On March 28, 2023, Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson joined community representatives and advocates to celebrate the opening of Corporal Fischer Park, a new park in Highbridge that replaced a formerly empty fenced off lot.  The new park is on West 170th Street between Nelson Avenue and Shakespeare Avenue. 

On March 20, 2023, the Parks Department announced that 240 new “second shift” employees had been recently hired to address park cleanliness issues on evenings and weekends. The new deployment of workers will operate on Thursdays through Sundays during evening hours to address trash, litter and graffiti at certain hotspots around the city. The staff’s efforts to clean up trash and litter will also serve as part of the city’s efforts to push back against … <Read More>

On February 27, 2023, Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue joined elected officials, community board representatives and community members to celebrate the reopening of the Flushing Meadows Aquatics Center, located near the intersection of Meridian Road and East Road in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. 

On February 8, 2023, the Department of Parks and Recreation announced the ribbon-cutting of the newly renovated Gerard P. Dugan Playground in New Dorp, Staten Island. The playground is located in the middle of the block with Isernia Avenue to the north, Tysens Lane to the south, Mill Road to the west and Weed Avenue to the east. Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue was joined by Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, Council Member David Carr, … <Read More>

On January 17, 2023, the Department of Parks and Recreation announced the results of the most recent Mulchfest, where the agency collected live Christmas trees that were recycled into mulch to be used for mulching plant beds and community gardens across the city. According to the agency, 58,309 trees were collected for this year’s Mulchfest. 

On December 22, 2022, the Parks Department and the Department of Design and Construction revealed the schematic design for the new Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. The new center will be located in Nostrand Playground on Nostrand Avenue between Foster Avenue and Farragut Place.