The playground was funded by $2.8 million from Croton Filtration Funding and $170,000 from Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carri, Jr. The reconstruction features new golf-themed play equipment, a spray shower, a comfort station, drinking fountains, benches, fencing, and surrounding park paths.

Sachkerah Woods Playground is a beautiful new playground and it is the first completely new playground coming out of Croton Filtration Plant funding, said Commissioner Benepe. The completion of this project represents the more than $200 million generated by the construction of the filtration plant being reinvested directly back into more than 70 Bronx parks.

Not only will the Croton Filter Plant ensure that New York Citys water remains of the highest quality, but the project will also directly benefit the residents of the Bronx by renovating numerous parks and providing New Yorkers of all ages with increased recreational opportunities, said DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd. Both of these items are important components of Mayor Bloombergs robust PlaNYC initiative and key aspects of a better, more sustainable City.

Honoring the Mosholu Golf Course, which opened on the site in 1914, the golf-themed playground features a spray shower in the form of a 19th hole flag, green-colored concrete representing the putting green, and safety surfacing mimicking white concrete sand traps. In addition, oversized golf balls function as creative climbing apparatuses for children. The new comfort station is clad with Corinthian granite set in a random ashlar pattern, and its roof is covered with pink and gray slate. In addition, the surrounding paths help to improve the park's east-west internal pedestrian circulation, which was interrupted in the 1950s by the creation of the Mosholu Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway.

Bordering the neighborhoods of Norwood and Bedford Park, Sachkerah Woods Playground creates an exciting new entrance to Van Cortlandt Park, New York Citys fourth largest park. The playground site has evolved as Van Cortlandt Park has evolved over time. The lands encompassing Van Cortlandt Park were once inhabited by the Lenape, a local Native American people that hunted in the woodlands and farmed on nearby flat, fertile grounds. Sachkerah is an Algonquian name that has been loosely translated as extended land. In 1914, the site was incorporated into the 18-hole Mosholu Golf Course. In 1989, when the course was reconfigured to a 9-hole course, the site was part of the 11 new acres of green space that opened up to the community.

In September 2004, the City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with New York State allowing the City to move forward with the construction of a water filtration plant for the Croton Water Supply under the Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park. As part of the agreement, more than $200 million will be spent on improvements to over 70 Bronx parks over the next five years.

Sachkerah Woods Playground is one of ten completed Croton Projects, representing a total of approximately $12 million. There are nine projects totaling $19 million currently in construction and 33 projects totaling $85 million currently in design. The remaining Croton Projects, which have been scheduled to start design over the course of the next two months, represent $74 million.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

Art is science made clear.

Jean Cocteau
(1889 1963)

Following the speaking program of the press announcement, Commissioner Benepe and young swimmers jumped into the pool to kick-off the beginning of the summers outdoor pool season. Western Beef with Chef Albert and his staff from the Art Institute of New York City cooked up a free barbecue lunch and Snapple provided complimentary beverages. The pool opening festivities were capped off by entertainment courtesy of radio station WKTU 103.5. Tropical Beat Steel Drum Band also provided live music. New York City lifeguards were on hand, and Parks & Recreation staff reminded children of important water safety tips.

A cool pool is the best place to beat the heat, said Commissioner Benepe. Swimming is a great form of recreation, but for many it is also a survival skill, a competitive sport, and a lifetime passport to health and fitness. We hope New Yorkers will take advantage of the Citys 52 free outdoor pools as well as Parks free youth Learn to Swim and adult Lap Swim programs, which focus on basic swim instruction and ways to stay fit. As always, please remember to follow pool rules, listen to lifeguards, know your swimming limits, and most of all, have fun!

Parks & Recreations annual Learn to Swim program, held at selected pool locations Citywide, offers toddlers and children ages one-and-a-half to 14 free swim instruction. Learn to Swim is made possible by Parks partnerships with the City Parks Foundation and the American Red Cross. This summer, three three-week sessions will be held from July 6 to August 31. Youth swimmers ages 6 to 18 may also join a swim team at any one of the Citys 33 intermediate and Olympic-sized pools starting July 1 and train for competition in the Citys Eighth Annual Five-Borough Championship swimming competition to be held on August 11.

