NYC Parks Press Release

Parks And New York Junior League Celebrate Flower Power At Morningside Park

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Today, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, New York Junior League President Gena Lovett, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, State Senator Bill Perkins and Jacquie Connors of Friends of Morningside Park cut the ribbon and plant a tree in honor of renovations to Morningside Park thanks to more than a thousand New York Junior League (NYJL) volunteers.

"It's morning again in Morningside Park where its latest restorations were made possible thanks to the 1,000 New York Junior League volunteers who came out ready to work in April and May," said Parks Commissioner Benepe. "They beautified the park with more than 2,000 perennials, more than 250 shrubs and 10 trees. The playground has fresh coats of paint and the recreation center now features beautiful murals, a brand new kitchen, lockers, bookshelves and more, thanks to the generosity of the Junior League and their president, Gena Lovett."

Throughout April and May, the NYJL's Playground Improvement Committee teamed up with volunteers to refurbish the playground and recreation center in the north side of Morningside Park. The NYJL volunteers worked with corporate volunteers and neighborhood residents to convert overgrown areas into beautiful greeting gardens in the park.

Poetic and musical performances were provided by the East Harlem School at Exodus House and Analogue Transit. Free activities during the event included flower planting, face painting, dancing and more.

For 17 years, the New York Junior League has worked in partnership with Parks & Recreation to revitalize playgrounds and parks in many neighborhoods around Manhattan. Last year, NYJL volunteers beautified J.J. Walker Park and Tony Dapolito Recreation Center.

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Summer Art In Parks: A Round-up

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

New Yorkers and tourists alike can catch some culture while enjoying the city's parks this summer. From beaches to greenswards and tunnels to trestles, on piers, plazas, boulevards and traffic medians, Parks & Recreation's Public Art Program features an eclectic array of artwork in green spaces throughout the five boroughs. More than a dozen artists, established and emerging, young and old, work in every medium imaginable, and their explorations in art will engage the park going public this summer. Below is a listing of projects. Images and artist interviews are available upon request.
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.
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, seven sculptures, Park Avenue between 50th-57th Streets, through July.
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.
Nancy Mladenoff, Post-Audubon, the Arsenal Gallery in Central Park, through June 11.
This indoor exhibition features over 100 watercolor and marker studies of the major species of birds and insects in North America. Utilizing the most current rendition of Audubon's photo field guides, Mladenoff created a free-hand personal interpretation of the species Audubon tracked. Her gestural approach enables each piece to become a part of a unique field guide and not just a study of scientific data.

Bascove, A Walk in the Park, The Arsenal Gallery in Central Park, June 18 to 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. The exhibit will run from June 18 to August 13.
Since 1967 the Parks Department has hosted over 1,000 temporary outdoor art displays in parks citywide. The works have included both readymade sculpture and installations inspired by the characteristics and landscape of a specific site. Some of the major exhibitions have included: Niki deSaint-Phalle and Jean Tingely (1968); Louise Nevelson (1972); Mark di Suvero (1975); Henry Moore (1984); Noah's Art group show (1989); Fernando Botero (1993); Keith Haring (1997); Whitney Biennial (2002, 2004); Otterness on Broadway (2004); and Christo and Jeanne-Claude's The Gates (2005).

Bascove's "A Walk In The Park" At Central Park's Arsenal Gallery

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The Arsenal Gallery is pleased to present A Walk in the Park, an exhibition celebrating the vibrant diversity of Central Park's bridges by New York based artist Bascove. In her bold oil paintings and drawings, Bascove shares her fascination with these structures by capturing their individuality. The exhibit will run from June 18 to August 13.

"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.

Mayor Bloomberg Cuts Ribbon On New "Schoolyards To Playgrounds" Project

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

MAYOR BLOOMBERG CUTS RIBBON ON NEW "SCHOOLYARDS TO PLAYGROUNDS" PROJECT AS PART OF PLANYC INITIATIVE TO ENSURE ALL NEW YORKERS LIVE WITHIN A TEN MINUTE WALK OF A PARK OR PLAYGROUND

New Playgrounds at P.S. 205, P.S. 226 and I.S. 227 in Brooklyn are among the 197 PlaNYC Schoolyards Citywide to Open as Playgrounds

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe today cut the ribbon on the new playground at P.S. 205, as part of the Mayor's PlaNYC initiative to ensure that all New Yorkers live within a ten minute walk of a park or playground. Playgrounds at I.S. 227 in Brooklyn and P.S. 226 in Brooklyn also opened today. They are the most recent to be renovated through the PlaNYC Schoolyards to Playgrounds program. Through Schoolyards to Playgrounds, the City is investing $95 million in funding for playground improvements to open 266 schoolyards as playgrounds in underserved neighborhoods. Sixty-nine playgrounds, which did not require improvements, were opened in the summer of 2007. Twelve playgrounds, which have been fully renovated, have opened in the last year.

