HPPC Plants 13,000 Bulbs on LIC Waterfront

On the morning of Saturday, October 31st, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy held our 6th annual LIC Bulbfest. Nearly 70 volunteers came out to help HPPC, NYC Parks, and NYS Parks plant approximately 13,000 tulip, daffodil, allium, and crocus bulbs in Gantry Plaza State Park and Hunter’s Point South Park.

The Conservancy is extremely thankful to our parks department partners and the many dedicated volunteers who made this an extremely successful event. We were also encouraged that all volunteers followed our strict health and safety protocols that were in place so that everyone kept each other safe.

We can’t wait to see the waterfront blooming with new life in Spring 2021 and will be sure to share pictures and updates as the parks begin to come alive.

New Climate Neutral Mural on Past, Present, and Future of Newtown Creek Unveiled

On Wednesday, October 21st, HPPC hosted local elected officials, educators, and environmental leaders at a press conference recognizing the completion of a new mural across the street from Hunter's Point South Park.

The massive mural, which depicts the past, present and future of Newtown Creek, is located on the South wall of the Q404 Hunters Point campus building, which hosts the Hunters Point Community Middle School, The Academy for TV and Film and The Riverview School. The work is New York City’s first carbon neutral street art and is being created with mostly recycled and repurposed materials as well as a unique paint that absorbs pollution from the air.

The artwork stems from a competition launched during Climate Week, Sept. 21 through Sept. 27, by the UN and GreenPoint Innovations (GPI), a production organization focused on sustainability. The competition was also organized by The Climate Group and Newtown Creek Alliance. The competition, GreenPoint EARTH 2020: Screens2Streets, aims to spotlight global climate issues using art.

The winning piece — now being painted — depicts the past, present and future of the nearby Newtown Creek, a federal Superfund site. It includes birds, seagrasses, sassafras and smoke stacks. The mural illustrates the connection between industrialization, climate change and the health of local communities

Thank you to artist iena cruz for creating such a beautiful piece that speaks to our neighborhood and out waterways. We are so proud to have this work of art in Hunters Point!

HPPC Announces Halloween Costume Contest

This fall, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy is continuing to think of ways to keep our community connected while we have to stay distant. This October, we will be hosting a ‘Virtual Costume Contest’ and we hope our friends and neighbors will participate!

The contest will open on Monday, October 19th and will close at the end of the day on Halloween, 10/31. Prizes will be awarded in three categories: adult, child, and pet! Participants can enter by posting a picture of themselves (or their child or pet) on Instagram, tagging HPPC, and by using the Hashtag #LICWaterfrontHalloween. If you do not have Instagram, pictures can be submitted to info@hunterspointparks.org.

In addition, this year’s LIC Bulbfest also falls on Halloween and there will be an additional prize for best Bulbfest costume! If you are registered to volunteer at Bulbfest, we encourage you to come dressed in a ‘planting appropriate’ costume that you don’t mind getting dirty.

Submissions must be received by 10/31. Winners will be selected by the following Monday, 11/2, and announced that afternoon. The Bulbfest winner will be determined during the event and awarded that day.

Prizes:

(1) Children - $25 gift card to Something Sweet

(2) Adults - $25 gift card to Piatto

(3) Pets - $25 gift card to Pet Island

(4) Bulbfest - $25 gift card to Jackson’s

HPPC & Newtown Creek Alliance Build Pollinator Meadow on 48th Ave.

During Climate Week 2020 (September 19 - 26), Hunters Point Parks Conservancy partnered with Newtown Creek Alliance (NCA) and many dedicated volunteers to create a pollinator garden on the medians on 48th Ave. in Long Island City. Additional partners on the project include Hunter’s Point Community Middle School, PS/IS 78, and the New York City Department of Transportation.

HPPC and NCA worked with many volunteers over the course of four days -starting with removing weeds and trash from the long-neglected medians on Saturday, 9/19. We then planted over 600 native grasses and wildflowers in the Western median on Wednesday, 9/23 and another 500+ on the Eastern median on Friday, 9/25. The project was completed on Saturday, 9/26 by spreading mulch around the plants on both medians. In total, over 1,100 plants were planted on the medians and over 75 volunteers helped on the project.

