Over the past four years, the sixteen parks of the Catalyst initiative have helped reinvigorate the communities they are part of, said Mayor Bloomberg. By working together, neighborhoods across the City are reclaiming their parks and the future of their neighborhoods. We look forward to achieving similar results in even more City neighborhoods during the next phase of the Catalyst initiative.

The next phase of the Catalyst will revive three significant waterfront sites Soundview Park in the Bronx; East River Park in Manhattan; and Calvert Vaux and Kaiser Parks in Brooklyn over 350 acres of parkland. City Parks Foundation will provide $5 million worth of staff time and programming in the parks to identify, connect, and strengthen parks stewards and help local groups engage effectively in citywide policy and advocacy efforts, overseen by Partnerships for Parks, a joint program of the Parks Department and City Parks Foundation.

For its part, the City is making a combined total of $130 million in capital improvements in these park regions over the next four years. As a result, other public and private investment in these parks will grow as community interest and involvement in the parks increases, resulting in better waterfront parks and citizens who are empowered to protect these precious assets.

By building interest in local parks, connecting people together to envision a positive future for their neighborhoods, and sustaining broad support for parks over time, the Catalyst program is dramatically increasing parks usage and contributing to the health and vibrancy of communities citywide, said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Benepe. The Catalyst program has been so successful that we now use it as a model for gathering community input and building local involvement in all of our parks projects and programming.

The success of the Catalyst initiative is not measured in the number of capital projects advanced or in the number of dollars spent, but in the capacity created within each community to shape the future of their parks and neighborhoods through active and sustained partnerships with city government and a variety of stakeholders around these parks, said Executive Director of City Parks Foundation David Rivel.

In 2004, the Catalyst program launched in four regions of the city the Astoria and Long Island City waterfront in Queens; Harlem in Manhattan; Highbridge in the Bronx and Manhattan; and Red Hook in Brooklyn. Originally chosen for their potential for improvement, the four Catalyst sites have experienced significant transformations over the past four years: the number of organizations and groups active in the parks has doubled, volunteer hours have increased by 380 percent, attendance at free sports instruction and concerts has increased by 160 percent, and capital investments have topped $100 million five times the original amount committed.

Major successes of Catalyst include millions to restore and reopen the historic High Bridge connecting the Bronx and Manhattan and reconstruct the Marcus Garvey Park bandshell in Harlem; Green Shores NYC, a local parks group cultivated through the last Catalyst initiative has become a strong advocate for Astoria and Long Island City parks; positive community relations in Red Hook built through after-school programs and consistent and ongoing dialogue with park planners.

Support for the Catalyst for Neighborhood Parks initiative has also been provided by: the Altman Foundation; the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation; Independence Community Foundation; The J.M. Kaplan Fund; Merck Family Fund; National Fish & Wildlife Foundation; New York Community Trust; The Scherman Foundation; The Starr Foundation; The Timberland Company; New York City Environmental Fund; New York State Department of State Office of Coastal, Local Government and Community Sustainability; New York State Department of State Quality Communities Program; the New York City Council under the leadership of Speaker Christine C. Quinn; Hon. Carolyn Maloney, Member of Congress, 14th District; Hon. Gregory Meeks, Member of Congress, 6th District; Hon. Jose Serrano, Member of Congress, 16th District; Hon. Nydia Velazquez, Member of Congress, 12th District; Hon. Velmanette Montgomery, NYS Senator, 18th District; Hon. George Onorato, NYS Senator, 12th District.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803 1882)

"As we prepare to meet the challenges of adding nearly 1 million residents by the year 2030, we have committed to ensuring that every New Yorker lives within a ten minute walk of a park or open space," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Completing these regional destination parks in all five boroughs will make them the jewels of our park system and increase usability and access for thousands of New Yorkers. Combined with our efforts to open playgrounds in schoolyards and to reclaim brownfields for open space, we are committed to significantly improving and expanding our park system."

Restoration plans for the Dreier Offerman Park include three new baseball fields, six new soccer fields, kayak launches, picnic areas, a central lawn, new restrooms, a bicycle path, new nature trails, an amphitheater, a playground, a recreation center, and a pavilion. As a result of this $40 million investment, the park will be a center for competitive soccer and baseball on the improved Brooklyn waterfront.