"Making sure that all city residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park or playground is an important goal of PlaNYC," said Mayor Bloomberg. "To help us achieve that goal, we've identified public schoolyards in neighborhoods in all five boroughs that are most in need of open space. In total, these 266 schoolyards will provide nearly 200 acres of new recreation space within walking distance of nearly 400,000 children and their families."

"It's an historic moment to cut the ribbon on exciting new recreational spaces as part of a PlaNYC initiative to create a healthier, more sustainable New York City," said Commissioner Benepe. "Schoolyards to Playgrounds is one way we are creating more and better open space for New York children. Thanks to Mayor Bloomberg and to our partners, The Trust for Public Land, the Department of Education, and School Construction Authority for working together to successfully open up schoolyards as playgrounds and encouraging active recreation throughout the City."

The playgrounds opened today convert schoolyards into playgrounds and community parks complete with fields, basketball courts, play equipment, gardens, and trees. To date, the Schoolyards to Playgrounds program, working with The Trust for Public Land (TPL), have designed, developed, and opened twelve sites. These playground sites will be open and accessible to the community after school hours, on weekends, and during school breaks when school is not in session. Additional playgrounds opening this month under the program include P.S. 41 and P.S. 21 in Staten Island, P.S. 221 in Brooklyn, P.S. 98 and P.S. 79 in Queens, and M.S. 424 in the Bronx. The Mayor was joined at the announcement by Senior Vice President of The Trust for Public Land Rose Harvey, P.S. 205 Principal Beth Grater, and students who provided input on the design of the playground.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL), which works across America to conserve land for people to enjoy local parks, playgrounds, and natural areas, has created 35 community playgrounds throughout New York City. In partnership with PlaNYC, TPL is working to transform 165 schoolyards into playgrounds by 2010. TPL has created or enhanced more than 250 neighborhood parks in New York City, investing roughly $200 million in land purchases and in the design, construction and stewardship of parks.

"In 2010 this unique and ambitious partnership will have created 266 community parks and playgrounds where there were none," said Rose Harvey, TPL Senior Vice President. "400,000 children and their families will enjoy green oases with gardens, fields, play equipment, outdoor amphitheaters to build not just their minds and muscles but also friends, family and community."

The Parks Department is working with the Department of Education and The Trust for Public Land to turn schoolyards into community parks through a participatory design process-designing with ideas generated by the school community, including children and their teachers. This design process facilitates in-depth interagency and community coordination and opens up dialogue to ensure continued success of the parks after they are open to the public.

The new playground at P.S. 205 includes fully accessible play equipment, raised planting beds, a water fountain, basketball hoops, painted games, and painted recreational surfaces including a running track, a multi-purpose recreational field, and a baseball diamond. Many of the students with limited mobility will get to play with the rest of their class for the first time on the accessible play equipment. The cost of the new playground was $820,000.

The new playground at I.S. 227 was designed to replace the school's old playground, which was an asphalt schoolyard that lacked adequate equipment and resources. Included in the new playground are a full basketball court, play equipment, handball courts, a chess board with lifesize chess pieces, an outdoor classroom, a gazebo, a synthetic turf field and running track, benches, and trees. TPL oversaw the design and development of this site with the input of the students and Neighborhood Improvement Association and completed by The Trust for Public Land. It was funded in the amount of $1.28 million with the City funding the construction budget of $942,151 and Credit Suisse funding $333,000 for design, engineering, construction oversight and stewardship costs. The playground at I.S. 227 is one of five that have been sponsored by Credit Suisse, which contributed funds from the Credit Suisse Americas Foundation, and also rallied staff in support of the effort, ultimately resulting in nearly 4,000 employees contributing. The end result was a gift from Credit Suisse of $1.66 million to The Trust for Public Land to fund the five playgrounds, located in Harlem, Washington Heights, Hunt's Point, Crown Heights, and Bensonhurst.

The new playground at P.S. 226 includes a full basketball court, an outdoor stage and seating area, play equipment, painted recreational surfaces including a running track and multi-purpose field, benches, trees, and painted games. The school plans to use the stage for monthly performances and as an outdoor classroom. It was funded in the amount of $650,000.

Since the launch of the Schoolyards to Playgrounds program, eight other schoolyard sites have also been renovated and are open to the public. They include P.S. 64 and P.S. 138 in the Bronx, P.S. 76 and P.S. 173 in Manhattan, P.S. 19 and P.S. 73 in Queens, and P.S. 4 and P.S 41 in Staten Island. In addition, Parks has 20 sites actively in construction which will be open to the community this summer.