For adults, Parks offers, for the 25th year, a free Lap Swim program, which designates Early Bird lap swim hours from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and Night Owl lap-swim hours from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at selected pool locations Citywide, allowing for uninterrupted swimming that focuses on health and fitness. Participants who swim 25 miles or more over the summer will receive a free tee-shirt and distance prizes will also be awarded.

For more than 35 years, Van Cortlandt Pool, located in the southwest corner of Van Cortlandt Park, has been serving children from nearby Bronx neighborhoods and the Citys numerous summer camps. The pool is a large intermediate-size pool at 3 feet deep, 164 feet long, and 104 feet wide. The pool opened to the public on August 21, 1970. Designed by the firm of Heery and Heery, Van Cortlandt Pool was the largest of a series of system-designed and built pools that the City purchased at this time. Construction began in early 1969 and was completed at a cost of $1.6 million. The aquatic complex spans approximately four acres and includes two pools (the diving pool closed in 1979), a concession area, a sundeck, bathhouses, dressing rooms, lockers, a first aid room, and restrooms.

Along with our 52 outdoor pools, New York City is also home to 11 indoor pools housed in recreation centers, and 14 miles of public beaches, which are open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. until Labor Day. For more information on swimming opportunities in New York City, visit www.nyc.gov.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

Someones boring me. I think its me.

Dylan Thomas
(1914 1953)

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe today joined State Senator Jeffrey Klein, State Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) officials, and local children to cut the ribbon on the new $2.9 million Sachkerah Woods Playground in Van Cortlandt Park. The playground was funded by $2.8 million from Croton Filtration Funding and $170,000 from Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carri, Jr.

"Sachkerah Woods Playground is a beautiful new playground and it is the first completely new playground coming out of Croton Filtration Plant funding," said Commissioner Benepe. "The completion of this project represents the more than $200 million generated by the construction of the filtration plant being reinvested directly back into more than 70 Bronx parks."

"Not only will the Croton Filter Plant ensure that New York Citys water remains of the highest quality, but the project will also directly benefit the residents of the Bronx by renovating numerous parks and providing New Yorkers of all ages with increased recreational opportunities," said DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd. "Both of these items are important components of Mayor Bloombergs robust PlaNYC initiative and key aspects of a better, more sustainable City."

Sachkerah Woods Playground sits in the southeast corner of Van Cortlandt Park and features new play equipment, a comfort station, drinking fountains, benches, fencing, and surrounding park paths. Honoring the Mosholu Golf Course, which opened on the site in 1914, the golf-themed playground features a spray shower in the form of a 19th hole flag, green-colored concrete representing the putting green, and safety surfacing mimicking white concrete sand traps. In addition, oversized golf balls function as creative climbing apparatuses for children. The new comfort station is clad with Corinthian granite set in a random ashlar pattern, and its roof is covered with pink and gray slate. In addition, the surrounding paths help to improve the park's east-west internal pedestrian circulation, which was interrupted in the 1950s by the creation of the Mosholu Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway.

Bordering the neighborhoods of Norwood and Bedford Park, Sachkerah Woods Playground creates an exciting new entrance to Van Cortlandt Park, New York Citys fourth largest park. The playground site has evolved as Van Cortlandt Park has evolved over time. The lands encompassing Van Cortlandt Park were once inhabited by the Lenape, a local Native American people that hunted in the woodlands and farmed on nearby flat, fertile grounds. "Sachkerah" is an Algonquian name that has been loosely translated as "extended land." In 1914, the site was incorporated into the 18-hole Mosholu Golf Course. In 1989, when the course was reconfigured to a 9-hole course, the site was part of the 11 new acres of green space that opened up to the community.

In September 2004, the City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with New York State allowing the City to move forward with the construction of a water filtration plant for the Croton Water Supply under the Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park. As part of the agreement, more than $200 million will be spent on improvements to over 70 Bronx parks over the next five years.

Sachkerah Woods Playground is one of ten completed Croton Projects, representing a total of approximately $12 million. There are nine projects totaling $19 million currently in construction and 33 projects totaling $85 million currently in design. The remaining Croton Projects, which have been scheduled to start design over the course of the next two months, represent $74 million.

