College Point Park

The Daily Plant : Wednesday, November 21, 2001

OVER 2001 ACRES GAINED BY OCTOBER 2001: PARKS BRANCHES OUT INTO NEW TERRITORY

Parks has surpassed its goal of acquiring 2001 acres by the close of 2001. Under the leadership of Mayor Rudolph (Eagle) Giuliani and Parks Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern, the City’s parkland has grown at a record rate. Since 1994, over 2,035 acres of parkland have been added, bringing the grand total to 28,569 acres. That is the most greenery added since Mayor Robert Wagner and Parks Commissioner Robert Moses held the City’s reins.

The Emerald Empire has acquired five of the most significant bird-breeding islands in New York Harbor. These key nesting grounds house 16,000 pairs of wading birds and constitute close to 40% of the species’ breeding population in the metropolitan area. The two latest additions are Isle of Meadows in Staten Island and North Brother Island in the Bronx. Isle of Meadows, adjacent to the Fresh Kills landfill, is a 101-acre avian haven. North Brother’s secluded forest and salt marsh spans 20 acres. Colonies of wading birds such as egrets, ibises, and herons thrive in these protected bird sanctuaries.

Parks’ recent acquisitions are diverse, ranging from small urban pathways to underwater habitats. In Harlem, Parks acquired a 20-foot-long, 8-foot-wide path to make it easier for neighborhood children to travel between Linette C. Williamson Park and a community garden. In Queens, 35 underwater acres were acquired to help preserve Broad Channel’s ecosystem. These acres are part of the Jamaica Bay wetlands, which host more than 325 species of bird, 50 species of butterfly, and 100 species of fin-bearing fish.

Parks has worked closely with the nonprofit and private sector to revitalize newly acquired land. Adding green space to the park system and restoring New York City’s shorefront property are high priorities. Currently, Parks is working with other agencies to transform College Point Park in Queens from a 20-acre illegal dumping ground to pristine parkland. In addition, Parks has teamed up with Home Depot in Brooklyn to green Coney Island’s shoreline.

Parks’ 2,035 new acres of parkland span the five boroughs. The Bronx boasts 160 new acres of green space, Brooklyn claims 266 more acres, Queens residents are enjoying 155 new acres while Manhattanites find tranquility in over 60 acres of new parkland. To entice even the most dedicated nature lovers, Parks has preserved 1,394 acres of Staten Island’s rugged terrain.

Write this down in your datebook: Wednesday, November 30 at 2:15 P.M. It is a day that is not to be forgotten.

That is when Mayor Koch, Commissioner Stern and other elected officials and guests will gather in the indoor pool at the Asser Levy Bathhouse on 23^rd Street, off the FDR drive. This is not another Early Bird swim, but a unique groundbreaking ceremony for an estimated $8 million restoration of the Asser Levy indoor, outdoor, and wading pools, as well as the historic landmarked bathhouse.

"And if I loved you Wednesday,
Well what is that to you?
I do not love you Thursday
So much is true."

Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950)