Conference House Park

The Daily Plant : Monday, August 17, 2009

Parkies Plant Pumpkin Patch on Staten Island

Gardening on Staten Island is accomplished by a lot of planning and team work by various Gardeners, Assistant Gardeners, City Parks Workers, JTP’s and SYEP participants. An example of the dedicated work of one of these teams is the new Ward Pumpkin Garden at Conference House Park. It was designed in the shape of a pumpkin by Assistant Gardener Steve Dillon, Supervisor Mike Mancuso, and Seasonal CPW Anthony Gargiullo Jr. It was planted and maintained by Dillon with assistance in erecting the fence and weeding from Summer Youth Employment Program participants Stephen Makler, Kyle Miller and Thomas Santiago.

The plants in the garden include various pumpkins: Ghost Rider, Orange Smoothie, Lumina and Jack O’ Lantern in addition to sunflowers and dill. As of August 6 the pumpkins were already growing large—an incredible feat considering the seeds were only planted as recently as June 7. Steve added compost as an amendment to the soil in order to make sure the pumpkins had all the nutrients they needed to grow.

The pumpkins will be used in an upcoming Halloween Harvest festival at Conference House Park on October 17, 2009.

Written by Ira Steinberg

BUSHWICK PLAYGROUND UNDER RENOVATION
TO BECOME A PARK FOR ALL AGES

On Wednesday, August 12, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined Council Member Erik Martin Dilan and kids from a local day camp to break ground on renovations to Bushwick Playground.

Thanks to $1.5 million in funding allocated by Council Member Erik Martin Dilan and $727,000 from Mayor Bloomberg, as well as a grant of $200,000 from the Environmental Protection Fund, Bushwick Playground will be transformed into a recreational space for all ages, with new play equipment for toddlers and pre-teens, as well as benches and an adult sitting area. To encourage many different types of physical fitness, there will be a new exercise area with equipment for pull-ups, sit-ups and stretching.

“All across the city, in every neighborhood, we are restoring and expanding the City’s park system” said Commissioner Benepe. “It’s neighborhood parks like Bushwick Playground that help define quality of life for New Yorkers. With nearly $2.5 million allocated by Council Member Dilan, Mayor Bloomberg, and the State of New York, this playground will be safer, greener, and a lot more fun.”

A colorful spray shower will be added as well as garden areas with flowering shrubs and ground cover throughout the park. This project will also include all new fencing, paving and park lighting. The project will also include the reconstruction of the basketball courts. The new playground is expected to open in Spring 2010.

The next phase of work at Bushwick playground, expected to begin this fall, will reconstruct the park’s comfort station with an additional $200,000 in funding from Council Member Dilan. The building will be outfitted with an all new exterior and interior, and upgraded for accessibility.

Since Mayor Bloomberg took office in 2002, Parks has spent more than $271 million on 264 park improvement projects in Brooklyn. Parks currently has 43 projects representing $298 million in construction and another 106 projects representing $131 million in design/bidding.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

“Without the oceans there would be no life on Earth.”

Peter Benchley
(1940 – 2006)