Over the past five years, Parks & Recreation has invested more than $125 million for Bronx park improvements, including new waterfront parks, greenways, and recreational facilities. Over the next five years, Parks will invest an additional $560 million to develop park projects in the Bronx, including more than $98 million from Mayor Bloombergs PlaNYC initiative to establish the sustainable growth of New York City by the year 2030, which includes developing Soundview and High Bridge Parks into the Bronxs next great, regional parks.

- 30 -

CityParks Seniors Fitness will begin on April 30, 2007, at Marine Park in Brooklyn; Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx; Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan; and Astoria Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and Roy Wilkins Park in Queens. The program will run through June 22, 2007 (see full schedule below).

David Rivel, Executive Director of City Parks Foundation, said, We welcome senior New Yorkers to get fit, stay healthy, and have fun together in City parks this spring through our seniors fitness program. Especially in New York, neighborhood parks are excellent places for seniors to exercise and improve their health while meeting new friends and neighbors. Just like City Parks Foundations free sports, arts, and education programs for youth, our seniors fitness program aims to keep neighborhood parks a great place for community activity.

Parks and City Parks Foundation are proud to support the CityParks Seniors Fitness tennis, walking, and yoga programs, said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. We aim to help New Yorkers of all ages, shapes, and sizes discover how New York Citys 29,000 acres of parks can enrich their physical and emotional well-being by providing venues for fitness, peaceful respite, and making new friends.

All activities take place twice a week at each location. To maximize health benefits, participants are encouraged to register for two or more weekly activities and maintain regular attendance. Seniors interested in registering for CityParks Seniors Fitness can call (718) 760-6999 or get more information at www.CityParksFoundation.org. All equipment and instruction will be offered free of charge.

The health benefits of fitness activities for seniors are well documented. Even in moderate amounts, exercise can help to maintain or lose weight, reduce risk of heart disease and diabetes, and minimize the symptoms of arthritis and osteoporosis.

Dr. Eileen Callahan, Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Geriatrics at Mount Sinai Medical School, said, Fitness activity is a great way for seniors to maintain and improve their health. Many health concerns, including diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, osteoporosis, and possibly memory-loss, can be improved with consistent physical activity.

CPF appreciates the opportunity to work with Namaste New York and NY Walkers Club, organizations that will be providing expert instruction through the CityParks Seniors Fitness program.

The Spring 2007 Schedule for CityParks Seniors Fitness is as follows:

Brooklyn - Marine Park
Tennis W/F 10 AM Tennis Courts Ave S & East 32 St
Yoga M/W 9AM Nature Center Ave U & East 32 St
Walking M/TH 10AM Nature Center Ave U & East 32 St

Bronx - Van Cortlandt Park
Tennis M/W 10 AM Woodlawn Courts Jerome Ave & E 233 St
Yoga M/W 9 AM Woodlawn Courts Jerome Ave & E 233 St
Walking T/TH 9 AM Woodlawn Courts Jerome Ave & E 233 St

Manhattan - Inwood Hill Park
Tennis T/F 10 AM Tennis Courts W. 207 St. & Seaman Ave.
Yoga T/TH 9 AM Tennis Courts W. 207 St. & Seaman Ave.
Walking M/W 9 AM Tennis Courts W. 207 St. & Seaman Ave.

Queens -
Astoria Park
Tennis T/TH 10 AM Tennis Courts 21 St. & Hoyt Ave. S
Yoga T/TH 9 AM Tennis Courts 21 St. & Hoyt Ave. S
Walking M/W 9 AM Tennis Courts 21 St. & Hoyt Ave. S

Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Tennis M/TH 10 AM Park Tennis Courts Meridian Road
Yoga M/W 9 AM Park Tennis Courts Meridian Road
Walking T/TH 9 AM Park Tennis Courts Meridian Road

Roy Wilkins Park
Tennis T/F 10 AM Tennis Courts Baisley Blvd. & 177th St.
Yoga M/W 9 AM Tennis Courts Baisley Blvd. & 177th St.
Walking M/W 10 AM Tennis Courts Baisley Blvd. & 177th St.

