The series of events encourages New Yorkers to learn more about the City’s waterfronts. Image Credit: NYC DCP.
On May 17, 2022, the Department of City Planning announced a new series of free events in May to celebrate the City’s waterfront. The celebration will culminate on Friday, May 20th (5/20) in honor of the 520 miles of waterfront across New York City. The celebration of the waterfront has run since 2017. In 2020 and 2021, events were virtual due to the safety concerns from the pandemic. This year, in-person events return to encourage New Yorkers to personally explore what the City’s waterfront has to offer.
Two self-guided tours are available for May. The NYC 520 Waterfront Journey with NYC Ferry encourages New Yorkers to visit ten spots along NYC Ferry routes. Participants can share phots taken at each spot for a chance to win prizes from NYC Ferry. For more information, check @NYCFerry on Instagram or click here. The Newton Creek Nature Walk encourages New Yorkers to explore Newtown and Whale Creeks between Brooklyn and Queens. An educational brochure can be found here and a virtual tour with artist George Trakas can be found here.
Several events are set to be held on May 20th. The events are:
- Waterfront Performance by Demolition Brass Band – Starting at 5:20 PM at Pier 16/17, the Demolition Brass Band will perform songs related to themes found in the Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, including public access, water quality, ferries, governance, and climate resilency and adaptation.
- Take a Walk on the Re-Wild Side: Part 1: Tour Soundview Oyster Reef – New Yorkers can check out a recently installed oyster reef in the mouth of the Bronx River by efforts from NYC Parks , Billion Oyster Project, and other partners. Starts at 9 AM, for more information click here.
- Take a Walk on the Re-Wild Side: Part 2: Tour the Bronx River Garden 180th Street Fish Ladder – The Fish Ladder, constructed in 2015, assists migratory fish up and over the 182nd Street Dam, which is the furthest down on the Bronx River. This walking tour will be led by NYC Parks and starts at 11 AM. For more information, click here.
- Take a Walk on the Re-Wild Side: Part 3: Tour the Bronx River Forest – This walk, hosted by the Bronx River Alliance, will tour one of the City’s last stands of old growth forest. This walk starts at 2:00 PM at the Burke Avenue Bridge on the Bronx River Parkway. For more information, click here.
- Gowanus Neighborhood Plan Walking Tour – The Department of City Planning and the Parks Department will explore sites along the Gowanus Canal and discuss the Gowanus Neighborhood Plan. The Plan was passed last year to create more affordable housing, job opportunities, improve infrastructure and enhance resiliency of the area surrounding the Gowanus Canal. The walk starts at 4 PM starting at the intersection of Smith Street and 9th Street outside of the F/G Subway station in Brooklyn. For more information, click here.
Director of City Planning Dan Garodnick stated, “New York City’s 520 miles of waterfront is a source of enjoyment, employment, commuting, conservation, and more. It is truly one of the quintessential aspects that make New York, New York. There’s no better time to commemorate our shoreline, and the Comprehensive Waterfront Plan we put together to keep it going strong, than the spring days of May when we truly see it at its best. We hope you’ll join us at one of these many great events to appreciate all our waterfront has to offer.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)
Where is the equity for Staten Island’s waterfront, often crumbling, often hidden and unreachable behind industrial fencing. Look at the blocked waterfront by a new garage that DCP promised would also be for the residents to enjoy but DCP allowed builders to lie. Look at Bank Street, once a wonderful community asset, now a mess for many years with no end in site (due to the failed wheel project ) EDC and DCP should take ownership of what they have done and start a new course with frequent collaboration with the SI north shore community.
I agree – there was a waterfront park and bike path near the ferry which was destroyed during the city promoted scheme to bring the world’s tallest wheel to Staten Island. What we wound up with are fewer waterfront amenities and failed projects that are lying dormant for years.