Asphalt Green

The Daily Plant : Thursday, October 10, 2002

GET OUT THE WORD... VOLUNTEERING IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL, AND GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Photo by Spencer T. Tucker

Volunteerism is one of those things that is on everyone’s “to-do” list. Too often it is pushed to the wayside to make room for the rest of life’s events. In this upcoming year, we as New Yorkers have a chance to make more of a difference than ever by volunteering right here in the Big Apple. Parks offers a thousand ways to help improve neighborhoods, communities at large, and the city as a whole.

The Eighth Annual fall “It’s My Park Day!” will bring thousands of volunteers from around New York City to clean and fix-up their neighborhood parks and playgrounds. The day is a dramatic demonstration of the civic commitment of New Yorkers and the importance of green space in New York City. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join Parks employees and volunteer at parks around the city. The event lasts the entire day of October 19^th and New Yorkers can get involved by calling (212) 360-1357.

“It’s My Park Day!” is led by Partnerships for Parks, a group formed to spur more community support for, and involvement in, New York City parks. It is a joint program of City Parks Foundation and Parks. "Fall "It's My Park!" Day is a great opportunity for all the civic groups involved in parks to come together on one day across the City to show a united force for parks,” said Dana Litvack, Director of Operations for Partnerships for Parks. “Volunteering in parks means so much, from locking the park at night to coaching sports leagues to leading nature tours to meeting with elected officials about your park to cleaning up the park to gardening. This day brings together all these interests and promotes the importance of civic involvement.”

This event wraps up the season for hundreds of civic groups and Friends of Parks groups throughout the City. There are approximately 300 “Friends of” groups in New York City, and another 500 civic groups that regularly devote their time to organizing special events and volunteering in their neighborhood parks.

On Wednesday, October 9, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and members of Brooklyn Parks Advocates to promote volunteerism in Brooklyn parks and across the city. Besides encouraging New Yorkers to participate in “It’s My Park Day,” Commissioner Benepe also explained that there are many other ways to make a difference.

“Aside from general clean-up and fix-up jobs, volunteers assist with trail maintenance, tree pruning and gardening,” said Commissioner Benepe. “Lots of people also help out in our recreation centers by coaching children’s sports teams and teaching classes. We even have volunteers who lock the parks at night to help keep their parks and playgrounds clean and safe.”

The message that day was clear: volunteering is a great way to make New York City a better, safer, cleaner, greener, and happier place to live. From the steps of Borough Hall in Brooklyn to the furthest reaches of the Bronx, “It’s My Park Day” will unite New Yorkers under a common goal.

Written by Jeffrey Sandgrund

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Thursday, October 19, 1989)

ASPHALT GREEN TO TURN BLUE

The plans for a new $14 million swimming and sports training center at Asphalt Green in Manhattan were announced by Mayor Edward I. Koch at City Hall on Monday, October 16.

The highlight of the new facility will be New York’s first public indoor, 50-meter Olympic-length pool. Asphalt Green, a non-profit sports, arts and education center, is located between East 90^th and 92^nd Streets, and York and East End Avenues. It serves over 100,000 people a year from public and private schools, athletic leagues and community groups, including the Police Athletic League, and is open 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

“Nothing worth knowing can be understood with the mind.”

Woody Allen
(b. 1935)