Background: From 2003 through 2005, CPFs Tennis Program for Seniors provided six weeks of free lessons at all skill levels each Fall. Due to the success of this program, CPF launched CityParks Seniors Fitness in 2006, which included and expanded upon the tennis program. The program began in three parks in 2006 and expands to six parks in 2007.

As in all of its programming and activities, City Parks Foundation partners with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to improve neighborhood parks and the communities they serve. This program is generously supported by Zwicker Electric, The Tuttle Fund, the New York City Council, and New York State Senator Martin J. Golden.

This freshwater bird is rarely encountered on the East Coast. It is found in Florida during the winter. It is also found throughout much of the West, where it nests in widely scattered colonies.

Nick Gregory, a Fox 5 Meteorologist and member of the Tournaments Honorary Committee, was among the 72 golfers hitting the green for a good cause and some friendly competition. Two young talents swinging in for the days action were Andrew Giuliani, a Duke Blue Devil golfer and son of former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and Stephanie Noser, a freshman University of North Carolina at Wilmington golfer and the Colonial Athletic Associations 2006 Rookie of the Year. Paul Sliva, a professional golfer and coach to Andrew Giuliani, also came out in support of the event.

Co-sponsored by Parks and Recreation, the American-Scottish Foundation, the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, and the American Golf Corporation, the tournament proceeds support the care and maintenance of Van Cortlandt Park, its horticulture, and its 1.7-mile-long John Muir Nature Trail.

Proceeds have supported a summer internship program for local youth which enables participants to develop a variety of skills that will serve them well for the rest of their life, said Alan Bain. The summer internship experience has encouraged a number of its participants to continue their education by going to college, an aspiration that they had not entertained prior to their participation.

The days events got underway with a note of welcome from Commissioner Aponte at a pre-tee luncheon. Following the afternoons 18 holes, guests enjoyed a Glenlivit whisky-tasting reception, a buffet dinner, and live Celtic music as the sun set over the beautiful Van Cortlandt Lake. Many fabulous prizes were raffled and auctioned, and awards were given for hole-in-ones, closest to pin, longest drive, and straightest drive.

The tournament has, during the past ten years, made over 500 people from outside the immediate area aware of both the Van Cortlandt Golf Course and the Park itself, said Mr. Bain. The Tournament recognizes John Muir, an American-Scot, and acknowledges this countrys indebtedness to him as the pioneer of environmentalism.

John Muir emigrated to the United States from Dunbar, Scotland in 1850. A writer, farmer, and inventor by profession, Muir became known for his pioneering environmental activism. He was founding President of the Sierra Club and is known as the Father of American Conservation.

Van Cortlandt Park, with 1,146 acres, is New York Citys fourth largest park. Located in the northwest Bronx, the Parks mature forests, wetlands, lake and numerous trails allow visitors the chance to relax and savor natures wonders just a stones throw from City streets.

Written by Lisa Hummel

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated.

Arnold Palmer
(1929 - )

Bronx
Join the Rangers as they search for wintry animal life this Saturday, February 25 in Van Cortlandt Park. Learn the survival techniques these creatures use to survive the harshest season when you join this free event. Meet at the Van Cortlandt Nature Center at 10:00 a.m. to start exploring.

Brooklyn
Examine the lives of early African-American residents at Brooklyns Colonial farms: the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum and Weeksvilles Hunterfly Road Houses. Or, take part in a panel discussion on African-American history at the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. The lecture, a collaboration with the Weeksville Heritage Center, is part of a lecture series focusing on Brooklyns Afro-Caribbean and Irish diaspora. This educational event is free and takes place at 5816 Clarendon Road.

Manhattan
View the vibrant paintings and sculptures of Caribbean artists Carlton Murrell and Alfred Weekes this weekend at the "Caribbean Connections" exhibit at the Morris-Jumel Mansion. These artists evoke the warmth and color of the islands while suggesting connections between the Mansions history (Stephen Jumel was originally from Haiti) and the modern Washington Heights community. The exhibit will be on view through this weekend, during normal museum hours (10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.). Morris-Jumel Mansion is located in Roger Morris Park at 65 Jumel Terrace.