We were also fortunate enough to have the support of U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who stopped by twice to lend a hand and commend our work.

In future school years, the garden will be used by students at both Hunter’s Point Community Middle School and PS/IS 78 as a teaching tool when they navigate the Newtown Creek Urban Ecology Curriculum that NCA & HPPC co-produced and introduced into their classrooms.

The benefits of this type of garden are many, most notably as habitat for ecological valuable pollinators, like butterflies, moths, and bees and small birds. They also provide important ecosystem services including infiltration and filtration of stormwater, carbon storage, and nutrient recycling. Wildflower meadows are ecologically-friendly landscape components that, once established, have minimal maintenance requirements (University of New Hampshire Extension, 2019).

Ongoing maintenance work on the medians will be carried out by Newtown Creek Alliance and Hunters Point Parks Conservancy.

The 48th Median planting project is generously supported through the NYC Environmental Fund administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and NY State Department of Environmental Conservation. Additional funding for the project has been generously provided by Arc’Teryx. All median work is in tandem with and approved by the Queens Department of Transportation.

'Floating Woman' by Gaston Lachaise Arrives in Hunter's Point South Park

Hunters Point Parks Conservancy and the Lachaise Foundation are thrilled to announce the temporary installation of Gaston Lachaise’s Floating Woman (Floating Figure) in Hunter’s Point South Park. The piece was placed in its temporary home on Thursday, September 24.

The work is one of Lachaise’s best-known, monumental works dating from the late twenties. The buoyant, expansive figure represents a timeless earth goddess, one Lachaise knew and sought to capture throughout his career. This vision was inspired by his wife, who was his muse and model, Isabel, that “majestic woman” who walked by him once by the Bank of the Seine. This work is a tribute to the power of all women, to ‘Woman,’ as the artist referred to his wife, with a capital W.

Gaston Lachaise devoted himself to the human form, producing a succession of powerfully conceived nude figures in stone and bronze that reinvigorated the sculptural traditions of Auguste Rodin and Aristide Maillol.

Lachaise wrote: “You may say that the model is my wife. It is a large generous figure of great placidity, great tranquility. . .What I am aiming to express is the glorification of the human being, of the human body, of the human spirit with all there is of daring, magnificence. . .” (“A Comment on My Sculpture,” Creative Art, 1928).

A total of nine casts exist. Other casts can be seen at the Museum of Modern Art, NY; in Philadelphia at the Society Hill Towers, designed by I. M. Pei; at the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, Nebraska; at Princeton University in New Jersey; at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra; and in the collection of the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris.

The work was cast at the Modern Art Foundry in Astoria, Queens. This Queens connection, coupled with its visibility from the East River inspired the Lachaise foundation’s choice of Hunter’s Point South Park and the specific install location. The piecesitsby the water, on the West side of the old railroad tracks in the park, aligned with 51st Ave.

HPPC would like to thank the Lachaise Foundation, NYC Parks, and Community Board 2 for helping make this installation possible. The piece will reside in Hunter’s Point South for one year.

Hunters Point Parks Conservancy Statement Regarding Security on the Hunters Point Waterfont

The Hunters Point Parks Conservancy’s mission is to enhance and advocate for the greenspaces and waterfront of Long Island City, Queens, and to ensure the Parks remain an indispensable asset to the community. 

Hunters Point Parks Conservancy has been concerned for some time about the illegal and disruptive activities that have been occurring in our waterfront parks at night.  During this time, we have been in constant contact with many stakeholders in the community including park officials, elected officials, neighbors, local business owners and the 108th Precinct.

The Conservancy is extremely upset when we see the parks littered with empty liquor bottles, fireworks residue, and the results of fires that have damaged park infrastructure. Additionally, we, like many people living in the Hunters Point South neighborhood, have been woken up repeatedly throughout the night by loud music, fireworks, and drag racing on Center Blvd. The Conservancy has frequently witnessed unauthorized motorized vehicles in the park creating safety hazards for park users. The Conservancy is dismayed by reports of unauthorized late-night raves that ignore social distancing laws during a global pandemic that has had such a negative effective on our local community’s health.

