Latest news with #NYCParksDepartment
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘We Outside': NYC allocates $30M to transform vacant lots into green spaces
NEW YORK (PIX11)— New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday that $30 million will be allocated to transform vacant lots into green spaces. Mayor Adams also launched 'We Outside Summer,' a new initiative featuring events, investments, and programs across the five boroughs to ensure a safe, enjoyable summer for New Yorkers. More Local News 'We know New Yorkers across the five boroughs are looking for more places to enjoy the warmer weather with friends and loved ones,' said Mayor Adams. 'Today, we're announcing a new effort to turn vacant, abandoned lots into parks — bringing more green spaces to neighborhoods across New York City that don't currently have access to them. This initiative builds on our administration's commitment to put a park within walking distance of a park because access to parks is critical, and as summer arrives, we're working hard to deliver green spaces to the areas most in need across the five boroughs.' The NYC Parks Department submitted Uniform Land Use Review Procedure applications for 44 sites in Brooklyn and Queens. Officials said some neighborhood sites include East New York, Jackson Heights, and East Elmhurst. According to ULURP is New York City's approval process for changes to how land is used, as required by the City Charter. Not all sites will be converted into parkland. Officials said additional sites will be announced in the coming months. The Adams administration says it has committed $80 million to expanding green spaces in the city since taking office. For more information on Mayor Adams' 'We Outside Summer,' click here. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NYC beaches open on Memorial Day weekend
NEW YORK (PIX11) — New York City beaches will open on Memorial Day weekend. The public beaches will open on Saturday and will remain open until Sept. 7, according to the NYC Parks Department. Two NY beaches make list of top 10 best beaches in the US Lifeguards will be on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Swimming at other times is not permitted, officials said. The city beaches are free to the public and span a total of 14 miles. The popular spots include Orchard Beach in the Bronx, Coney Island and Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn, Rockaway Beach in Queens, and Midland Beach, South Beach, Cedar Grove Beach, and Wolfe's Pond Beach on Staten Island. Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She has been with PIX11 News for two years. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
27-03-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Students working to restore sand dunes in Coney Island. Here's why activists say their help is needed.
Students are swapping their textbooks for shovels in a mission to restore sand dunes at Coney Island Creek. It's considered one of the most polluted waterways in New York City. For decades, environmental activists have been pushing to designate the beach there as a Superfund site so it can one day be eligible for a massive cleanup. The National Wildlife Federation partners with the NYC Parks Department, American Littoral Society , and Coney Island Beautification Project in an effort to fight beach erosion and restore the shoreline. "Nature-based solutions have been shown to be holistic and sustainable, and they work. Sand dunes will help to mitigate the next storm surge, chronic tidal floods and chronic erosion that is experienced by these communities," said Abby Jordan, the federation's climate science program manager. Dozens of homes stand steps away from the beach, a community that was inundated and devastated by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Jordan, who is from Brighton Beach, says trauma from the storm pushed her into this line of work. "Being waist-deep in storm surge is something I will never forget. That is not something any young person needs to live through," she recalled, saying the experience changed her life. Georgina Cullman, an ecologist from the NYC Parks Department, says student volunteers can help labor-intensive initiatives like this be more effective. "The Parks Department takes care of 12% of the land area of New York City," she said. "But we need neighborhoods and our neighbors to take an interest and love and care for these spaces, too." Social worker Franky Jordan brought his students from Liberation Diploma Plus, a transfer high school that focuses on kids who fell behind. "We know that students learn in different ways, and actually getting their hands dirty is one of the best ways for students to get involved," he said. Public school students spent hours not just learning about the environment, but actively rebuilding it. "It could help save lives eventually, like in the future," said 11th grader Nakaya Wry. Rico St. Hilaire, a recent graduate, liked the program so much last year that he returned to learn more about the way this prevents flooding. "It's basically forming a whole net, which, like, keeps it in place, which I think is really cool," he told CBS News New York's Hannah Kliger. They're leaving more than just footprints in the sand; their work is shaping a stronger and greener shoreline. Have a story idea or tip in Brooklyn? Email Hannah by CLICKING HERE .