Queens
How well do you know your citys history? Put that knowledge to the test this Saturday when you take part in New York City Trivia in Forest Park. Find out how much you really know about New York Citys past, and get the chance to win prizes. This free event will take place at the Forest Park Visitors Center at Forest Park Drive and Woodhaven Boulevard at 12:00 p.m.

Staten Island
See breathtaking images of the natural world when you stop by the Blue Heron Nature Center this Sunday to see the latest Focus On Nature exhibit. This exhibit features the stunning work of photographer Sandra Mechanic, whose nature stills capture a variety of life forms, including butterflies, honeybees, birds, and flowers. This free exhibit is located at the Blue Heron Nature Center at 222 Poillon Avenue.

"The river is famous to the fish.
The loud voice is famous to silence,
which knew it would inherit the earth
before anybody said so.

The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds
watching him from the birdhouse.

The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek.

The idea you carry close to your bosom
is famous to your bosom.

The boot is famous to the earth,
more famous than the dress shoe,
which is famous only to floors."

Naomi Shihab Nye
(born 1952)

In 1844, 14 years before Olmsted and Vaux handed in their Greensward plan, Evening Post editor William Cullen Bryant expounded on the need for a central park in New York City. Soon after, Horticulturalist editor Andrew Jackson Downing echoed these sentiments. Following that lead, Walt Whitman, editor of the then-independent City of Brooklyns Daily Eagle, began advocating for his city to build Prospect Park. So, although its the fruit of Olmsted and Vauxs visionary work that we see, we must remember that editors planted those parks seeds in the Citys soil.

The Bronx, boasts three of New York Citys ten largest parks: Pelham Bay Park is biggest with more than 2,700 acres, Van Cortlandt comes in number four at 1,146 acres, and Bronx Park is number eight with 718 acres. All of these acquisitionsalong with Claremont, Crotona, and St. Marys Parkscame at the hands of John Mullaly, a career newspaper man who worked in a series of posts at several publications before helping to found the New York Park Association in 1881.

Each of these eminent editors have New York City parks named in their honor; additionally, there are over a dozen parks named for editors whose words impacted the history of their local communitiesor, in some cases, the entire nation. From the simple stone relief portrait inserted into the wall of Central Park that honors editor Arthur Brisbane of The New York Sun to Manhattans two large statues honoring Horace Greeley, the founding editor of the New York Tribune, parks around the city pay tribute to historic editors.

Starting in 1831, William Lloyd Garrison published and edited The Liberator, a newspaper through which, for 35 years, he denounced the practice of slavery. His efforts earned him equal amounts of praise, scorn, and respect. Southerners reaction to The Liberator was strong. The South Carolina Vigilance Committee offered a $1,500 reward for the arrest of anyone distributing the publication, while the Georgia House of Representatives offered a $5,000 reward for Garrisons capture and trial. He is honored with a playground in the Bronx.

Manuel de Dios Unanue Triangle Park in Queens honors the memory of another brave newspaper editor who, though he was born in Cuba more than 140 years after Garrison, shared the belief that exposing the truth is a prime responsibility of journalism. Unanue edited El Diario-La Prensa and relentlessly covered the Colombian narcotics trade in Queens. His vociferous efforts to publicize these illegal actions cost him his life; he was shot by a contract killer working for the drug cartel that he exposed.

Although many people whose careers culminated as editors had a great impact on history, there are also great figures who had their start in editing. Roy Wilkins, for whom a park and recreation center in Queens are named, began his career in journalism. From 1934 to 1949, he served as editor of The Crisis, a magazine founded by W.E.B. Dubois. Wilkins rose to the position of NAACP president, where he worked tirelessly to promote voter rights legislation, fair housing laws, and equity in wages.

Even Parks favorite poet Joyce Kilmer was once a dictionary editor. And although he specified that "fools" make poems, he never mentioned who edits them.

-written by John Mattera

"An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox."

Lao Tzu
(600-531 B.C.)

