Central Park

The Daily Plant : Wednesday, September 18, 2002

ALLEY POND ADVENTURE

Photo By Mike Glennan

As I rested under the branches of a Pin Oak tree in Alley Pond Park, I began to reflect on the last few weeks of summer. The moon was full, and the Cicada bugs were in full concert serenading me with wave after wave of chatter. It was 2:00 a.m., a welcome breeze swept across me, and all was finally quiet at the campsite.

My tour on the "Alley Pond Adventure" was drawing to a close. This past summer the Queens Urban Park Rangers played host to more then 500 New York City youths from all five boroughs. The Rangers worked with the New York Housing Authority and Queens Recreation to offer children outdoor recreation programs at Oakland Lake and Alley Pond Park in Queens.

As Rangers, our mission is to introduce and educate people to the beauty of our urban parks. Our hope is to get them excited and interested in nature, and to promote stewardship of parkland throughout the city. What better way to foster this stewardship then by having kids canoe, fish, orienteer, and camp overnight in one of our city's parks?

Our days were busy and filled with excited children taking part in activities they had never done before. What a pleasure it was to hear many of them say "Do we have to go back?" while paddling to the shore. Granted there were complaints about harmless insects making visits, hikes that seemed like miles upon miles to them, getting dirty, and finding out that there were no showers. Not surprisingly, when everything was said and done they toughed it out and played it up in the morning as if they had survived a stint on the show Survivor.

All in all, everyone that participated, campers and councilors alike, benefited from this summer program. As Rangers we were able to share what we love doing with kids that had very. And the children got to enjoy this once in a lifetime experience right in their own backyard. These kids have now seen parts of NYC that nobody else gets to see, and they have a different view of the city's parks than most of this city's residents. This was a wonderful day, a day that would not have been possible without the Alley Pond Adventure.

Kristy Di Cario - Urban Park Ranger

Parks Softball Playoffs

Playoffs for the Eighth Year of Parks Softball began this week. So far, only three teams have broken through to be champs: Brooklyn (Seasons 1&2), Bronx (Seasons 3&5) and Manhattan (Seasons 4,6,7). Indeed, these three led the 2002 regular season standings again. The standings were: 1) Bronx, 2) Manhattan, 3) Brooklyn, 4-Tie) Arsenal, UPS, Central Park, 7) MIS, 8) Zoo.

We'll see if a new winner emerges in 2002 or the powerhouses continue their reign. Stay tuned.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Wednesday, September 27, 1989)
PARKS TROOPS BLITZ BROOKLYN'S COFFEY PARK

At Coffey Park in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, Parks is proving that there is strength in numbers. Forty-six workers are giving the 8.5-acre park an intensive spruce-up through the 5" x 5" maintenance program.

The parkies, who began the blitz on Monday, September 18, are painting benches, buildings, playground equipment, wrought-iron fences and lampposts; refurbishing the basketball area, handball courts, drinking fountains, and picnic tables; pruning trees; and removing weeds.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY
''I believe in God, only I spell it Nature.''
Frank Lloyd Wright
(1869 - 1959)

Know Before You Go

Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)

Harlem Meer Center