Dreier Offerman Park, located in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, was originally planned as a regional park resulting from three land acquisitions by the Parks Department. In 1933, the Dreier-Offerman Home for Unwed Mothers closed and donated a small parcel to the City, creating the original park. In 1944, the park was first expanded and in 1962 the City acquired an additional 72-acre tract of land. This acquisition, financed by a 1960 New York State bond act, provided the bulk of land that makes up todays 77 acre park, which is bounded by Gravesend Bay, Bay 44th Street, Bay 49th Street, and Shore Parkway. However, Dreier Offermans potential was never fully realized because of a lack of coordinated plans and adequate funding.

In addition to a $50 million restoration of McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn and the restoration of Dreier Offerman Park, regional parks slated for redevelopment under PlaNYC include the High Bridge in Manhattan and the Bronx, Soundview Park in the Bronx, Fort Washington Park in Manhattan, Highland Park Reservoir and Rockaway Beach in Queens, and Ocean Breeze Park in Staten Island. PlaNYC will also result in the planting of one million trees throughout the City, the opening of 290 schoolyards as playgrounds, and the creation of 800 new Greenstreets.

"If we dont change direction soon, well end up where were going."

(1914 - )

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today unveiled the design for the upcoming restoration of Brooklyns Dreier-Offerman Park. The $40 million project is a part of the Mayors PlaNYC initiative in which eight parks in all five boroughs will be transformed into attractive regional destinations. The redesign and improvements announced today will be completed by 2011, and are part of more than $1.2 billion in capital improvements to the Citys parks and open spaces that are part of PlaNYC. Mayor Bloomberg was joined at the announcement by Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and State Senator Martin Golden.

As we prepare to meet the challenges of adding nearly 1 million residents by the year 2030, we have committed to ensuring that every New Yorker lives within a ten minute walk of a park or open space, said Mayor Bloomberg. Completing these regional destination parks in all five boroughs will make them the jewels of our park system and increase usability and access for thousands of New Yorkers. Combined with our efforts to open playgrounds in schoolyards and to reclaim brownfields for open space, we are committed to significantly improving and expanding our park system.

Restoration plans for the park include three new baseball fields, six new soccer fields, kayak launches, picnic areas, a central lawn, new restrooms, a bicycle path, new nature trails, an amphitheater, a playground, a recreation center, and a pavilion. As a result of this $40 million investment, in 2011, the park will be a center for competitive soccer and baseball on the improved Brooklyn waterfront.

The Mayors commitment to greening the City of New York is exemplified by the revitalization of eight regional parks throughout the five boroughs, said Commissioner Benepe. Parks like Dreier-Offerman have shown extraordinary recreational potential for years. Thanks to PlaNYC, the new design for Dreier-Offerman, including baseball and soccer fields, kayak launches, picnic areas, a bicycle path and nature trail, will greatly enhance the opportunities for recreation and the quality of life for residents of south Brooklyn.

Dreier-Offerman Park, located in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, was originally planned as a regional park resulting from three land acquisitions by the Parks Department. In 1933, the Dreier-Offerman Home for Unwed Mothers closed and donated a small parcel to the City, creating the original park. In 1944, the park was first expanded and in 1962 the City acquired an additional 72-acre tract of land. This acquisition, financed by a 1960 New York State bond act, provided the bulk of land that makes up todays 77 acre park, which is bounded by Gravesend Bay, Bay 44th Street, Bay 49th Street, and Shore Parkway. However, Dreier-Offermans potential was never fully realized because of a lack of coordinated plans and adequate funding.

In addition to a $50 million restoration of McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn and the restoration of Dreier-Offerman Park, regional parks slated for redevelopment under PlaNYC include Highbridge in Manhattan and the Bronx, Soundview Park in the Bronx, Fort Washington Park in Manhattan, Highland Park Reservoir and Rockaway Beach in Queens, and Ocean Breeze Park in Staten Island. PlaNYC will also result in the planting of one million trees throughout the City, the opening of 290 schoolyards as playgrounds, and the creation of 800 new Green Streets.

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