Commissioner’s Corner

Dear Parkies,

This week, we highlight the conservation of the Night Presence IV sculpture; the ribbon cutting for the Gerritsen Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project; and the accomplishments of two long-term Parkies—Myra Sylman and First Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh.

Night Presence IV Conservation
This summer, the Citywide Monuments Conservation Program began conservation on Night Presence IV, the massive steel sculpture that graced the Park Avenue malls at 92nd Street. Part of a series of sculptures by esteemed artist Louise Nevelson (1899–1988), the undulating assemblage of welded “weathered” steel was given to the City in 1972 by the artist to commemorate her 50th year of living and working in New York. Nevelson was a pioneer in contemporary sculpture and a leading public artist. New York City was a constant source of inspiration and ultimately became an outdoor museum for several of her monumental pieces, including Night Presence IV.

The sculpture’s conservation, led by monuments conservators Christine Djuric and John Saunders, balance the work necessary to stabilize the piece while respecting artistic intent and its aesthetic nature. Night Presence IV has given John and Christine the opportunity to teach hands-on conservation techniques as well as welding, metal cutting, and corrosion repairs to four graduate-level conservation and historic preservation apprentices.

The Citywide Monuments Conservation Program is an in-house public-private initiative of the Art & Antiquities unit. Founded in 1997, the program provides consistent care for parks’ vast outdoor collection of art and monuments, and in the summer months serves as a training program for graduate-level apprentices seeking to enter the field.

Gerritsen Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project Ribbon Cutting
More than ten years ago, we began discussing how to restore major tidal wetland at Marine Park’s Gerritsen Creek. Then in 2004, Parks signed the City’s first partnership agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers for this type of project. Last year, work began and included a larger scope than originally envisioned because the area was damaged from a history of filling activities related to the construction, maintenance, and improvement of the large network of navigation channels within Jamaica Bay.

On August 13, we cut the ribbon for the restoration that encompasses more than 18 acres of tidal wetland, 23 acres of rare coastal grassland, walkways, seating, and an information center. In addition, a second major natural area restoration of more than 50 acres of coastal grassland is currently being completed on White Island, directly across the narrow channel from Gerritsen. These are among the largest shoreline restorations ever undertaken in Jamaica Bay or citywide, and will compliment upcoming changes to the area.

As you may have heard, along with Mayor Bloomberg and US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, I signed a Cooperative Management Agreement to manage Jamaica Bay’s 10,000 acres of Federal and City-owned public parkland. Under this unprecedented agreement, Parks will be working with the Mayor’s Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability, and other city agencies, as well as the National Park Service to promote visitation, recreation, and educational and scientific programs. We want to create a new “jewel in the crown” of the national and City park systems, so stay tuned for exciting Jamaica Bay updates that will occur throughout the future.

Staff Spotlight
On the 16th, I had the opportunity to hold my last Employee of the Month ceremony and recognize two long-term Parkies. The first, Myra Sylman, is the Secretary to the Commissioner, and I can’t imagine life without her when I leave for my new adventure at the Trust for Public Land. Throughout my tenure at Parks, Myra has played a critical role in keeping the Commissioner’s Office running smoothly. She is well-known and appreciated for her calm and collected presence on the third floor. Myra’s patience, her positive demeanor, and unflappable style in the face of a chaotic office environment are the stuff of legends, and she has provided extraordinary service to three Parks Commissioners bridging three different Mayors.

I also had the pleasure of honoring First Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh. Liam marked his 30 year anniversary with Parks last December. In 2002, when I was appointed Commissioner by Mayor Bloomberg, I knew that Liam’s deep knowledge and experience in operations would be crucial at a citywide level and asked him to join the senior management team as Deputy Commissioner for Operations. Over the years, Liam’s thoughtful leadership and vision have helped Parks achieve great success in so many of the ways we serve the public. His intense focus on our park performance utilizing the PIP ratings and other performance measures has resulted in a park system unequaled on a national or even international scale. His dedication and perseverance have resulted in a steady improvement in our beach and pool operations as recognized by the advocacy group New Yorkers for Parks. Throughout his tenure, Liam has demonstrated a true commitment to our urban forestry and horticulture programs. Not only has Liam helped us weather many storms in recent years and been a staunch defender of the trees in our green realm, but he has also leveraged valuable partnerships with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the New York Botanical Garden to create unique, specialized training opportunities for our staff, leading to a city that has more flowers blooming now than at any time in history.

Liam is a true public servant, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him so closely over the years.

Sincerely,

Adrian Benepe

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