Union Square Park

Spring Is Awakening In New York City’s Parks

Friday, March 20, 2009
No. 22
http://www.nyc.gov/parks

On the first day of spring, Parks & Recreation reminds New Yorkers to take advantage of events, activities, sights and sounds in their public parks. Despite today’s snow flurries, warm weather is on its way! With our 1,000 playgrounds, 800 athletic fields, youth sports clinics, festivals, children’s events and numerous greening and gardening initiatives, New York City’s parks are synonymous with springtime fun.

“Spring is here! In all our parks and gardens, the flowers are beginning to bloom and the birds and other wildlife are stirring,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “New Yorkers can dig into the spring by planting trees for the City’s MillionTreesNYC campaign or participating in many gardening events during the month of April.”

This spring, New Yorkers can “dig in” and get involved in greening our city by taking advantage of free tree stewardship workshops, learning about the many benefits of trees, going on a tree identification hike with the Urban Park Rangers, and volunteering to plant trees. Sign up today and join other New Yorkers in planting 20,000 trees at 18 sites across New York City during New York Cares’ 15th Annual Hands On New York Day on Saturday, April 25. Visit the Hands on New York Day website at http://www.handsonnewyorkday.org for details about registration. For information about other MillionTreesNYC volunteer planting opportunities this spring, visit www.milliontreesnyc.org or call 3-1-1.

Street Games 2009 will take place at Thomas Jefferson Park on Saturday, April 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will feature “old school” activities like stick ball, wall ball, skully, yo-yo, hula hooping, pogo sticks, double-dutch, hopscotch, slap & rhyme, lemon twist, roller skating, and skateboarding. For the more serious gamers, Street Games will feature live demonstrations and activities from the New York Emperor’s Stickball League and the New York Knicks’ Groove Truck. The event will also feature musical performances of timeless songs from the ’60s and ’70s.

Parks & Recreation will celebrate National Garden Month throughout April with cultivation-related events and workshops, garden tours, and expert advice and lectures. National Garden Month in New York City will culminate on Sunday, April 26 with the 4th annual NYC Grows festival in Union Square Park. NYC Grows is an all-day event where members of the public can take part in activities and demonstrations that promote gardening.

Parks activities sprout and bloom all spring-long! On Saturday, May 16, Partnerships for Parks will hold its semi-annual It's My Park! Day and bring thousands of New Yorkers to locations citywide for a day of planting, cleaning and celebrating parks. It’s My Park! Day is organized by local community groups, corporate partners, Parks staff and the City Parks Foundation. To find projects and events in your neighborhood, visit www.itsmypark.org in early May.