It may have looked like simple joyriding on a Friday afternoon, but the Parks Dept. employee careening around Battery Park near Whitehall St. yesterday afternoon was actually a man on a mission, i.e. to kill as many birds in the park as possible. Martin Hightower has been a Parks Dept. employee since 2005, but was arrested after 911 started receiving calls about a man driving recklessly on a golf cart at the southern tip of Manhattan. more ›

An estimated three million people assembled along Broadway during yesterday's ticker tape parade to celebrate the Giants' 17-14 Super Bowl XLII win over the New England Patriots. more ›

No one knows for sure what’s to become of the future Union Square pavilion, but a strong contender for the space – formerly occupied by the shabby Luna Park – is a new restaurant helmed by Danny Meyer, who opened the Union Square Café in ’85 and whose Shake Shack in Madison Square Park is an object of obsession. more ›

The family of late Detective Dillon Stewart was joined by Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and other city officials in the dedication of a Prospect Park playground in Stewart's honor. The Parade Ground Playground, at the corner of Caton Avenue and Parade Place, near East 16th, was renamed the Dillon Stewart Playground. Stewart was killed on November 28, 2005, when he and his partner stopped a car for a traffic violation. Someone... more ›

There are many fun events today, like Ecofest at Lincoln Center and Atlantic Antic in Brooklyn, but for those interested in our fine feathered friends, we recommend you head to Central Park to check out the Parks Department's Falconry Extravaganza with the Urban Park Rangers. more ›

This Labor Day weekend is not just the unofficial last weekend of summer - it's the official last weekend to enjoy the city's beaches and pools. After Monday, the 14 miles of beaches and 52 outdoor pools (including the Floating Pool - which will be heading to the Bronx for the summer of 2008) will be closed. more ›

Alley Pond Park, the second biggest park in Queens, has a new attraction: The biggest adventure ropes course in the Northeast. Last Friday, the Park Department opened up the Alley Pond Park Adventure Course, which has zip lines, a climbing wall, webs, swings, trust falls, and balance boards.

The course consists of 20 high and low elements that can be both physically and emotionally challenging and also encourages a connection with nature. The low elements take place on the ground or on cables a few feet above the ground. Many of these elements are handicap accessible and concentrate on team building and problem solving skills. High elements take place on cables suspended 45 feet in the air, require a harness and climbing rope for safety, and focus personal achievements as they may require participants to confront personal fears. The Adventure Course staff is trained in program implementation and safety techniques.

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. more ›

As we mentioned earlier this week, the vendors who set up shop at the Red Hook ballfields may be at risk for losing their permit. According to the New York Times, the vendors have operated for years under a series of temporary use permits, but now they will have to place a formal bid with the city in order to remain in the space. But the vendors are not guaranteed to win this bid, so the fans of this culinary community institution have rallied behind it. more ›

How hot does titanium get? And is it too hot for children to scamper on? Is corrugated cardboard sturdy enough after many rains? These are the questions that came to mind when we heard that Frank Gehry will design a playground for the Battery. more ›

With much fanfare, the city announced a new public space recycling pilot program last month at the Staten Island Ferry Terminals. Six locations across the city are getting blue and green recycling bins to encourage people to separate their glass bottles and newspapers from regular trash. Not a groundbreaking idea, an important step for the city to expand its recycling efforts. more ›

The Parks Department has finally formalized rules for allowing pets off-leash in city parks, following a revision of the health code by the Health Dept. to allow free-roaming dogs and a decision from a judge ruling that off-leash dogs were okay. A press release from the Parks Department announcing the change in policy outlined the allowable hours and locations dogs could be unclipped to roam. It also outlines requirements for pet owners to keep their dogs in compliance with the new rules when the policy goes into effect 30 days from today.

Today, the Parks Department announced a change in the rules concerning off-leash dogs in parks. Thirty days from now, the successful “courtesy hours” policy will officially become part of Parks’ rules and regulations. With proof of a current rabies vaccination and license information, owners can allow dogs to run off-leash in certain designated areas from the time the park opens until 9 a.m. and from 9 p.m. until the park closes... more ›

If you see some adorable border collies bothering Canada geese in Central Park this April, you may have seen the Geese Police. The Parks Department will be conducting a one-month pilot program "using an environmentally-safe method to attempt to reduce the number of geese in Central Park": Using border collies to drive geese away! more ›

The city's Franchise and Concession Review Committee is scheduled to vote this coming week on whether or not to approve a proposal to have twenty Manhattan private schools pay for part of the renovation of Randall's Island athletic fields in return for exclusive use of a majority of the fields. The plan, which is separate from the controversial water park, calls for schools such as Dalton and Spence to pay the city $52 million dollars over twenty years. The city would kick in an additional $18 million for the fields, and $53 million for island infrastructure. In return for the payment the schools would get exclusive 3-6 p.m. use of at least two-thirds of the 63 playing fields. more ›