Bronx:

Van Cortlandt Park Take a leisurely walk around the lake or hike the John Muir Nature Trail in this woodsy paradise.
Wave Hill Watch the sun set over the Palisades or visit one of the most impressive arboretums in New York City.
Orchard Beach A romantic walk on the rocky shoreline of Hunter Island will transport you to the coast of Old New England.
Bronx Park Watch the spectacular waterfall on New York Citys only freshwater river, Bronx River.

Brooklyn:
Brooklyn Bridge Park Watch the sun set over Manhattan as the East River glistens before you.
Lullwater Bridge, Prospect Park The waterfall and boathouse make the perfect setting for romance.
Fulton Park Stroll through the great trees in this treasured neighborhood park.
Sunset Park Eagle-eye views of Manhattan, Staten Island, New Jersey, and the Statue of Liberty over the East River and New York Bay will make you feel like youre on top of the world.

Manhattan:
Heather Garden, Fort Tryon Park This picturesque garden offers spectacular views of the Palisades in all seasons.
The Battery Take in unparalleled views as seagulls fly, the waves lap, and the sun sets over Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Madison Square Park Enjoy world-class outdoor art in this historic park right in the heart of Manhattan.
Carl Schurz Park Cuddle up on the benches behind the grand, Federal-style Gracie Mansion.

Queens:
Fort Totten Park Peer across the Long Island Sound through stately Civil War-era structures.
Astoria Park Stroll the East River waterfront overlooking Roosevelt Island and the awesome Manhattan skyline.
Baisley Pond Park Sit and relax under the gazebo and gaze out at the fabled gigantic lily pads resting on the pond.
Kissena Park Weeping willows set the mood around the beautiful lake.

Staten Island:
Alice Austen House This Victorian garden will transport you to 19^th-century romance.
Willowbrook Park Ride the carousel with your sweetheart and feel like a kid again.
Clove Lakes Park Row a boat ride on the lake while enjoying the beautiful park.

St. Valentine is considered the patron saint of love and lovers. According to legend, he married lovers in secret when Emperor Claudius outlawed marriage, fearing it made men poor soldiers. While imprisoned for these actions, he sent the first "valentine," a note to his beloved that he signed "from your Valentine."

"If you keep at it, one day something which at first appeared impossible will become merely something very difficult indeed."

Danny Paradise
(born 1943)

Ms. Burgos escorted the birda red shouldered hawkto the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan, where it joined a sickly red tailed hawk that had been dropped off by two NYPD officers. Bobby Horvath, bird rehabilitator and director of Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation in Massapequa, Long Island, soon assumed care of both birds, tube-feeding them and nursing them back to health.

"The red shouldered hawk was found to have severe head trauma from some sort of collision," Horvath explained. "She received daily steroid injections to reduce the swelling and was force fed for about a week until she finally ate on her own. Its always a happy day when they start eating again."

"Red shouldered hawks are a rare sight for these parts," explained Urban Park Ranger Yvonne McDermott, who worked closely with Mr. Horvath on the recovery and release. "They only fly by along their migration route."

Red tailed hawks, on the other hand, are quite common in many of New York Citys parks, especially Van Cortlandt Park, with its 500-plus acres of forest. This one, when found in downtown Manhattan, was sickly and emaciated.

January 6 was a happy day for both these birds, and an especially happy day for Ms. Burgos. She and her husband joined Horvath, McDermott, and Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe at the Van Cortlandt Park Nature Center to release both birdsnow healthy and eager to get back to the wild.

"As our cities and suburbs continue to build up, our Citys parks become more attractive as homes for these birds," said Commissioner Benepe before releasing the red tailed hawk.

Releasing the red shouldered hawk into the park, on the other hand, is the best way to get her re-oriented before finding her way back home.

"People demand freedom of speech as compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use."

Soren Kierkegaard
(1813-1855)

Indeed, a report from 100 years ago includes notes from the Parks Commissioner requesting grading and landscaping around the new train bridges that were built to raise the trains from the park walkways. So, where did these trains come from and where have they gone since? The company that originally laid the track was incorporated on May 21, 1869. This was long before Van Cortlandt Park (in 1888) was even a glimmer in John Mullalys eye. Although the company originally hoped it would some day grow to become a line to Boston, the 54 miles of track, which started at 155^th and Sedgewick Avenues in the Bronx, never got past the town of Brewster in Putnam County, New York. Like many rail lines, it got a nickname based on its finial destination: commuters referred to the train as "Old Put."

