NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe discusses what's in store for the Spring and Summer parks season. And answers your park-related questions at NYCgovparks.org
Q: I was part of a collaborative artist group that build a series of floating islands in Meadow Lake - an experimental way of trying to make urban space "more public" --- opening it up for people to participate in by building their own environment.
It was sponsored by the Queens Museum, but the parks had it removed. --- any comments on this?
A: As part of the Queens Museum of Art’s Queens International 4, the Museum’s biennial exhibition of Queens-based artists, they included artist Douglas Paulson and his collaborators, the Anti-fascist Culture Club. As the poster to the blog mentioned, it was a collaborative project intended to show the ability to reclaim public spaces and was scheduled to be on view during the run of the show, which ended on April 26. The project, The Undiscovered Atoll of Flushtopia, brought the artists’ playful style to the public in the form of a verdant and bizarre chain of manmade islands that were constructed of donated materials.
Q: Can you ask your guest about the status of the canoe/kayak site at the end of Dyckman St. in Inwood, on the Hudson?
Will people be able to put kayaks in the water there?
A: The Parks Department, in partnership with Going Coastal, recently released the second edition of the NYC Water Trail Map & Guide. The canoe/kayak site is open for use, but you must get an annual permit to use any of the city’s launches, which you can access at www.nyc.gov/parks/watertrail. Also, the Inwood Hill Canoe Club runs a free public paddle on Saturday and Sunday.
I was wondering if there were any plans to make McCarren park a little less....gross?
Last month, 120 new trees were planted in McCarren Park. This planting restores the original 1936-38 Gilmore Clark design plan for McCarren Park and is a fairly equal mix of canopy, evergreen, and flowering trees. In recent years we reconstructed the park’s track and turf field and installed lights to facilitate night play. We are also currently constructing a skateboard area in the park that will open this summer and will begin construction of McCarren Pool, which is slated to open in the summer of 2011.
Response from the Parks Dept. to... [11] mh from williamsburg May 11, 2009 - 11:46AM
Williamsburg and Greenpoint were promised several parks during our 2005 rezoning. Most of them have yet to appear--of particular concern is the MTA site in Greenpoint. When will we get our parks?
The City is making an historic investment (the largest in any Community Board district) in the creation, improvement and expansion of parks in Greenpoint and Williamsburg. To date, the City has spent nearly $55 million to complete 14 separate projects and to plant street trees, and will spend over $152 million on 11 other projects already in development. Despite delays, including unanticipated environmental remediation at some sites and overall cost escalation, the City is committed to expanding open space. The city is also continuing to work with the MTA over relocating their existing site on Commercial Street. The first phase of Bushwick Inlet Park is beginning construction next month and will open next spring.
Response from the Parks Dept. to... [3] Alden from Work: Soho - Home: Inwood May 11, 2009 - 11:41AM Tried to report a sinkhole on the Greenway, near The Cloisters, along the Henry Hudson. 311 phone and website have no way to indicate that location. They recorded the sinkhole on Margaret Corbin Drive, which is not even close. Very frustrating.
Our staff inspected and marked the sinkhole with a cone and caution tape. We alerted our Engineering Division and asked them to assess the extent of problem and determine what repairs are required.
I think that commissioner is right and that the poorest in particular should volunteer. They should plant many trees and renovate their dilapidated houses. This way when they are forced out from their suddenly attractive area, they will have experience in a new dilapidated place and repeat this wonderful "gentrification" process. Unless, of course, they die somewhere on the street on the way to their new place of volunteering.
If the commissioner wants parkgoers to throw litter away in trash cans, then maybe the Parks Department should provide more cans for trash. (And maybe even provide containers for recycling glass and plastic bottles.)
While it's true that some people are inconsiderate and litter, some people might be doing it out of frustration because the closest trash can that isn't overflowing is in the subway system or on a street corner several blocks away.
Please, please, please have police protection at Cooper Park. Also, please give out tickets to dog owners who don't leash their dogs. It may be great that you like dogs, and I do too, but it seems at Cooper dogs rule over children. PIT BULLS are often off their leashes, in the water park near the children's areas, etc. I get sick of calling 311, receiving some letter from Parks department saying they're on it, etc.
Also, I rarely see cops and the city department personnel is not there consistently. Some of the folks are great, especially Juan, but he's not always there.
You could put signs up that say something like, "Did you know that if we spent spent ____ amount of less time picking up litter we could _____________." etc.
i was part of a collaborative artists group that build a series of floating 'islands' in meadow lake. the parks demanded that we remove the islands prematurely --- any comments?
I live on 14th Street and am really enjoying the lush trees and locally planted flowers all around the hood. I wish that more dog owners would be kinder to the greenery by NOT allowing them to urinate daily at the foot of the trees. Why can't we all just be considerate citizens and keep this city more beauitful!
Unfortunately, my pleads to dog owners are met with great hostility! By the way, I loves pets too! alice
i was part of a collaborative artists group that build a series of floating 'islands' in meadow lake. -- an experimental space to allow people to use urban space in a new way! the parks demanded that we remove the islands prematurely --- any comments?