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To the relief of dog owners and to the dismay of the Juniper Park Civic Association, Queens Supreme Court Judge Peter J. Kelly ruled that off-leash hours for dogs between 9PM and 9AM are allowed, saying that the Parks Commissioner has the power to allow pups to frolic freely. While the Juniper Park Civic Association called the ruling "complete lunacy," Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said, "Tired dogs are good dogs." more ›

Nice: Court papers have been released showing how the city successfully blocked protests in Central Park, most notably protests during the Republican Convention. You might remember from two years ago that the some of the city's excuses for not having the protests on the Great Lawn were to protect the lawn (which had been renovated) and that the police might not be able to secure the lawn. But it turns out everyone's conspiracy theories were true: It seems that some police officials actually supported havng rallies at the lawn and that the city just wanted to tamp down politicial rallies during the convention and so close to Bloomberg's re-election. Last week, the NY Sun raised the issue in a story about a John Lennon tribute concert being rejected by the Parks Department, and today the NY Times looks at court papers; both papers find that the mayor was more involved with the permit-blocking that he previously admitted and that the Parks Department did everything possible to prevent events at the Great Lawn. From the NY Sun:

An e-mail from the Parks and Recreation Department's head marketing officer, Elizabeth Smith, said, "This [music of John Lennon] event does look great but we had to admit that it was going to be difficult, right after all our problems with the rally requests for the park, and right before Mike's re-election (this is for Oct 05) that this is likely to happen on the Great Lawn." more ›

Ooh, the debate over whether or put the West Side Highway underground for a stretch on the Upper West Side (Lincoln Center area, really) in the West 60s is examined in the NY Times. And there's a graphic of how the tunnel would be placed and how new parkspace would be created as a result. The undergrounding of the highway won't happen for at least 10 years, and the project's funding is debatable, but the Riverside South Planning Corporation is excavating the ground.

But with the box ready when the viaduct needs to be replaced, the cost of rerouting the highway could be about the same as building a new viaduct. Some excavation would still be necessary, because the space for the box between 65th and 69th Streets was filled in when the first of the apartment buildings was being built. The box was suggested in the city's 1992 agreement that allowed Riverside South to be built, and the responsibility for building it was the developer's.

This summer there's a series of (expensive) concerts going on at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn. The site has been closed since 1984, and last year started undergoing renovations. Recently we received the following email from an unhappy local: more ›

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Gothamist loves stories about public bathrooms, so we got a kick out of today's NY Times feature on the two month, two-hundred grand restoration of Bryant Park's beautiful public bathroom. The bathroom, built in 1907, reopened today, and boy, does it sound amazing:

The Baths of Caracalla it is not, but the new interior has grand 10-foot coffered ceilings, mosaic tiles, a crown molding of painted wood, illumination from brushed stainless-steel wall sconces, indirect cove lighting, a wainscoting of mosaic vines and flowers, mirrors framed in cherry wood and, yes, sinks and a baby-changing table capped with Bianco Verde marble from India. more ›

beats hit the trifecta yesterday, with news that there was a coyote wandering around Central Park, not too unlike a tourist in awe of the 800+ acre urban oasis. Visitors to the park reported seeing a wolf-like animal yesterday afternoon, and even Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe saw the coyote (and then hit speed dial to the press office to round up some reporters). Benepe told the Post, "We'll call him 'Hal' for now because he was found near the Hallett Sanctuary. If we discover that it's a she, then we'll just have to call her 'Henrietta.'" Uh, Mr. Parks Commissioner, how about Halle? Anyway, Benepe also thinks the coyote traveled from Westchester County, and the commuter was tracked by the police (armed with tranquilizer guns and/or in helicopters - don't worry, the tranq-patrol stopped at night). And to be tracking the coyote's moves! The NY Times seems to have the only firsthand account:

About 10:30 p.m. a reporter spotted what appeared to be the coyote — a tawny, furry animal that resembled a German shepherd — on the steps leading to the parks department headquarters, at 64th Street off Fifth Avenue. It leveled a distinctly blank stare from black eyes as it was approached.

