The first phase of the Shirley Chisolm State Park is open in Brooklyn, the largest state park in New York City offering miles of hiking and biking trails.
The Shirley Chisholm State Park opened earlier this month, Image by Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
The 407-acre state park in Jamaica Bay is the largest in New York City, named in honour of Brooklyn’s Shirley Chisholm, who was the first African-American congresswoman in 1968 and the first African-American woman to run for president in 1972. The park’s initial opening phase was unveiled last week by Governor Andrew Cuomo, whose Vital Brooklyn Initiative (a community programme that targets chronic social, economic and health disparities within the rapidly gentrifying borough) provided US$20 million in funding for park facilities.
The first phase provides ten miles of marked trails for hiking and biking; playgrounds; community gardens; recreation centres and a bayside pier for picnics and fishing. In addition, a partnership with Bike New York will create the Shirley Chisholm State Park Bike Library, a bike-loan programme so everyone gets to ride the crushed stone trails of the park, even if they don’t have a bike of their own.
The park offers ten miles of marked hiking and biking trails along Jamaica Bay waterfront. Image by Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
The second phase of the park will include pop-up educational facilities and lawn patios large enough to host open-air gatherings and performances. It’s expected to open in 2021 and will completely transform what was once a landfill, dumping ground into something that local residents and visitors can enjoy.
“Today we add another gem to our treasure trove of state parks, transforming what was once a blemish on the South Brooklyn community into exquisite open space,” Governor Cuomo said in a statement.” Shirley Chisholm fought to improve the health and wellness of under-served communities, a legacy we are carrying on through the Vital Brooklyn Initiative, so we are proud to dedicate this park in memory of her leadership and accomplishments.”
The end goal of Vital Brooklyn Initiative is to provide 34 new or improved pocket parks, community gardens, playgrounds and recreation centres within a ten-minute walk of every Central Brooklyn resident. So expect to see a greener Brooklyn soon.
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