Any chance we could add trails to parks like the East River park and others along the water? It wouldn't take up a lot of room and lots of the parks seem to be under construction.
Anything but concrete is better than concrete! Tracks are so tedious!
Don't forget to mention "It's My Park!" Day -- May 16. See you then.
I was part of a collaborative artist group that build a series of floating islands in Meadow Lake - an experimental way of trying to make urban space "more public" --- opening it up for people to participate in by building their own environment.
it was sponsered by the Queens Museum, but the parks had it removed. --- any comments on this?
The Forest Park tennis courts in Queens have incredibly not been re-surfaced from more than 20 years. We have been pleading with the City to re-surface these courts. Its a beautiful peaceful park and its a shame.
Williamsburg and Greenpoint were promised several parks during our 2005 rezoning. Most of them have yet to appear--of particular concern is the MTA site in Greenpoint. When will we get our parks?
I run the Poetry Brothel an unconventional poetry reading series and we would love to have an event in one of the parks this summer, do we need a permit for this kind of activity and if so who can I contact about planning an event in the parks?
I live near Marine Park I would love to know what's planned there. Also, for kayaking dont forget sebago canoe club in paerdegat, near Canarsie. And don't forget Canarsie Pier! beautiful summer fun in south brooklyn!
How come restaurants are allowed to have tables on the Boardwalk in Brighton Beach? A lot of paper seems to blow onto the boardwalk and beach, creating garbage. Fences should be required that would trap any trash and the restaurants should be required to clean up.
i can't walk my dog on the ball fields because of whatever damage she's going to cause, but you're going to hold woodstock there? what kind of damage will that cause?
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Comments [33]
Q: I was part of a collaborative artist group that build a series of floating islands in Meadow Lake - an experimental way of trying to make urban space "more public" --- opening it up for people to participate in by building their own environment.
It was sponsored by the Queens Museum, but the parks had it removed. --- any comments on this?
A: As part of the Queens Museum of Art’s Queens International 4, the Museum’s biennial exhibition of Queens-based artists, they included artist Douglas Paulson and his collaborators, the Anti-fascist Culture Club. As the poster to the blog mentioned, it was a collaborative project intended to show the ability to reclaim public spaces and was scheduled to be on view during the run of the show, which ended on April 26. The project, The Undiscovered Atoll of Flushtopia, brought the artists’ playful style to the public in the form of a verdant and bizarre chain of manmade islands that were constructed of donated materials.
Q: Can you ask your guest about the status of the canoe/kayak site at the end of Dyckman St. in Inwood, on the Hudson?
Will people be able to put kayaks in the water there?
A: The Parks Department, in partnership with Going Coastal, recently released the second edition of the NYC Water Trail Map & Guide. The canoe/kayak site is open for use, but you must get an annual permit to use any of the city’s launches, which you can access at www.nyc.gov/parks/watertrail. Also, the Inwood Hill Canoe Club runs a free public paddle on Saturday and Sunday.
Response from the Parks Dept to...
[13] Jason from Brooklyn May 11, 2009 - 11:49AM
I was wondering if there were any plans to make McCarren park a little less....gross?
Last month, 120 new trees were planted in McCarren Park. This planting restores the original 1936-38 Gilmore Clark design plan for McCarren Park and is a fairly equal mix of canopy, evergreen, and flowering trees. In recent years we reconstructed the park’s track and turf field and installed lights to facilitate night play. We are also currently constructing a skateboard area in the park that will open this summer and will begin construction of McCarren Pool, which is slated to open in the summer of 2011.
Response from the Parks Dept. to...
[11] mh from williamsburg May 11, 2009 - 11:46AM
Williamsburg and Greenpoint were promised several parks during our 2005 rezoning. Most of them have yet to appear--of particular concern is the MTA site in Greenpoint. When will we get our parks?
The City is making an historic investment (the largest in any Community Board district) in the creation, improvement and expansion of parks in Greenpoint and Williamsburg. To date, the City has spent nearly $55 million to complete 14 separate projects and to plant street trees, and will spend over $152 million on 11 other projects already in development. Despite delays, including unanticipated environmental remediation at some sites and overall cost escalation, the City is committed to expanding open space. The city is also continuing to work with the MTA over relocating their existing site on Commercial Street. The first phase of Bushwick Inlet Park is beginning construction next month and will open next spring.
Response from the Parks Dept. to...
[3] Alden from Work: Soho - Home: Inwood May 11, 2009 - 11:41AM
Tried to report a sinkhole on the Greenway, near The Cloisters, along the Henry Hudson. 311 phone and website have no way to indicate that location. They recorded the sinkhole on Margaret Corbin Drive, which is not even close. Very frustrating.
Our staff inspected and marked the sinkhole with a cone and caution tape. We alerted our Engineering Division and asked them to assess the extent of problem and determine what repairs are required.
