The artificial turf being used to replace natural grass in NYC parks has been pointed out as a source of unhealthful emissions, but it's also just plain hot. The Daily News dispatched reporters with thermometers to five City parks with artificial grass and found that urban athletes had more to fear than ill-fitting footwear when it comes to blistered feet.Over two mildly warm days last month, The News took surface temperature readings at five synthetic......

Photograph of a squirrel in a Forest Hills house courtesy of the Parks Department It's a walk-up, but the price is right. City squirrels are enjoying the goodwill of concerned citizens and the Parks Dept., who cooperated to install squirrel houses in City Hall Park. Mark Garvin had five of the boxes, which measure about a foot around, built with soft pine for several hundred dollars a piece--city real estate insanity extends to the......

New York's own floating pool is opening tomorrow! The concept was that of Ann Buttenwieser, founder of the Neptune Foundation and a former manager of City Parks. The water on water can be found at Brooklyn Bridge Park, it's free and open from 11am to 7pm (the beach is open from 9am to 9pm) - seven days a week. The park's website tells us how to have fun whether you're floating or land-bound: "Take a......

One can hear plenty of trees falling in the forest in Staten Island these days, as the Parks Dept. is on a massive tree-killing spree after the notice of a few dozen Asian longhorned beetles. The insect is a scourge and first appeared in Greenpoint, Brooklyn about a decade ago, after possibly being imported in a wooden packing crate from China. The female of the species lays its eggs in a tree and the larva......

This Saturday, the City Parks & Recreation Department will open the first official mountain biking trail at Highbridge Park in Inwood. According to the Parks Department, the "new trail system includes black diamond features, a BMX track, and a challenge trail for younger or newer riders," as well as "trailhead kiosks, trail markers and interpretive signage, natural resources monitoring, landscaping material to replant denuded areas, trail building tools, and educational pamphlets that advocate safety......

The City Council unanimously reappointed four commissioners and appointed a new one to the Landmarks Preservation Commission yesterday (via the NY Observer). Four of the five have ties to the outer boroughs. The newest, Diana Chapin, is the Executive Director of the Queens Library Foundation and a founding member of the Historic House Trust, which protects and preserves historic houses. She has served in various positions in the City Parks Department and was the Queens......

QueensCrap points us to a good interview with the Adrian Benepe, the City Parks commissioner. In it, he discussed the city's goal of putting a park within a 10 minute walk for every New Yorker:That’s totally plausible. Already, three-quarters of New Yorkers live within a 10- minute walk of a park. We are continuing to build new parks. The problem is what to do about those neighborhoods that are relatively park-less but also suffer......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: person struck by D train at 34th Street, serious moving vehicle accident on Canal Street, and a fatal fall victim at Bed, the club in Chelsea (the victim fell down an elevator shaft.) Here's an interesting map of the long closed City Hall Station. The nefarious Brooklyn footlicker, who targeted more than 70 women on the subway, has been sentenced to four months in prison and a $1000 fine.......

The City Parks Department contacted Gothamist to set the facts straight about the disappearance of the Astor Place Cube, the rotating sculpture beloved to New Yorkers. Director of Public Information Warner Johnston told us that the cube was removed last night for repairs: One of the four large bolts that attaches the cube to the base was missing! When people would try to rotate the cube, the cube would tilt, so the Parks Department......

Today is the start of Kwanzaa, the African American holiday that celebrates African culture among other things, and it will last until January 1. There are a few NYC Kwanzaa activities, including events at the American Museum of Natural History, including a drumming call and dance performances. And over the week, there are events in Central Park over the week. And though Kwanzaa is an African-American event, here are African restaurants via Citysearch and Menupages.......

I'm thinking about doing a little volunteer work for a theatre group this summer - do you have any suggestions? I have lots of experience both onstage and backstage, but am not particularly interested in pursuing it career-wise. Thanks for your help! Drama Queen What a fun idea! If you are indeed a Drama Queen, no better to place to express it than in the theatre, with the fellow kings and queens of the stage.........

Now that New York is experiencing a consistent amount of decent weather, I'd like to move my workouts from the gym to Central Park. One thing I'm concerned about is the amount of traffic on the park's main loop. When is Central Park closed to cars? Running Scared, Upper West Side Here are the details from the official New York City Parks & Recreation Department's website: Central Park is closed to automobiles on weekdays......