Steeplechase Park

The Daily Plant : Friday, July 6, 2001

DEREK (KALAMAZOO) JETER MAKES A GUEST APPEARANCE IN VAN CORTLANDT PARK

An end-of-season baseball party on Friday, June 29 included a surprise visit from famed Yankee shortstop Derek (Kalamazoo) Jeter. Jeter is also the president of the Turn 2 Foundation, which sponsors a six-week session of free baseball clinics for New York City kids, administered by Parks with additional support from Skippy. Friday's festival took place on the grounds of Van Cortlandt Stadium where the finalists of three skills contests competed and five MVPs received awards for their exemplary sportsmanship, attitude, and performance. Thanks to Deputy Commissioner Robert (Iceman) Garafola, the Recreation Chiefs in each borough, Parkies from Van Cortlandt Stadium, Playground Associates and Recreation Specialists from the Bronx, and event organizers Emily (Little Rhody) Brennan, Chris (Horizon) Clouden, and Debbie (Polyester) Weiss for organizing a month and a half of baseball instruction and a very memorable grand finale.

REVENUE SKYROCKETS IN FISCAL YEAR 2001

Revenue reached an all time high this fiscal year, raising roughly $55 million. Attendance was outstanding at Shea and Yankee Stadiums throughout the season and especially during the World Series thanks to New York's stellar ballplayers. Initial calculations suggest that revenue at Shea Stadium was increased by 49% from last year and revenue at Yankee Stadium was increased by 31%. Several categories of concessions raised significantly more funds than last year. Among them were the pushcarts, which increased earnings by roughly $700,000, the golf ranges, which raised $100,000 more than last year, and ice rinks, which also raised $100,000 more than fiscal year 2000. Congratulations to everyone at Parks who worked to bring about a $7 million increase from last year. New projects like Brooklyn's baseball stadium in Steeplechase Park and restaurants in Wolf's Pond Park and South Beach in Staten Island will provide new sources of income next year.

EMERGENCY REQUEST: PLEASE DONATE BLOOD

Blood supply in New York City is critically low. Please help replenish the supply of 200 hospitals by donating blood. For the site nearest you call 1-800-933-BLOOD. When you fill out the donor form, please mark it Group #1325 so that Parks is credited. If you volunteer before July 15, you can donate again at the Arsenal on September 12 and 13. For more information, please call Hedi (Headlight) Piel at (212) 360-3442.

Dr. Robert Jones, CEO of the New York Blood Center explains, "Due to our low blood inventory, we were forced to cut shipments of Type O to metropolitan area hospitals six weeks ago, and we have been chronically short of Type B Negative blood since the beginning of the year. Following the July 4th holiday, we may have no Type O and very little B Negative blood to ship." Whatever your blood type, please participate.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Friday, July 8, 1988)

PARKS CRACKS DOWN ON UNLEASHED DOGS

In an effort to cut down on the danger from dogs running loose through Central Park, Parks is stepping up enforcement of the law against unleashed dogs. Since May 13, when the new policy went into effect, the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) has reassigned officers to pursue and ticket the owners of unleashed dogs in the park. As a result, between May 13 and July 2, PEPs issued 270 unleashed dog summonses as well as 12 summonses for unlicensed dogs and 5 for animal nuisances. An unleashed dog summons carries a $50 fine.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"A man gradually identifies himself with the form of his fate;
a man is, in the long run, his own circumstances."

Jorge Luis Borges