Parks Cuts Ribbon On Improvements To Canarsie Park

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe today joined Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and City Council Member Lewis A. Fidler to cut the ribbon on $6.5 million in renovations to Canarsie Park, including a new regulation-sized Cricket Field, just in time for the Mayor's Cup Cricket Tournament finals, which took place later in the day.

"Today the best cricket players in the city have come to Canarsie Park for the Mayor's Cup Cricket Tournament," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "Thanks to the support of Council Member Lew Fidler, Borough President Marty Markowitz, Mayor Bloomberg, and members of the community, we now have a world-class cricket facility right here in Canarsie. In addition to cricket, members of this neighborhood can now also enjoy the park's beautifully landscaped lawns, new benches, and picnic area."

The ceremony celebrates the completion of the first phase of renovations to Canarsie Park, generously funded by allocations of $2.9 million from Council Member Fidler, $650,000 from Borough President Markowitz, and $2.65 million from Mayor Bloomberg.

The renovation project included construction of the cricket field, new paths, bleachers, steel fencing perimeters, drinking fountains, a picnic grove, benches, and new lighting. The environmentally sensitive plan contoured the landscape for on-site water management including the construction of two lakes. New landscaping of the natural areas includes special grass mixes for the lawns and native herbaceous perennials including wildflowers, shrubs, and trees.

The second phase of renovations is set to begin this fall. It includes the construction of pathways, a fitness trail with exercise stations, an open music pavilion, new park lighting, bicycle racks, benches and steel fencing. New landscaping will include lawn areas, shrubs, and new trees. This phase has been funded by a $3.6 million allocation from Council Member Fidler and $115,000 allocated by Mayor Bloomberg.

The third and final phase of reconstruction is currently in design. It will feature a new skate/BMX park and a new playground for this section of the park. The "street style" skate area will be surrounded by the native plant species that have been introduced during the renovations and are now again characteristic of the park. The playground will include new play equipment, a spray feature, benches and additional native planting areas. Council Member Fidler and Borough President Markowitz funded this phase with allocations of $1.2 million and $600,000 respectively.

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Henry Hudson's Quadricentennial Celebrated At West Harlem Piers Fishing Festival

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Today, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Harry Verweij, Executive Director of NY400 and Consulate-general of the Netherlands, celebrated the first annual fishing festival at West Harlem Piers Park in Manhattan with the community and in honor of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage.

"The Parks Department continues to honor the voyage 400 years ago of Henry Hudson at the West Harlem Piers Fishing Festival, a day filled with fishing, fun, and fantastic performances," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "This festival is just one example of the exciting things planned for the Quadricentennial in New York City. We have already planted 150,000 orange tulips in all five boroughs, and 400 cherry and crabapple trees along the Hudson River. This summer, we'll continue the Quadricentennial festivities with July's City of Water Day on Governor's Island and the grand opening of the Dutch Pavilion in Battery Park this fall."

In celebration of the Henry Hudson Quadricentennial, people of all ages spent Saturday afternoon in West Harlem fishing with the Urban Park Rangers, singing sea shanties with Astrograss, and enjoying the cool river breezes. Families participated in Dutch Colonial and Native American arts & crafts and educational hands-on activities for kids about life on and in the river. Entertainment was provided by numerous groups including the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers and the New Amsterdam Musical Association.

The event was presented by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and produced in collaboration with the New York State Hudson-Champlain-Fulton Quadricentennial Commission and the Riverside Park Fund.

West Harlem Piers Park connects West Harlem to the Hudson River greenway. The project transformed a parking lot between 125th and 135th Streets into an attractive and accessible waterfront amenity. The new pier supports various activities including fishing, water tours, bicycling, boating and ecological exploration.

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Parks Cuts Ribbon On Half-Nelson Playground

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Commissioner Benepe today joined community members to cut the ribbon on $1.7 million in improvements to Half-Nelson Playground. Community Board 5 District Manager Xavier Rodriguez, Community Board 5 Parks Committee Chairperson Kathryn Speller, Reverend Lonnie Bryant of the Featherbed Lane Presbyterian Church, and youth from the adjacent Nelson Avenue Family Residence joined the celebration. The 5th grade choir from nearby P.S. 204 provided a concert.

"With new play equipment, a basketball court, seating areas, and beautiful landscaping, Half-Nelson Playground now offers kids of all ages in the community a safe and fun place to play," said Commissioner Benepe. "We are grateful to Mayor Bloomberg and Council Member Helen Diane Foster for allocating funding to make this capital project possible."

The $1.7 million project was funded by $1.4 million allocated by Council Member Foster and 286,000 in Mayoral Funds.

The playground was reconstructed with new play equipment, unique optical illusion games, a spray shower area, basketball court, fencing, and seating area. The drainage system was reconstructed and a new accessible drinking fountain was installed. Stone wall terraces were carved into the existing hillside to prevent erosion and beautify the natural grassy slope, while landscaping and shrubs complete the renovation.