The Hunters Point Parks Conservancy agrees more needs to be done to address these issues. We believe more effective enforcement of park polices are required, especially during the night and on weekends to stem these disruptive problems. During these unprecedented times, we also believe it is more important than ever to work with the proper authorities to meet the needs of our parks and all of our Queens community.

The Hunters Point Parks Conservancy has 20+ years of experience working together with the New York State and New York City Parks Departments to meet our collective challenges. When trash plagued the park earlier this summer, HPPC worked with park officials and invested in Bigbelly Trash Cans that have increased capacity and alleviated the problem. When budget cuts hampered park staffing, we continued to provide and organize needed volunteer services and partnered with the hard-working park employees. This summer we’ve weeded, mulched, and helped clean the park to keep our parks clean, safe, and welcoming for all.

Long Island City and Queens are better when we all work together. At the core of our mission is fostering a sense of community and inclusivity for all who enjoy our parks.  The Conservancy is committed to working with all concerned stakeholders to solve the problems we collectively face. We will continue to partner and offer support to initiatives that support our mission through the proper channels.

7 Bigbelly Trash Cans Installed in Hunter's Point South Park

On Thursday, August 6, 2020 NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver visited Hunter’s Point South Park. He was joined by Queens Parks Commissioner Michael Dockett, park managers Eric Goetz and Shirley Echavarria as well as officials from Hunters Point Parks Conservancy to officially unveil newly purchased Bigbelly trash cans.

The first set of four cans were installed in the park on July 21, with an additional three put into operation on August 17. The Bigbelly cans hold five times the capacity of a standard trash can and reduce/eliminate overflowing trash cans, prevent windblown litter within the park, keep rodents out of trash, reduce plastic bag usage, offer patrons a hands-free option, and divert more labor hours to other higher-value tasks within the park.

HPPC would like to thank Commissioner Silver and the NYC Parks department for their continued support of Hunters Point Parks Conservancy as a valued partner.

To our neighbors - please continue to do your part when you are using our parks! Ensure that your trash is placed into one of the garbage cans, or consider taking it out with you to reduce the burden of our dedicated, yet over-worked, park staff.

We were in the news!

NY1 - “Ribbon Cutting for Solar Powered Trash Cans” -

LIC Post - “Park Officials Cut Ribbon For New Smart Garbage Cans at LIC Waterfront”

QNS - “Hunters Point Parks Conservancy installs high-capacity Bigbelly trash compactors”

HPSP & Newtown Creek

The southern end of Hunter’s Point South Park borders Newtown Creek, a 3.5-mile long tributary of the East River that partially separates the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. The boat launch in Hunter’s Point South Park is one of three public access points to Newtown Creek, and the first one in Queens. The Creek was one of the most heavily used bodies of water in the region and is now one of the most polluted industrial sites in the United States. Dutch and English colonizers utilized the Creek for industrial commerce as early as the 17th Century, making it the oldest continual industrial area in the US. Prior to the colonization of the region, Native Americans lived along the Creek and used it for agricultural purposes. Before the development of industry along the Creek, the water was lined with marsh, wetlands and additional estuaries. Pre-industrialization the Creek was wider and longer, there were even two islands in the middle of the Creek; Mussel Island, an uninhabited patch of marshland was named for the sizable population of mussels that once thrived in the Creek, and Furman Island, which is now fused into Queens. 

Photos from Newtown Creek Alliance

The wetlands and marshes lining Newtown Creek were wiped out with the development of industry along the waterway. The Creek was soon reduced to a single-source waterway; its estuaries having been sealed off by developers. The lack of water circulation and vegetation lead to extensive accumulation of pollutants in the Creek. Eventually oxygen levels were so low the Creek could no longer support aquatic life during much of the 20th Century. 

Contamination and sewage overflow

In 1950 a reinforced concrete sewer exploded, causing oil to spill into Newtown Creek. The extent of the spill went unknown until 1978, when discoveries of oil leakage lead to the eventual realization that up to 30 million gallons of oil had leaked into the Creek. In addition to spilled oil, the landscape contains years of discarded toxins, raw sewage from New York City’s sewer system and other accumulated waste and contaminates from 1,491 different polluting sites. However, it wasn’t until 2010 that the EPA declared Newtown Creek a “superfund site”  making it eligible for federal funds toward cleanup efforts. Although official clean-up of the site has yet to take place, organizations such as the Newtown Creek Alliance have led remediation efforts of their own. For more information on NCA’s programs, check out their website. 

