East River Park

Over 6,000 Volunteer For It’s My Park! Day

Saturday, October 21, 2006
No. 99
http://www.nyc.gov/parks

HUNDREDS OF NYC COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER FOR COMMON GOALS IN PARKS CITYWIDE

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, City Parks Foundation (CPF) Executive Director David Rivel, and Partnerships for Parks Director Jason Schwartz today joined more than 100 volunteers at East River Park on the Lower East Side to help spruce up the park for It’s My Park! Day. This semi-annual citywide event brings together thousands of New Yorkers to care for and celebrate New York City parks.

"It’s My Park! Day is more than a great volunteer opportunity for New Yorkers to beautify their parks, it’s a day to bring people together to advance common goals for more vibrant and connected communities," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "It is through the help of these volunteers that we can advance dozens of park enhancement projects. We are deeply grateful to those who volunteer their time and energy today and throughout the year."

"Active and involved communities are the key ingredient for successful parks," said CPF Executive Director David Rivel. "It’s My Park! Day showcases the goodwill of thousands of New Yorkers who care deeply for their local parks and neighborhoods."

A diverse group of local residents and community groups, including the Lower East Side Ecology Center, Hooked on East River Park (HERP), Public Housing Residents on the Lower East Side (PHROLES), NYPD Explorers and Grace Church, volunteered today at East River Park, showcasing the collaborative spirit growing each autumn and spring across the City to make local parks ever-more vibrant and active cornerstones of the City’s neighborhoods.

Volunteers participated in mulching, raking and planting bulbs, workshops in caring for Greenstreets and Street Trees, watering, weeding, and pruning trees, and field games for kids including potato sack races and tug of war. The valuable projects undertaken at East River Park typified volunteer work being done by communities across the City for It’s My Park! Day.

It’s My Park! Day is a semi-annual citywide volunteer initiative of Partnerships for Parks, a joint program of Parks & Recreation and City Parks Foundation. More than 6,000 volunteers came out to more than 150 projects in all five boroughs for It’s My Park! Day. These sites were alive with volunteers participating in cleaning and restoration projects organized by local community groups, corporate partners, Parks & Recreation, and City Parks Foundation staff.
is a semi-annual citywide volunteer initiative of Partnerships for Parks, a joint program of Parks & Recreation and City Parks Foundation. More than 6,000 volunteers came out to more than 150 projects in all five boroughs for . These sites were alive with volunteers participating in cleaning and restoration projects organized by local community groups, corporate partners, Parks & Recreation, and City Parks Foundation staff.

Partnerships for Parks, a joint program of City Parks Foundation and Parks & Recreation, works to form, strengthen, and support neighborhood park groups; to help foster connections among them so that they can share resources and become stronger collectively; and to promote parks in general to encourage local efforts to restore and preserve them. Partnerships for Parks received the prestigious "Innovations in American Government" award in 2000.

City Parks Foundation is the only independent, non-profit organization to offer park programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City. By presenting a broad range of free arts, sports and educational programs to more than 600,000 people in 700 parks citywide, and by helping citizens support their local parks, CPF contributes to the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout New York City.
is the only independent, non-profit organization to offer park programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City. By presenting a broad range of free arts, sports and educational programs to more than 600,000 people in 700 parks citywide, and by helping citizens support their local parks, CPF contributes to the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout New York City.

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CONTACT: Warner Johnston / Abigail Lootens (212) 360-1311