New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe dicusses the state of the city's parks. He's joined by Anthony Perez Cassino, chairman of the Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy, to talk about the Bronx's new conservancy.
Growing up in the 50-60s in the Marble Hill Projects, I considered VC park "mine." I ice-skated, could even rent skates at the Golf House and buy hot chocolate, rent row boats, see many birds which my friends and I called wild canaries. There was no pool, no barbecues, no loud music, no cell phones. The park was a place of peace, making out and exploration of all kinds.
More concerts in Van Cortland Park would be terrific. Bring culture to the community and make it free so that people's horizons will be broadened while they're having a good time with their neighbors.
Margaret Groarke
from Van Cortlandt Village, Bronx
I ice-skated in VCP as a teenager, and I'm glad to hear the conservancy hopes to bring a skating rink to the park.
However, I was disturbed to hear that the Parks Department is forbidding the long-time group, the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, from selling t-shirts and such at park events, as they have always done. The Friends provide some great programs in the Park.
I'm hoping the conservancy will bring good new things to the park, but I hope that the price of that isn't losing the great programs and projects of the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park.
Last weekend a gallery in riverdale displayed photographs of natural sculptures constructed by high school students from Marble Hill High School with the Urban Park Rangers, ala Andy Goldsworthy. It was a spectacular show.
A few years ago, both the Yankees and Mets were out of town during public school spring break, so I took my middle school son and his buddy to see a Manhattan College v. Columbia doubleheader in VCP. The price was right (free) and the games were great.
I'm a teacher at Parsons who is working with 3 other teachers on a project that involves creating maps for Union Square Park. We did this project last spring and will be doing it again in April. Is there a way we can connect with Adrian Benepe or someone from the parks dept to make this project more real?
i grew up never realizing i used to go to van cortlandt all the time. my parents called it "ban cotlan" and we would drive up there from brooklyn to watch my father's countrymen play soccer. it was like a myth of a big lovely green space way up north. i did not know my parent's name was just some distorting spanglish.
ice skating, sleigh riding the golf course at night, first girl scout cookout on homemade burners, learning how to throw a football, running thru the fall leaves OMG
My son ran x country for Fordham prep & I loved going to the meets & seeing what I called the UN of sports- hurling, rugby, cricket, baseball all being played in the big field.
A friend of mine from Inwood would routinely wake up on the 1 train in Van Cortlandt park after a night of partying, having overshot his stop at 215th street.
Pelham Bay Park Bronx 2,765 acres Greenbelt, Staten Island 1,778 acres Flushing Meadows/Corona Park, Queens 1,255 acres Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx 1,146 acres Central Park, Manhattan 843 acres Marine Park, Brooklyn 798 acres Bronx Park, Bronx 718 acres Alley Pond Park, Queens 655 acres Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk, South and Midland Beaches, Staten Island 638 acres Forest Park, Queens 544 acres Source: http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_faqs/faq.html#aboutParks
# Pelham Bay Park Bronx 2,765 acres # Greenbelt, Staten Island 1,778 acres # Flushing Meadows/Corona Park, Queens 1,255 acres # Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx 1,146 acres
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Comments [23]
Growing up in the 50-60s in the Marble Hill Projects, I considered VC park "mine." I ice-skated, could even rent skates at the Golf House and buy hot chocolate, rent row boats, see many birds which my friends and I called wild canaries. There was no pool, no barbecues, no loud music, no cell phones. The park was a place of peace, making out and exploration of all kinds.
More concerts in Van Cortland Park would be terrific. Bring culture to the community and make it free so that people's horizons will be broadened while they're having a good time with their neighbors.
I ice-skated in VCP as a teenager, and I'm glad to hear the conservancy hopes to bring a skating rink to the park.
However, I was disturbed to hear that the Parks Department is forbidding the long-time group, the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, from selling t-shirts and such at park events, as they have always done. The Friends provide some great programs in the Park.
I'm hoping the conservancy will bring good new things to the park, but I hope that the price of that isn't losing the great programs and projects of the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park.
Last weekend a gallery in riverdale displayed photographs of natural sculptures constructed by high school students from Marble Hill High School with the Urban Park Rangers, ala Andy Goldsworthy. It was a spectacular show.
A few years ago, both the Yankees and Mets were out of town during public school spring break, so I took my middle school son and his buddy to see a Manhattan College v. Columbia doubleheader in VCP. The price was right (free) and the games were great.
Hi Brian,
I'm a teacher at Parsons who is working with 3 other teachers on a project that involves creating maps for Union Square Park. We did this project last spring and will be doing it again in April. Is there a way we can connect with Adrian Benepe or someone from the parks dept to make this project more real?
thanks,
an avid listener,
Emily Waters
i grew up never realizing i used to go to van cortlandt all the time. my parents called it "ban cotlan" and we would drive up there from brooklyn to watch my father's countrymen play soccer. it was like a myth of a big lovely green space way up north. i did not know my parent's name was just some distorting spanglish.
Which park has the fabulous cx skiing??!
And don't forget the lovely Van Cortlandt House in the midst of the park!
Since I have moved to NYC I haven't had the chance to do much hiking. Does Van Cortland Park have any good trails for hiking?
ice skating, sleigh riding the golf course at night, first girl scout cookout on homemade burners, learning how to throw a football, running thru the fall leaves OMG
van cortlandt park looks like it has so many outlets for obscure sports which is awesome. what about a frisbee golf course someday? so much fun!
My son ran x country for Fordham prep & I loved going to the meets & seeing what I called the UN of sports- hurling, rugby, cricket, baseball all being played in the big field.
What's the hill in Van Cortlandt? Hernia or Cardiac? It's intense.
A friend of mine from Inwood would routinely wake up on the 1 train in Van Cortlandt park after a night of partying, having overshot his stop at 215th street.
I remember vividly feeling completely out of place in my dorky plaid shorts and my golf clubs, riding the 4 train to Van Cortlandt. Only in New York.
Can you ask them why bikes are banned from Forest Park's wooded paths?
I can barely believe that Benepe is counting the greenbelts. Might as well start counting those minuscule Green Streets scraps.
Flushing Meadows
Van Cortlandt
Staten Island
Pelham Bay
Pelham Bay Park Bronx 2,765 acres
Greenbelt, Staten Island 1,778 acres
Flushing Meadows/Corona Park, Queens 1,255 acres
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx 1,146 acres
Central Park, Manhattan 843 acres
Marine Park, Brooklyn 798 acres
Bronx Park, Bronx 718 acres
Alley Pond Park, Queens 655 acres
Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk, South and Midland Beaches, Staten Island 638 acres
Forest Park, Queens 544 acres
Source: http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_faqs/faq.html#aboutParks
Flushing Meadow
Van Cortlandt
Central
Prospect
# Pelham Bay Park Bronx 2,765 acres
# Greenbelt, Staten Island 1,778 acres
# Flushing Meadows/Corona Park, Queens 1,255 acres
# Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx 1,146 acres
Central Park, Prospect Park, Van Cortlandt and Cunningham Park
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