Foliage Feature: Bioswales

The walkways through Hunter’s Point South Park are lined with diverse species of native vegetation. However, these plants serve many more purposes than solely beautifying our paths! This vegetative border is actually a landscape feature called a bioswale. Hunter’s Point South Park is rimmed almost entirely with a continuous bioswale. Bioswales capture and filter stormwater runoff from surrounding streets and sidewalks. Bioswales help alleviate pressure from New York City’s sewage system by allowing water to slowly infiltrate the ground over a period of 24-48 hours, rather than causing overwhelming runoff into the East River. New York City uses a Combined Sewer System (CSO) which collects stormwater runoff, domestic sewage and industrial wastewater in the same pipes. Heavy rainfall can easily overwhelm the system and cause flooding, bioswales help alleviate this issue by diverting stormwater. Bioswales also reduce the amount of standing water that attracts insects such as mosquitoes, and replaces sewage drains with beautiful and easy to maintain wildlife habitats, supporting biodiversity in the area.

The use of native vegetation allows for low-maintenance landscaping that conserves resources and is more environmentally friendly. Native plant species require less water usage and there is no need for synthetic fertilizers because they are naturally resilient and have adapted to local conditions, having developed defenses to many diseases and insect pests. Native vegetation also provides vital habitats for native birds and other species and helps prevent soil erosion due to their extensive root systems. 

Sideoats Grama

Camint (nepeta)

Purple Coneflower

Henry Hudson Rose

Zebrinus Grass

Bigbelly Trash Cans Installed in Hunters Point South Park

A momentous day on the LIC waterfront! Bigbelly trash cans have arrived! The Hunters Point Parks Conservancy is thrilled to announce that 4 Bigbelly trash cans were installed in Hunters Point South Park on Tuesday, July 21. These cans are the first installation of a total of 7 that HPPC purchased for the park - the other 3 are expected to arrive by early August. 

These solar trash compactors can hold 5X as much garbage as a standard trash can and use solar power to compact the garbage. The units are fully enclosed and have a hands-free foot pedal, which enables us to:

• reduce/eliminate overflowing trash cans

• prevent windblown litter within the park

• provide patrons of the park a cleaner environment

• prevent rodents/other animals using the trash can as a buffet

• reduce plastic bag usage by 5X - hundreds of bags saved per year

• offer patrons a hands-free option

• divert more labor hours to other higher-value tasks within the park vs. trash collections

We hope the addition of these cans to our waterfront parks will do all of the above and keep our neighborhood clean. We also ask that you continue to do your part if you are using our parks - ensure that your trash is placed into one of the garbage cans, or consider taking it out with you to reduce the burden of our dedicated, yet over-worked, park staff.

Thank you to NYC Parks and Bigbelly for working with us on the purchase and install of these units.

You can also read more in this LIC Post article “New Smart Garbage Cans Installed at LIC Waterfront to Tackle Litter Problem”

Art Along the Waterfront

Here at Hunter’s Point South Park and Gantry Plaza State Park we have been honored to work with local artists and organizations to bring art to the LIC waterfront. Besides being home to permanent art installation “Luminescence”, numerous public art pieces have been on display throughout our waterfront parks over the years.

“Luminescence” by Nobuho Nagasawa is a permanent art installation in Hunter’s Point South Park. The piece is composed of seven domed sculptures arranged in a semi-circle that mirrors the round edge of the shoreline. Each dome is integrated with phosphorus, which absorbs sunlight during the day and creates a glow-in-the-dark effect at night. The domes represent different phases of the moon, and the placement of the work represents the relationship between the phases of the moon to the tides of the East River. Watch this video to learn more about “Luminescence”. 

We have been honored to host a few Sing for Hope pianos. Sing for Hope places artist-designed pianos throughout parks and public spaces in NYC for anyone and everyone to play. Once the installation is over the pianos are donated to public schools around the city.

