Celebrate New York City’s 520 Miles of Waterfront This Weekend

Image by rinkuantony from Pixabay

Free Events Scheduled in All Five Boroughs on May 18, May 19, and May 20 

Celebration to Highlight Work to Enhance Sustainability, Resiliency, and Health of NYC’s Waterfront 

Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Dan Garodnick announced a series of free tours and events for NYC 520, an annual celebration of New York City’s 520 miles of waterfront. Organized by DCP with sister agencies, practitioners, and non-profit partners, the celebration raises awareness about New York City’s waterfront, and highlights efforts to improve resiliency and public access. This year, seven events will take place from May 18 through May 20 across the boroughs, offering New Yorkers unique opportunities to explore and enjoy views of a diverse range of waterfront spaces.

This year marks the seventh annual celebration of the city’s 520-mile-long shoreline. Taking place on or around the fifth month and 20th day – 5/20 – each year’s programming has focused on different components of the waterfront and how they shape our everyday lives. This year’s events celebrate efforts to enhance the sustainability, resiliency, and ecological health of New York City’s waterfront and waterways.

The events set for Saturday, May 18, are:

• Coney Island Creek Park Tour and Beach Cleanup, 10 am to 1 pm – Join DCP and NYC Parks Stewardship program for a tour of Coney Island Creek Park that will highlight the ongoing restoration of dunes and other projects along the creek. Participants will also have the option of joining up in a coastal clean-up after the event. Come dressed in sturdy boots or shoes, long sleeves, long pants, and clothing that can get dirty. RSVP is required.
• Shirley Chisholm State Park Tour, 10 am to 1 pm – DCP, DEP, and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYS Parks) will host this walking tour of Shirley Chisholm State Park in Brooklyn. Formally landfill, this park is the largest environmental restoration ever undertaken in New York City. Rising 130 feet above sea level, it occupies some of the highest ground in the city and offers spectacular panoramic views. Participants should be prepared for approximately three hours of walking with some steep inclines and bring water, sunscreen and wear comfortable, fully closed shoes (no sandals).
• Governors Island Climate and Environmental Action Walking Tour, 1 to 2:30 pm – Join DCP and The Trust for Governors Island for a walking tour of its resilient and sustainable landscapes and new climate programs. The tour will go over the history, present, and future of climate and environmental action on Governors Island, including the Governors Island Historic District, The Hills, Governors Island Living Lab, and New York Climate Exchange. Afterwards, New Yorkers are invited to attend public events taking place on the island. Attendees should plan to board the 1 pm ferry from the Battery Maritime Building, and bring water, a hat, and comfortable walking shoes.

The events set for Sunday, May 19, are:

• Arverne East Nature Preserve Tour, 10 am to 12 pm – Head to the Rockaways for a walking tour of the Arverne East Nature Preserve, hosted by DCP, NYC Parks, and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). The Preserve includes five ecological communities, each contributing to a diverse ecosystem. The tour will begin at Beach 44th St at Edgemere Ave and tell participants about these ecological communities, the Preserve design, and the overall Arverne East development. Upon completion, Arverne East will be one of the most environmentally conscious developments in the United States, achieving net zero and eliminating the need for fossil fuels on site.
• Living Breakwaters Tour, 1 to 4 pm – Living Breakwaters is a state-of-the-art blue-green infrastructure project to reduce risk to Tottenville’s shoreline, enhance harbor ecosystems, and support education and stewardship across Staten Island. This event is made of two activities hosted by DCP, the New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s Office of Resilient Homes and Communities, and SCAPE Landscape Architecture: a tour and discussion of the breakwaters from the beach (open to all) and kayaking to get closer to the breakwaters. Reservations are required for kayaking on a first come first serve basis.
• Bronx Point and Mill Pond Park Tour, 3 pm to 4 pm – Join DCP, NYC Parks, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and Type A Projects for a tour of the Harlem River waterfront in the South Bronx. This tour will feature an overview of the Bronx Point redevelopment, including the new building and open space, BronxWorks pre-k, the Universal Hip Hop Museum, and much more. Attendees will also get a chance to visit the recently-renovated Mill Pond Park, which includes Deco Turf tennis courts, a sand play area, a shaded outdoor classroom, and an ADA-accessible esplanade.

The final event in this series is set for Monday, May 20:

• Staten Island New Creek Bluebelt Tour, 10 to 11:30 am – Hosted by DCP and DEP, this tour will feature the most recent Bluebelt sites in the New Creek watershed, including the new Last Chance Pond and “Gateway to the Bluebelt” stormwater wetlands. Participants will explore the different stormwater, flood control, ecological, and native plant aspects of the system. The meeting location will be at the Staples Store parking lot located at 1885 Hylan Boulevard.

While New York City is home to many great public spaces, the waterfront links together its largest open space: its waterways. Out of 520 miles of shoreline, hundreds of miles are publicly accessible today. These open spaces are incredibly varied and include beaches, boardwalks, piers, esplanades, trails, lawns, and ballfields. Additionally, the city’s waterways themselves represent 156 square miles of public open space, larger than the total square milage of Philadelphia.

New York City’s waterfront and waterways provide a wide range of experiences and activities, including biking, fishing, and strolling along the shoreline, swimming and paddling a boat in the water, community events, educational programming, and taking in amazing views of the city’s skyline.

To stay in the loop about these events for 5/20, as well as other opportunities to learn about and help plan for New York City’s shoreline, follow @NYCPlanning on Twitter and Instagram.

Department of City Planning
The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide, and its contribution to the preparation of the City’s 10-year Capital Strategy. DCP promotes housing production and affordability, fosters economic development and coordinated investments in infrastructure and services, and supports resilient, sustainable communities across the five boroughs for a more equitable New York City.

In addition, DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of approximately 450 land use applications for a variety of discretionary approvals. The Department also assists both government agencies and the public by advising on strategic and capital planning and providing policy analysis, technical assistance and data relating to housing, transportation, community facilities, demography, zoning, urban design, waterfront areas and public open space.