings and drawings, Bascove shares her fascination with these structures by capturing their individuality.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far."

Thomas Jefferson
(1743 - 1826)

Steve has advanced high-profile projects throughout the borough. He helped coordinate the approval process for the renovations at Washington Square and Union Square parks, among the most well-known Parks spaces with highly involved communities. His contacts with elected and appointed officials and Community Board members throughout the borough have been very useful to Parks. For example, when it looked as though the key Riverwalk project in Riverside Park would have to be suspended for the winter, Steve made a phone call and obtained approval from the state for the work to proceed.

Steve also has succeeded in increasing the public's attendance at Manhattan's special events, including the recent opening of the West Harlem Piers Park, which included Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Paterson, Congressman Rangel, various other officials, and performances by the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble and the Patience Higgins Trio. Steve also organizes the annual commemoration of the Battle of Fort Washington in Fort Tryon Park.

Steve works long hours, leaving the office long after the staff and the cows have come home, and is a dedicated public servant who practices the art of government with integrity and passion. Borough Commissioner Castro calls him the indispensable man who not only comes up with the ideas but makes them happen.

Shana Wernow is the Capital Projects Employee of the Month for May. Shana is a Senior Budget Analyst and is making her second tour with Parks. She worked in the Permits and Grants Unit between 2004 and 2007 and returned with Capital on January 27, 2008. Shana administers and tracks the various grant programs funded in Parks' capital budget. Grants often have unique and specific funding and procedural requirements. Shana works closely with project managers, Legal, Budget and the Comptroller's office to make sure we move forward correctly on these programs. Some grants she has worked on include Highbridge Access, Hester Street Playground, and the Jackie Robinson Bandshell. Shana also tracks deposits for various programs, including over $500,000 in FY09 tipping fees at Ferry Point Park. As the number of grants rises, Shana has met the challenge. For her teamwork and attention to detail, Shana was nominated by Deputy Commissioner Therese Braddick and Director of Capital Budget Gus Anagnostakos.

Ana Marie Campos is Management's Employee of the Month for May. Ana is the Deputy Director of the Computer Resource Centers and has been with Parks since October 18, 2006. Ana oversees the 10 RECYouth sites throughout the 5 boroughs. This successful program gives kids the opportunity to learn valuable skills in digital media. Workshops include movie making, photography, animation, and music. Ana trains instructors, monitors programming, and continually researches new developments in the ever-changing field of digital media. Under her guidance, over 200 students took part in workshops, making 60 short videos and multimedia projects. Ana also launched the RECYouth Summer Institute, which provided intensive training to 75 teens. The Teen Press Corp covered many Parks events and also set up photo booths for patrons at Special Events including WinterJam and Adventures NYC. Ana is introducing hundreds of teens to these evolving mediums while breaking new ground in Parks programming. For her dedication and leadership, she was nominated by Deputy Commissioner Robert Garafola and CRC Director Olga Gazman.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"We are always the same age inside."

Gertrude Stein
(1874 - 1946)

James Rooney is an Operations Employee of the Month for May. James is a Park Supervisor Level 1 and has been with us since January 27, 1986. James has spent his entire career in Queens, working in Districts 3, 14, and the Greenhouse. Today, he helps oversee the daily operations in Queens' District 8. His responsibilities include creating crew schedules, overseeing the event calendar and training seasonal employees on rules and procedures. James also applies his extensive knowledge of machinery, vehicles and equipment to daily operations. His skills and leadership abilities are reflected in the district's 98% cleanliness and 93% overall ratings for 2008. James is focused and dedicated and often stays late on his own time to complete assignments. For his service to Queens, he was nominated by Chief of Operations Jackie Langsam and PRM Gabe Echevarria.

Kim McNeal is the Public Programs Employee of the Month for May. Kim is Manhattan's Chief of Recreation and has been with Parks since April 18, 1983. In her 26 years of service, Kim has worn many hats with the agency including Urban Park Ranger and Center Manager. Today, she oversees the day to day operations of Manhattan's recreation centers and ballfield permits office. In her three years as Chief, Kim has helped enhance the level of service that our patrons receive. She expanded the number of activities that are offered at our recreation centers and introduced numerous special events. These include Afterschool Science Fairs and the Shape-Up New York "New Year, New You" Challenge. She has also forged partnerships with numerous community organizations. The result has been great programs and events such as Asthma Camp, National Girls and Women in Sports Day, and the Iron Chefs competitions. Kim is attentive to her staff and pushes them to improve each day. Our centers are cleaner than ever and membership numbers are up. For her leadership and many achievements, Kim was nominated by Deputy Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey and Assistant Commissioner Nancy Barthold.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Life is a succession of moments, to live each one is to succeed."

Corita Kent
(1918 - 1986)

Spice up your Independence Day barbecue banter with a few fun facts about our nation. The Parks Department offers fun, educational events this Fourth of July weekend focused on topics like early American games, Revolutionary battles, traditional cooking, and more!

Canoeing at Van Cortlandt Park

The lake at Van Cortlandt Park is a quiet, scenic spot to learn the basics of canoeing for free from our Urban Park Rangers. Come to one of our introductory paddles this Sunday and discover the joys of traveling New York City by water.