Xaviera Simmons’ “Convene” was shown along the East River in HPSP in 2018. This temporary installation is composed of canoes that both abstractly and explicitly evoke national flags relevant to the demographic makeup of Astoria and LIC. Queens is the most ethnically and linguistically diverse urban area in the world, and this installation showcases and celebrates our diverse community. This piece was commissioned through Sculpture Center’s Public Process, an education program for high school students. 

“Convene” by Xaviera Simmons

In 2016 LIC Landing hosted “Meridian (Gold) by Mika Tajima. This interactive sculpture was an “illuminated plume of water vapor whose color shifts between magenta and pale cyan.” The changes in vapor color directly corresponded to real-time price fluctuations of gold.

Explore the East River

Hunter’s Point South Park lines the coast of Queens along the East River. Keep reading to learn more about the River’s ecosystem and relationship to our waterfront parks!

The East River connects two parts of the Atlantic Ocean, the Upper New York Bar on the south end and the Long Island Sounds towards the north end. The East River changes its direction of flow frequently, and is subject to strong fluctuations in its current, which are accentuated by its narrowness and variety of depths. Since it is mostly salt water that flows through the East River, it is not technically a river, but a tidal estuary. Because of its varying degrees of salinity, the river is able to support a very diverse fish population. The East River is home to many different aquatic species, including striped bass, American eel, flounder, perch, and blackfish. The East River has also become home to one of the most harmful invasive species; the European green crab. The green crab reproduces rapidly and is a prominent predator. Throughout the 20th century, the green crab was responsible for a drastic decrease in clams, oysters, scallops, mollusks, crustaceans and other marine invertebrate populations, species critical to oxygenating and filtering the waterway. One individual green crab can consume over 40 clams per day!

Fish of the East River - Image Source

Because of Hunters Point South Park’s waterfront location, the river is just as integral to the park’s design as the on-shore landscape. Tidal salt marshes form a grassy fringe near river mouths, bays, and along coastlines protected from the East River. Hunter’s Point South Park contains 1.5 acres of tidal marsh which fill in with water twice a day during high tides. There are four different types of grasses planted in the marsh: low marsh grass (spartina alterniflora), high marsh grass (spartina patens), little bluestem grass (Schizachyrium scoparium), and beach grass (Ammophila breviligulata). These grasses are planted where they are based on where they would be found naturally. Each has a different preference for factors such as water inundation level and frequency, salinity, nutrient availability, and soil type. Each species of grass is salt tolerant, meaning they can withstand, without significant adverse effects, moderate or high concentrations of salt in water on their leaves or in the soil within reach of their roots. This is important as the East River contains brackish or semi-salty water. Tidal marshes provide many ecosystem services; serving as a habitat for many native species, including migratory birds and keystone species such as ribbed mussels, shielding land from storm surge and sea level rise, preventing shoreline erosion, and absorbing excess nutrients that would lower oxygen levels in the sea and harm wildlife. 

Tidal Marsh At High Tide

Tidal Marsh At Low Tide

Rip-rap is another resilient design feature of the park that functions as a line of defense for the coastline against the ever-fluctuating East River. Rip-rap is a permanent, erosion-resistant ground cover of large, loose, angular stone. Most of the shoreline of Hunter’s Point South Park and Gantry Plaza State Park is lined with rip-rap, which protects the park and neighborhood from water erosion, absorbs and deflects the impact of storm surges and waves, and maintains water quality by preventing the settling of sediments. 

Rocky rip-rap lines the coast, protecting the shoreline from erosion.

Green Infrastructure & Hidden Sustainability in Hunter's Point South Park

Hunter’s Point South Park was built with sustainability at the forefront of its design. here are some hidden sustainable features and uses of green infrastructure you might not have known about:

The turf oval in Hunter’s Point South Park serves dual purposes. Not only is it a fun playing field for sports and activities, a viewing spot for our outdoor movies and an ideal sunset-watching spot, but it also can hold up to 600,000 gallons of water, protecting the neighborhood from possible storm surge. New York City uses a combined sewage system, meaning it collects both rainwater and sewage, which can easily overwhelm the system and result in flooding. Any efforts to absorb rainwater and prevent runoff help to minimize the threat of flooding. The turf oval retains water and helps to alleviate pressure on the city’s water system. 