I think that commissioner is right and that the poorest in particular should volunteer. They should plant many trees and renovate their dilapidated houses. This way when they are forced out from their suddenly attractive area, they will have experience in a new dilapidated place and repeat this wonderful "gentrification" process. Unless, of course, they die somewhere on the street on the way to their new place of volunteering.
If the commissioner wants parkgoers to throw litter away in trash cans, then maybe the Parks Department should provide more cans for trash. (And maybe even provide containers for recycling glass and plastic bottles.)
While it's true that some people are inconsiderate and litter, some people might be doing it out of frustration because the closest trash can that isn't overflowing is in the subway system or on a street corner several blocks away.
Please, please, please have police protection at Cooper Park. Also, please give out tickets to dog owners who don't leash their dogs. It may be great that you like dogs, and I do too, but it seems at Cooper dogs rule over children. PIT BULLS are often off their leashes, in the water park near the children's areas, etc. I get sick of calling 311, receiving some letter from Parks department saying they're on it, etc.
Also, I rarely see cops and the city department personnel is not there consistently. Some of the folks are great, especially Juan, but he's not always there.
Re: How to get people to litter less:
You could put signs up that say something like, "Did you know that if we spent spent ____ amount of less time picking up litter we could _____________." etc.
i was part of a collaborative artists group that build a series of floating 'islands' in meadow lake. the parks demanded that we remove the islands prematurely --- any comments?
I'll tell you how you could change the behavior of litterers... what I've advocated for decades.... shoot 'em on sight!
I live on 14th Street and am really enjoying the lush trees and locally planted flowers all around the hood.
I wish that more dog owners would be kinder to the greenery by NOT allowing them to urinate daily at the foot of the trees.
Why can't we all just be considerate citizens and keep this city more beauitful!
Unfortunately, my pleads to dog owners are met with great hostility!
By the way, I loves pets too!
alice
i was part of a collaborative artists group that build a series of floating 'islands' in meadow lake. -- an experimental space to allow people to use urban space in a new way! the parks demanded that we remove the islands prematurely --- any comments?
hey caller, i don't want your dog in my park! and i pay taxes also
Any chance we could add trails to parks like the East River park and others along the water? It wouldn't take up a lot of room and lots of the parks seem to be under construction.
Anything but concrete is better than concrete! Tracks are so tedious!
Don't forget to mention "It's My Park!" Day -- May 16. See you then.
Tell the dog lover to move to Jersey.
Maybe the rest of us don't want your dog's crap in the park.
I was part of a collaborative artist group that build a series of floating islands in Meadow Lake - an experimental way of trying to make urban space "more public" --- opening it up for people to participate in by building their own environment.
it was sponsered by the Queens Museum, but the parks had it removed. --- any comments on this?
The Forest Park tennis courts in Queens have incredibly not been re-surfaced from more than 20 years. We have been pleading with the City to re-surface these courts. Its a beautiful peaceful park and its a shame.
Please repeat website to find rec centers. Thanks!
I was wondering if there were any plans to make McCarren park a little less....gross?
Speaking of DaPolito in the Village:
What's with the erratic closing times? Last week at 9:45 they chased everyone out.
It varies all the time, but is usually early, sometimes 1/2 hour early--and the LISTED time is 10PM.
Williamsburg and Greenpoint were promised several parks during our 2005 rezoning. Most of them have yet to appear--of particular concern is the MTA site in Greenpoint. When will we get our parks?
Do I need a special permit to windsurf on the Hudson? I've never seen anyone windsurfing out on the river.
Dear Mr. Benepe:
I run the Poetry Brothel an unconventional poetry reading series and we would love to have an event in one of the parks this summer, do we need a permit for this kind of activity and if so who can I contact about planning an event in the parks?
thanks so much.
Best
Nicholas
Hi,
Can you ask your guest about the status of the canoe/kayak site at the end of Dyckman St. in Inwood, on the Hudson?
Will people be able to put kayaks in the water there?
Thanks, /Nick
how about more BBQ areas?
I live near Marine Park I would love to know what's planned there. Also, for kayaking dont forget sebago canoe club in paerdegat, near Canarsie. And don't forget Canarsie Pier! beautiful summer fun in south brooklyn!
When are the burgers with mayonnaise sauce coming to Union Sq?
How come restaurants are allowed to have tables on the Boardwalk in Brighton Beach? A lot of paper seems to blow onto the boardwalk and beach, creating garbage. Fences should be required that would trap any trash and the restaurants should be required to clean up.
Tried to report a sinkhole on the Greenway, near The Cloisters, along the Henry Hudson. 311 phone and website have no way to indicate that location.
They recorded the sinkhole on Margaret Corbin Drive, which is not even close. Very frustrating.
i can't walk my dog on the ball fields because of whatever damage she's going to cause, but you're going to hold woodstock there? what kind of damage will that cause?
For Mr. Benepe:
In 28 years in the East Village I've never seen Tompkins Square Park look better. Good job!
My only complaint is way too much salt on the walkways in the winter.
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Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.