We have a new park in the Big Apple!
We have a new park in the Big Apple. And we are not talking about any park, but the Largest State Park in New York , with no less than 407 acres of surface (about 165 hectares), which also occupies what used to be a waste dump.
Shirley Chisolm State Park has just opened its first phase **in Jamaica Bay (Brooklyn)** offering facilities for hiking, biking, fishing and picnicking.
It has been named after Shirley Chisholm, who was the first African-American congresswoman in 1968 and the first African-American woman to run for president in 1972.
Brooklyn Debuts First Phase of Shirley Chisolm Park
THE FIRST PHASE THAT WE CAN ALREADY VISIT!
The first phase of opening of the park was announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo , which stated: "Today we add another gem to our treasure trove of State Parks, transforming what was once a grungy South Brooklyn space into an exquisite open space."
This first phase offers 16 kilometers of marked trails, playgrounds, recreation centers and a bayside pier for picnicking and fishing along the Pennsylvania Avenue side.
In addition, it will create Shirley Chisholm State Park Bicycle Library –thanks to a partnership with Bike New York– which will loan bikes for free so that everyone can pedal through the park.
The first phase is already open and has 16 kilometers of trails
THE INSTAGRAM POINT
One of the most striking places is the colorful mural in tribute to Shirley Chisholm, made by the Brooklyn muralist Danielle Mastrion.
"Shirley Chisholm fought to improve the health and well-being of underserved communities, a legacy that we are carrying on through the Vital Brooklyn Initiative, which is why we are proud to dedicate this park to the memory of her leadership and accomplishments," Governor Cuomo said.
A decade after Chisholm's death in 2005, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of the Freedom.
THE SECOND PHASE
The second phase, which is scheduled to open in 2021 , will see the opening of a grand entrance to the park on Fountain Avenue, gardens, a courtyard overlooking Hendrix Creek; and temporary facilities for environmental education.
The new park is a flagship project of the aforementioned Vital Brooklyn initiative , whose objective is stock the area with new or renovated parks, gardens, playgrounds, and recreation centers, so that everyone is within a ten minute walk of each other in Central Brooklyn and making everything look greener.
Shirley Chisolm, the first African-American congresswoman
SUSTAINABILITY FIRST
Shirley Chisholm State Park is an excellent example of the transformation of a contaminated land into a green space where to enjoy leisure in the open air, the site rests on the former landfills of Pennsylvania and Fountain Avenue , operated by the New York City Department of Sanitation from 1956 to 1983.
After the closure of the landfills, the city transferred the land to the National Park Service and became part of a project to reconvert landfills.
In addition, the height of the land, 36 meters above sea level, offers panoramic views of the Empire State Building, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge , New York Harbor and Jamaica Bay.
New York breathes a little better today And we can't wait to get away!