Friday, July 3

Summer Sports Experience
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Park & Mullaly Park, Bronx

Summer Art in the Park
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Riverside Park, Manhattan

Saturday, July 4

Yoga in the Greenbelt
9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Greenbelt Nature Center, Staten Island

Weekend Woodland Volunteers
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Bronx Arts Ensemble Concert
2:00 p.m.
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx

RCTA Sunset Concert: Jazz Music with Ron McClure
7:00 p.m.
Riverside Park, Manhattan

Sunday, July 5

Nature Photography Series: Back to Basics
10:00 a.m.
Pelham Bay Park, Bronx

Kayaking in Hallets Cove
1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Socrates Sculpture Park, Queens

Sing Out, Staten Island!
2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Conference House, Staten Island

Guided Tour of Dyckman Farmhouse
3:40 p.m.
Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, Manhattan

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country!"

Daniel Webster
(1782 - 1854)

"Parks is kicking off the summer in style at Coney Island this weekend, in a record breaking fashion," said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "We are proud to announce a record number of more than 1,200 highly qualified lifeguards this year staffing outdoor pools and beaches throughout the city. I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the recruitment campaign and lifeguard training. The beach is the cornerstone of Coney Island and the people who put that cornerstone in place are our lifeguards. We look forward to having more beaches being open and the safest and most exciting season yet."

"Lifeguards who belong to District Council 37's NYC Lifeguard Supervisors Local 508 and NYC Lifeguards Local 461 do a wonderful job of safeguarding the city's pools and beaches," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. "We are especially proud this year that a collaborative effort between Local 508 and the NYC Department of Parks, which is responsible for operating the city's 14 miles of beaches and 54 outdoor pools, has resulted in the hiring of the largest number of lifeguards ever - over 1,200 lifeguards. These lifeguards have been tested and certified to work at city beaches and public pools where they make rescues and perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and, ultimately, save lives making a day at the beach or pool an enjoyable experience for the millions of New Yorkers who use those facilities."

Between 1995 and 2005, the average number of Parks summer lifeguards was 969. Thanks to a vigorous recruitment campaign, those numbers increased to 1,066 in 2006, 1,090 in 2007 and 1,148 in 2008. Achieving over 1,200 lifeguards meets a longstanding goal of the Parks Department.

Late last year, Parks' lifeguard trainers were quietly scouring swimming programs all over town promoting great lifeguard jobs. Their early action paid off with over 200 qualified applicants enrolled in the Municipal Lifeguard Training Program even before the official start of the recruitment season. They then worked diligently throughout the winter and spring turning the new recruits into qualified lifeguards who are now ready to safeguard swimmers at our beaches and pools.

Candidates who passed the training test enrolled in Parks' free Municipal Lifeguard Training Program, which is the only certification accepted for employment as a New York City lifeguard. The training program consists of 40 hours of instruction in swimming and rescue techniques, First Aid, and CPR, and includes a final swim test and a written exam. First-year lifeguards earn at least $13.57 an hour (up from $12.55 in 2008) and work 48 hours a week.

At the press conference Parks also encouraged New Yorkers to come out to Coney Island this summer where The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus have set up their tents to perform "The Coney Island Boom A Ring." The circus will be at Coney Island until September.

City beaches span a total of 14 miles and include Orchard Beach in the Bronx; Coney Island and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn; Rockaway Beach in Queens; and Midland Beach, South Beach, and Wolfe's Pond Beach in Staten Island. All City beaches are free to the public.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"The less you talk, the more you're listened to."

Abigail Van Buren
(1918 - )

"I got shipped out here to this amazing place I didn't even know existed, got a huge adrenaline rush and got to meet great people I never knew before," said Daniel Waldron, 24, an intern at Prospect Park.

Last Tuesday, Parks interns attended a full-day program at Alley Pond Park Adventure Course in Queens, a park consisting of obstacle and ropes challenges.

The day began with two warm-up exercises before the interns divided into three groups of ten, each led by a course facilitator. Interns were guided through the main stations and team-building activities-inventively named Moby Deck, Nitro Swing, Team Triangle, Spider's Web, and Teepee Shuffle-each involving coordination, problem-solving, balance, and teamwork.

After a lunch break, the groups moved on to participate in the high elements, for which they were required to wear harnesses and helmets. In the Human Swing Shot, interns climbed a ladder to get off the ground and were lifted by their teammates, who pulled a long rope attached to the harness. Once the participant releases a string, he or she is propelled forward and rocked back-and-forth in a pendulum motion.

"It was a thrill to fall down to the ground and have no control. You didn't know when and if you were going to stop," said Kate Kinsey, 21, who interns with the Green Apple Corps.

In Pipe Dream, the interns had to climb a 30-foot pole and walk across two steel beams, while strapped to a rope. Participants moved carefully with each step.

At 4 p.m., Facilitator Christine Kelevh asked for feedback on the day's events, thanked everyone for coming, and mentioned that the Alley Pond Adventure Course is open to the public on Sundays. Free programs are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

"We had a diverse group of interns from various departments throughout the agency and throughout the borough," said Leslie Nusblatt, the Intern Coordinator who organized and took part in the event. "I thought we met the day's goals of everyone having a fun day out of the office and being challenged physically and mentally."