Another piece of green infrastructure is the pavilion that houses LIC Landing. The roof above the Landing provides a shady spot to enjoy a snack, wait for the ferry, or just enjoy the view. The structure is also designed to collect rainwater which is reused for irrigation, and has solar panels that provide energy for much of the lighting in the park. This greatly reduces the park’s water and energy usage. 

Next time you take a seat on one of the park’s wooden benches or chairs, know you are sitting on Kebonized Southern Yellow Pine! The wood used to make the outdoor seating throughout our park was specially made non-toxic, sustainably treated wood. Kebony’s technology offers an alternative to hardwood, which has a much larger environmental impact. More information on the Kebonization process can be found here. 

Announcing 2020's Virtual Summer Kids Program

"Summer Kids," hosted by Hunters Point Parks Conservancy and Gantry Parent Association is returning for its fifth year, this time in a virtual format. The program will run from July 6 through August 14 and will feature five free activities for children each week; once per day Monday through Friday at 11:00am. All programs will be live to emphasize participation and interaction. While all events are free, pre-registration for each event is required. Register here: https://forms.gle/KtkNRQN746GFwGU97

This year’s lineup will bring back many of the popular programs from past years, including music with local stars Andy & Suzanna, Jiggy Tots with McManus Irish Dance, Children’s Yoga with Yogi Beans and Tots Sing and Play with Teaching Artist Collective, and weekly puppet shows with WonderSpark Puppets.

The classes will be hosted through Zoom and the link will be sent out to all registered participants in advance of the program. Once you register once for a particular class you do not need to do so again.

Current schedule:

• Monday: Music with Andy and Suzanna (Ages 0-6)

• Tuesday: Children's Yoga with Yogi Beans (Ages 3-10)

• Wednesday: Jiggy Tots Irish Dance (Ages 2+) (NOTE: This class will not be taking place on August 5th)

• Thursday (NOTE: On July 23 & August 13 the program will start at 11:30 instead of 11): WonderSpark Puppets

• Friday: Tots Sing and Play with Teaching Artist Collective (Ages 0-6)

Links will be sent one hour before class - if you register less than one hour before class you will not have access to that week's class and will receive the link the next week. Please reach out to info@hunterspointparks.org with any questions or concerns

Thank you to our sponsors, NYC Ferry, Hunter's Point South Living, ProHEALTH Dental, NYC Department of Youth & Community Development and Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.

REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/KtkNRQN746GFwGU97

Conservancy to Host Virtual Fitness Classes in Partnership with 4 Local Fitness Studios

Starting the week of June 15, The Hunters Point Parks Conservancy will be hosting 4 free fitness classes every week for 6 weeks. The program may then extend longer, depending on the state of public health in New York City. All classes will be held via Zoom and are free, but pre-registration is required. Interested participants can Sign up for classes here.

This program would not be possible without the generous support of Weill Cornell Medicine Primary Care - Long Island City

The Conservancy is proud to work with 4 Long Island City based fitness studios on this program - Sophie Walters Fitness, Westside Pilates LIC, barre3 LIC, and Cosmic Fit Club.

The classes will be hosted through Zoom and the link will be sent out to all registered participants in advance of the program. All classes are meant for all skill levels and backgrounds.

This program is currently scheduled to run from June 16 - July 24, with a possibility of extension beyond that.

Current schedule:

Tuesdays - Zumba with Sophie Walters Fitness - 6:00 p.m

Wednesdays - Pilates with Westside Pilates LIC - 10:00 a.m.

Thursdays - Barre with barre3 LIC - 6:00 p.m.

Fridays - Yoga with Cosmic Fit Club - 1:00 p.m.

Hunter's Point South Park featured on CBS This Morning Segment: The Parks that Protect Cities from Flooding

See the piece at the link below, which includes a tour of the park and interview with park designer, and friend of the Conservancy, Tom Balsley

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/the-storm-resistant-parks-that-fight-the-impacts-of-climate-change/