City Hall Park

The Daily Plant : Thursday, January 4, 2001

EVERGREEN TREES TO BE RECYCLED IN MULCH FEST 2001

This Saturday, January 6, Christmas trees will make the reverse trip-out of the spotlight on living room carpets and back to their native soil. At a press conference at City Hall Park Wednesday, January 3, 2001, Mayor Rudolph (Eagle) Giuliani and Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern invited all New Yorkers to Mulch Fest 2001, Parks' fifth annual festival to recycle Christmas trees and use the nutrients they contain to promote the health of New York City's green spaces. Tree-bearing New Yorkers are expected at six locations throughout the city: Crotona Park in the Bronx, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Tompkins Square Park in Manhattan, Riverside Park in Manhattan Saturday and Sunday, Victory Nursery in Staten Island, and Cunningham Park in Queens.

From 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Parks will recycle evergreen trees by chipping them. The resultant wood chips can be used to line tree pits along streets and in city parks. They help insulate the soil at the base of the tree and reduce soil compaction. They create moisture and help prevent the salt shock that can occur at this time of year. In homes and gardens, wood chips enrich soil quality and control weed growth. Participants in Saturday's event will be encouraged to take home bags filled with woodchips. Any remaining chips will be converted to mulch, the nutrient-rich organic soil compound for which the festival is named. Through collaborative composting projects, Parks and the Department of Sanitation have reduced the city's annual waste stream by 7,000 tons. Money that was previously spent transporting trees to the Fresh Kills Landfill now funds new trees and shrubs.

Commissioner Stern addressed the press saying, "Mulch Fest 2001 is a great opportunity to put trees to continued good use after a leafy life above ground. This Saturday, we will involve New Yorkers in a simple effort to appreciate trees not only for their beauty but for their down-to-earth qualities as well." With that he, the Mayor, and Commissioner of Sanitation Kevin P. (Peter Pan) Farrell fed a sizable tree into a woodchip machine.

RECREATION CENTERS HOST SUCCESSFUL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

In the midst of holidays and school vacation 480 youngsters aged 8-17 went toe-to-toe on basketball courts around the city from Wednesday December 27 to December 29, 2000 in the 3rd annual Evergreen Cup Basketball Tournament. This year's tournament, sponsored by Parks, the City Parks Foundation, and the Joelson Foundation, was improved by the addition of a fifth age bracket. A total of 48 teams competed at six sites around the city: the 54th Street Recreation Center, St. Mary's Recreation Center, St. John's Recreation Center, Bronsviller Recreation Center, Al Smith Recreation Center, and Lost Battalion Hall. For championship day, Al Smith was decked out with tinsel, ribbons, banners, and trophies on display. A DJ and play by play announcer kept the crowd engaged. The Jackie Robinson Steppers and the Al Smith Poetry Slammers showcased their expertise with two hip art forms.

Congratulations to the 8-10 coed team from Staten Island, the 13 and under boys team from St. Mary's, the 15 and under girls from Pelham Fritz, the 15 and under boys from Brownsville, and the 17 and under boys from St. Mary's, and to all the teams who participated. Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern welcomed visitors and players to the championship saying, "may this tradition remain an ever-young, ever-fun Evergreen Chmpionship." Thanks to Al Smith Center Manager Rosemary (Chispa) Tavarez, Director of Sports Activities for Brooklyn Recreation James (Buddy) Keaton, Special Projects Coordinator for Manhattan Recreation Anton (Downtown) Brown, Deputy Manager at St. Mary's Geoff (Silk) Houston, Recreation Supervisor for Staten Island Lisa (Kita) Cooney, Center Manager at Sorrentino Recreation Center Bernard (Sandman) Robinson, and to Citiwide Athletic Coordinator Aaron (Ghinda) Greenberg who coordinated the successful tournament.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Wednesday, January 6, 1988)

PARKS PHOTO SHOW "FOUR IN FOCUS" TO OPEN IN ARSENALK GALLERY

If you're camera shy, you'd better not be within sight of the Arsenal Gallery on Tuesday, January 12. It's guaranteed to be crawling with camera bugs.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Most of us are about as eager to be changed as we were to be born,
and go through our changes in a similar state of shock."

James Baldwin (1924-1987)