As the interns returned to work at the office, they had more events to look forward to this summer. On Wednesday, July 8, interns will participate in a "meet and greet luncheon" with Commissioner Adrian Benepe.

In addition to Parks-organized events, interns are invited to attend a "Good Government" seminar on Thursday, July 9 at City Hall and a summer intern barbeque at Gracie Mansion with Mayor Bloomberg. According to Nusblatt, the Alley Pond Adventure Course and the other intern events are intended to be an enriching counterpart to the work experience.

"The interns got to know everyone else and themselves a little better," she said.

Written by Michael Young

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."

Marie Curie
(1867 - 1934)

On June 7, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence representatives announced that Hunts Point Riverside Park has been selected to receive the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence. As a Silver Medal Winner, Hunts Point Riverside Park will receive a $10,000 prize which the City's partner, the Bronx River Alliance, will invest in the continued development of the Bronx River Greenway, a pedestrian and bike path linked by a set of linear parks along the Bronx River. Opened in Spring 2007, the 1.4 acre Hunts Point Riverside Park sits on the site of a former vacant lot and illegal dumping ground which was revitalized by the community. Bronx River Administrator and Executive Director of the Bronx River Alliance Linda Cox, Majora Carter, as well as representatives from the Bronx River Alliance, The Point, Rocking the Boat, and Sustainable South Bronx also attended the award ceremony.

"Hunts Point Riverside Park is a shining example of how community activism combined with a willing partner in government and thoughtful landscape design and planning can positively transform a neighborhood," said Commissioner Benepe. "By connecting New Yorkers to their natural environment, including the city's only freshwater river, this innovative waterfront park fosters community development, outdoor fitness and recreation, and a deep appreciation for the city's natural resources in a neighborhood that has historically lacked green space. We thank the Bronx River Alliance and other dedicated community groups who helped bring this park to fruition. We are honored to share in receiving the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence, which recognizes the importance of Hunts Point Riverside Park for the Hunts Point community, for the Bronx, and for New York City."

The Bruner Foundation stated, "The Rudy Bruner Award commends the community of Hunts Point, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the Bronx River Alliance for creating a new park in a degraded industrial area of the Bronx, providing a natural retreat and access to the Bronx River for Hunts Point residents. The project was one of five projects chosen as a winner from a field of 87 applicants."

The 2009 Selection Committee chose Hunts Point Riverside Park from a field of 87 applicants as an outstanding example of urban place making. The Committee commended the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and Bronx River Alliance partners for:

* Creating a new park in a degraded industrial area of the Bronx, pro-viding a natural retreat, passive recreation and access to the Bronx River

* Establishing the first public recreational access to the Bronx River, and creating a showcase for ongoing river reclamation efforts

* Both establishing the first new park on the Bronx River Greenway and initiating the first stage of development of a fully articulated South Bronx Greenway

* Providing open space to a densely populated and under-served com-munity through a sustained and visionary grassroots effort

* Using design to "capture a sense of nature on a site located between a scrap metal yard and the world's largest food distribution center."

"We're delighted to see this remarkable park get the national recognition it deserves," said Bronx River Alliance Chair Joan Byron. "Hunts Point Riverside Park powerfully demonstrates how Environmental Justice communities and government can work together to effect far-reaching change, and, in particular, how those forces have joined to reclaim the Bronx River as a community asset."

After working with the City to clean up the debris at the park site, local community organizations including The Point CDC and Sustainable South Bronx developed it into an ad-hoc gathering point for community events and river-oriented activities. A $3.3 million project funded by Mayor Bloomberg then transformed the lot into a popular neighborhood park featuring direct access to the Bronx River. Park amenities include a fishing and recreation pier with a floating dock, a water-themed playground, a central open lawn oval and a natural riverside amphitheater with stone seating and lawn panels. A quarter-acre of land conferred by the Hunts Point Produce Market and New York City Economic Development Corporation broadened the park's shoreline along the Bronx River which was enhanced with a rebuilt bulkhead, an intertidal gravel beach and new plantings. Today, the park hosts numerous community events including the annual Fish Parade, weekly community boating trips, and the annual Amazing Bronx River Flotilla, a canoe procession down the river which ends at Hunts Point Riverside Park.

Hunts Point Riverside Park was designed by Parks' Design Project Managers Nancy Prince and George Bloomer and Resident Engineer Ahamad Baksh and constructed by Xavier Contracting, LLC. The park sits at the beginning of the Bronx River Greenway, a multi-use bike and pedestrian path linking a set of linear parks that stretches from the South Bronx to the Westchester Border and will provide eight miles of continuous public access to the river when completed in 2012.

The Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence is a national award for urban places that seeks to promote fresh and innovative thinking about cities and the urban built environment. Established in 1987, the Rudy Bruner Award celebrates urban places that are distinguished by quality design and by their social, economic, and environmental contributions to our nation's cities. For information about the Bruner Foundation, visit www.brunerfoundation.org.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul."

Luther Burbank
(1849 - 1926)