NYU graduates and their families won't have to take the 7 train for commencement this year, as originally thought: Graduation is set for Washington Square Park once again. NYU had moved graduation to Shea Stadium, because of the Parks Department's planned renovations to the park, but, lo and behold, the renovations are even going to get started until after the May 11 ceremony, so NYU officials worked fast to move back to the Village. NYU students and faculty were hoping that the parks' departments delays would benefit them, but Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe was only able to confirm the delay a few days ago. Arthur Tannenbaum (chairman of the University Senate’s public affairs committee) gives the Washington Square News the money quote: “Being a longtime resident of the Village, it doesn’t surprise me that the Parks Department couldn’t keep to their own schedule." Gothamist wonders if some high power NYU alums made sure the parks department wouldn't be able to start up for this commencement - but this means NYU will probably need to think of alternative commencement locations for the class of 2007, at least. more ›

Gothamist loves city parks, and we might love sleeping even more, so we were pretty intrigued by the Times story about public "lounge chairs" in various parks in the city. Since New Yorkers are more (!) civilized (!) than (!) ever (!), the city - and the landscape architects it works with - finds it easier to put more lounge-like park outdoor furniture out there. Formerly, residents didn't even want benches, for fear of loitering people or homeless camping out, but nowadays, it's more palatable. Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe explains why these chairs will only be seen in certain parks, "When you think of a chaise longue, you think of a beach or the waterfront. It's a type of furniture that fits more into a modernist landscape than in a traditional landscape." So none in Central Park - you'll still need to bring your blankets for the Sheep Meadow. One of the chairs is this "Chill" lounge from Landscape Forms (but in blue); three are at the ferry terminal. And there are plans to put glow in the dark "sculptural lounges" at the federal plaza! more ›

A number of city agencies celebrated working together to give Columbus Circle a glorious makeover yesterday, marking the end of the circle's long restoration. The mess of construction at one of the city's most infuriating intersections (or roundabout, rather) seemed to linger on forever, and then suddenly, there were fountains and benches! The Mayor was joined by the Commissioners from the Parks, Tranportation, Design and Construction and City Planning Departments, as well as TimeWarner CEO Dick Parsons, to cut the ribbon at the circle (break out the big, yet still safe scissors!). The Mayor invoked the circle's namesake in his remarks, "It has been a long and difficult journey -- much longer than Columbus' voyage, in fact. But unlike him we've actually accomplished what we set out to do, and today we are out to mark the end of the road." Seriously, who writes his stuff? more ›

Yesterday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to approve the Parks Department's plans to redesign Washington Square Park, but the Parks Department will scrap its plans for gates. Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said, "The gates were clearly a hot-button issue that went beyond the neighborhood. The people have spoken, and we have listened." Yes, the gates people like are saffron and removed after sixteen days. Reaction to the approval is mixed, with many residents feeling left out of the process and some local politicians threatening to withhold city money if plans are not revised. The main opposition to the new plans for the park is directed at a proposed perimeter fence; Parks Commissioner Benepe explained, "You can't have a landscaped park without a perimeter fence, or else people will walk through the landscape and soon there is no landscape." So, landscapes are not for walking? Good to know. more ›

Dunh dunh DUNH! The Parks Department has found the Asian longhorned beetle in a tree at East 70th-71st Streets and Fifth Avenue in Central Park, joining 47 other trees in the NY area. The Asian longhorned beetle is no friend of trees, their larvae will hatch and end up infesting and destroying trees. And the beetle is such a menace that the U.S. Department of Agricultural Farm Service sends people to inspect the trees. The Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe is begging people to call 311 if they see the beetle, or else the beetles might destroy ALL THE TREES IN NEW YORK! There may have been the CBS TV movie, Locusts, but that would be nothing compared to Asian Longhorned Beetles! The Central Park tree will be "will be chopped down, chopped up, chipped up, then incinerated." more ›

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 decided that the 2500 pound cube needed to be repaired for everyone's safety. Good call! The Parks Department is working with the artist, Tony Rosenthal, as well as conservationists who worked on the cube in the 80s, to fix the cube. The Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe issued this statement:

The City has not forgotten The Alamo. With the assistance of the Mayor's Office and the Art Commission, we are working to give it emergency stabilization with funding provided by DOT, the custodian of the artwork. It will be returned to Astor Place better than ever.

The Parks Department said they weren't sure if the nest's removal violated any laws, but Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said, "Our domain doesn't extend to the tops of people's roofs. Regardless of legality, I am concerned about whether this was ethical, or the right thing to do." The Pale Male website is telling people to email the Fish and Wildlife Services to say that the nest was active up until its removal. more ›

The Mayor's press release for the Fresh Kills cycling venue. And here's the official site for NYC's bid for the Olympics, NYC 2012. Gothamist thinks turning Fresh Kills into a park is a great idea (it's just funny to tell the IOC, "Hey, we've got this great dump..."), and in fact, the City embarked on a competition to turn Fresh Kills from landfill to landscape three years ago. And NPR did a segment about sorting through the WTC debris at Fresh Kills in 2002. more ›