Since Mayor Bloomberg took office in 2002, Parks has spent more than $154 million on 127 park improvement projects in the Bronx. Parks currently has 41 projects representing $296 million in construction and another 75 projects representing $245 million in design/bidding.

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Tompkinsville Park Is June's Park Of The Month

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Since its founding in the 1930s, Tompkinsville Park has become an integral part of its community's landscape in Staten Island. The neighborhood of Tompkinsville spans from New York Harbor to St. Paul's Avenue but the life of the community is concentrated near the park. As a result, Tompkinsville Park's location has turned it into the center focus of the neighborhood's bustling community.

In order to improve and maintain the park's appearance, Tompkinsville Park underwent a $1.3 million renovation in 2007. Along with former Council Member Michael McMahon, members of Community Board #1 and the Staten Island Downtown Council, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe broke ground on the park as a part of the Parks Department's urban revitalization initiative.

"Tompkinsville Park is one of many parks specifically used as a serene place for people to congregate within their community," said Commissioner Benepe. "Thanks to over $1 million from Congress Member McMahon, allocated while he was in the City Council, the renovations improve the park's landscape and its civic-themed plaza provides a gathering spot for Staten Islanders."

A year after its renovations, the community was invited to witness the reopening of Tompkinsville Park and explore the new installments that were added to transform the area into a civic plaza. New plants and a lawn were planted and significant features such as the clocks and the fountain, which is the new centerpiece of the park, were added. New benches, trash receptacles, and a water fountain were included to better accommodate the needs of commuters who frequently stroll through the park. The park was also relined with a new steel fence bordering the the perimeter.

The Hiker statue sculpted by Allen G. Newman that honors the local soldiers of the Spanish-American War (1898-1902) is still prominently displayed in the park. The statue was modeled after foot soldiers who participated in long marches in the Cuban terrain. In the War, the United States allied with the Cubans to defeat the Spain for control of colonial power in the Western hemisphere. The Hiker in Tompkinsville Park was the official monument of the United Spanish War Veterans and was located in front of Staten Island Borough Hall. The statue was moved to Tompkinsville Park in 1925 after a series of cars hit the statue.

The origin behind the park's name can be traced back to Daniel D. Tompkins. He was a former New York State Governor and Vice President under James Monroe who established the settlement which was to become Tompkinsville. Under former Parks Commissioner Robert Moses, the park was officially dedicated to Tompkins in 1932.

Park of the Month introduces some of our greatest parks and recreation centers to curious New Yorkers and visitors alike. Visit www.nyc.gov/parks for more information about Tompkinsville Park and an archive for past featured parks.

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Catch The It's My Park Season Premiere On NYC-TV

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Get ready for an all-new season of It's My Park, premiering on Tuesday, June 23, on NYC-TV Channel 25! It's My Park is the way to see what's happening this summer- in your park.

"It's My Park showcases the great programs happening in our parks, and profiles the people who make them happen," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "It's My Park is not only entertaining, but also the perfect forum to reach a wide audience and to inspire New Yorkers to get outside and discover the wonders of parks across the city."

In past seasons, It's My Park 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 Calvert Vaux 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 their favorite park or a park that is relevant to the poem. Robert J. Harding, artist and poet, came up with the idea of introducing footage of readings to the program.

It's My Park is produced by Adrian Sas, who has worked on the program for the past four seasons. Each episode concludes with a listing of events from the BeFitNYC web site, which are complemented by animations by Parks graphic designer Amy Tsao.

It's My Park streams on the parks web site 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.

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Alley Pond Park Adventure Course Open For 4th Of July Weekend

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The Alley Pond Adventure Course in Queens will be open for the 4th of July weekend starting on Saturday, July 4. Families with children (ages 8 and above) and adults are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis. The Urban Park Rangers will guide participants through the Adventure Course in two sessions per day for FREE this holiday weekend and regularly on Sundays through November. Sessions are held at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Check out the City's first adventure course and the largest of its kind in the region. The Alley Pond Park Adventure Course features a challenge course with both low and high ropes course elements, including a zip-line, a rock-climbing wall and balance platforms. Visit www.nyc.gov/parks/video to catch a glimpse of the high-flying fun from an episode of Parks' TV show "It's My Park!"

All of the elements of the Alley Pond Park Adventure Course promote teambuilding and problem-solving skills. Course programs can be designed to meet a number of professional, developmental, organizational and personal goals. A series of activities enable participants to work through physically and intellectually demanding situations as a team.

The Alley Pond Park Adventure Course, located in central Queens, is easily accessible from major highways and public transportation. For more information about the Alley Pond Park Adventure Course, please call 311 and ask for the Urban Park Rangers or visit www.nyc.gov/parks/rangers.

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