Parks Department

De Blasio Slams Bronx Golf Deal He Cheered to Bump Trump, After Homeless Operator Exposé

Oct. 4, 2021, 7:47 p.m.Oct. 4, 2021, 10:25 p.m.

THE CITY asked why a homeless shelter operator was set to take over Ferry Point Park links and other news outlets revealed self-dealing and sanctions. Now the mayor says he’s baffled why his Parks Department didn’t spot the red flags.

Parks

Barry The Owl Was Poisoned Before Central Park Truck Hit Her

Sept. 21, 2021, 4:00 p.m.Sept. 21, 2021, 4:00 p.m.

The beloved barred owl who died last month in Central Park, had a potentially lethal level of rat poison that could have impaired her flying abilities before her crash, according to a state necropsy obtained by THE CITY.

Public Safety

How Beach Erosion Played Part in Teen’s Drowning at Rockaway

Aug. 12, 2021, 2:56 p.m.Oct. 28, 2022, 2:31 p.m.

The strip of the shore where Matthew Wiszowaty was swimming had been blocked off because beach erosion makes it impossible to place a lifeguard chair there adequately. Still, some locals say the city should boost patrols at the popular spot.

Parks

Red Hook Thrown into Parks Space Race as More Fields Close for Environmental Overhaul

Aug. 4, 2021, 12:00 p.m.Aug. 4, 2021, 10:13 a.m.

Work has dragged on for nearly a decade in a Brooklyn neighborhood still recovering from Superstorm Sandy. The city Parks Department recently shuttered a local track, basketball courts, soccer fields and more for 18 months.

Parks

Washington Square Park Neighbors Pleaded for Help, Records Show

July 20, 2021, 8:57 p.m.Oct. 12, 2023, 7:58 a.m.

In scores of reports to 311, locals complained about loud music, rowdy partying and fireworks at the iconic Greenwich Village park, the subject of a controversial curfew. “We’re desperate. Please help,” one resident wrote.

Parks

Making a Stink About Lack of Bathrooms at Brooklyn’s Betsy Head Park

June 27, 2021, 7:42 p.m.June 27, 2021, 7:48 p.m.

The Parks Department says real bathrooms will be completed next year. But there are no signs pointing out to port-a-potties blocks away from playgrounds and fields. “Why would they do this to families in Brownsville?” one woman asked.

Parks

NYC Park Lovers Say City Nature Trails Need More Green

June 17, 2021, 9:14 p.m.June 18, 2021, 10:09 a.m.

Partnerships with the Parks Department have left the fate of New York’s hiking trails in the hands of private organizations. Some groups say more needs to be done — and funded — by the city. Meanwhile, a new city plan aims at making trails safer.

Life

COVID and Cabin Fever Inspire New Uses of NYC Outdoor Space This Summer

April 22, 2021, 9:14 p.m.April 22, 2021, 9:18 p.m.

Brand new park space, a return to summertime classics and — of course — skirmishes about how to use streets and sidewalks will mark the 2021 hot weather season. Here’s what to look out for while you’re out and about.

Brooklyn

Restoration of Red Hook Rec Center Finally Moving Forward Following Sandy Damage

March 10, 2021, 8:48 p.m.Oct. 28, 2022, 2:33 p.m.

Nearly a decade after the superstorm, the Parks Department seeks architect to fortify historic sports hub. Meanwhile, surrounding ballfields remain fenced off for epic toxic soil cleanup.

Worker Safety

COVID Clusters Hit City Workplaces as Frontline Employees Wait for Vaccines

March 4, 2021, 8:08 p.m.March 4, 2021, 8:27 p.m.

A Sanitation garage in Brooklyn and Flushing Meadows Corona Park locker room are among recent virus breakout sites. Union officials are calling for shots for thousands more municipal employees: “We can’t work from home.”

Parks Department

De Blasio Slams Bronx Golf Deal He Cheered to Bump Trump, After Homeless Operator Exposé

Barry The Owl Was Poisoned Before Central Park Truck Hit Her

How Beach Erosion Played Part in Teen’s Drowning at Rockaway

Red Hook Thrown into Parks Space Race as More Fields Close for Environmental Overhaul

Washington Square Park Neighbors Pleaded for Help, Records Show

Making a Stink About Lack of Bathrooms at Brooklyn’s Betsy Head Park

NYC Park Lovers Say City Nature Trails Need More Green

COVID and Cabin Fever Inspire New Uses of NYC Outdoor Space This Summer

Restoration of Red Hook Rec Center Finally Moving Forward Following Sandy Damage

COVID Clusters Hit City Workplaces as Frontline Employees Wait for Vaccines

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