An 1893 New York Times article said the line connected the "most historic and picturesque portions of Westchester and Putnam counties." However beautiful the trip might sound, riding on Old Put was something of a necessity in this, the pre-automobile age. Passengers traveling to Brewster from Grand Central terminal would have to switch at High Bridge station. From there, the route through the Bronx closely followed what is now the Major Deegan Expressway, with stops in at Fordham Heights (now University Heights), Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Park, Westchester, and Putnam county. With more than 30 stops total, the 54-mile trip took about 2 hours and 40 minutes.

After the cascade of railroad consolidation that took place in the first half of the twentieth century, Old Put, originally part of the New York and Boston Railroad, became the property of the New York Central Railroad. On May 29, 1958, the line carried its final passengers and never ran again. In addition to the skeletal remains of the station in Van Cortlandt Park, some sidings remain in the Bronx and in Westchester, and surviving station houses now serve a variety of functionsfrom library to restaurant.

-written by John Mattera

"If we dont believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we
dont believe in it at all."

Avram Noam Chomsky
(born 1928)

It's official--spring is here! Take advantage of the season's delights by exploring one of dozens of hiking trails across the City. Some of the City's best hikes are listed below, but for a complete overview of hikes in your neighborhood, call the Urban Park Rangers--they might even be hosting a guided hike near you. It's also a good idea to check with the Rangers to get an update on trail conditions, especially if the weather has been rainy. To find the Urban Park Ranger station closest to you, call 1-866-NYC-HAWK.

In the Bronx, a great spring hike is Van Cortlandt Park's John Muir Trail. Named for the famous naturalist, the trail is unusual because it runs on an east/west axis. Those looking for a strenuous, uphill hike should start on the western side, at Broadway and Mosholu Avenue, and head east. For an easy, downhill walk, hikers should start on the eastern side at Oneida Stree and Van Cortland East. The trail takes hikers past the Old Croton Aqueduct and the Mosholu Golf Course. There are plenty of animals to be seen, and the luckiest, quietest hikers may even catch a glimpse of the coyotes that live in the forests.

In Brooklyn, the Salt Marsh Nature Trail is especially beautiful this time of year. The trail lies at the westernmost inlet of Jamaica Bay in Marine Park, and begins at the Salt Marsh Nature center. About a mile long, the trail is a gravel path that follows the edge of the salt marsh, giving hikers glimpses of wetland wildlife. In the spring, red-winged blackbirds sing among the cattails, and Beach Plum, Henbit, and Purple Dead Nettle bloom. A bridge at the beginning of the trail offers hikers a place to look for fiddler and horseshoe crabs.

The upper reaches of Manhattan hold a lovely out-and-back hike that begins and ends at the Inwood Hill Nature Center. Beginning at the nature center, the trail winds around the salt marsh and the famous Shorakapok Rock, the site upon which--according to legend--the island of Manhattan was sold. It passes a Native American rock shelter, then cuts through one of the best bird-watching areas in the City. After hikers have had their fill of cardinals, titmice, and woodpeckers, the trail continues on to Overlook Meadow, which boasts a spectacular view of the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades.

A hike through Alley Pond Park in Queens will lead you around the "Kettle Ponds," which were formed 17,000 years ago by buried chunks of ice that melted and formed pools when the Wisconsin Glacier receded. The park lies on a glacier-formed ridge of sand and rock that marks the southern terminus of the Minnesota Ice Sheet. The ponds are host to freshwater and saltwater wetlands, tidal flats, meadows, and forest, creating a complex ecosystem that gives curious hikers a large variety of animal and plant life to observe.

To really get away from it all, hop on the Staten Island ferry and head to High Rock Park. Covering nearly 100 acres, High Rock contains five ponds and various wetlands, including Walker Pond and Loosestrife Swamp. Beginning hikers can wander at a leisurely pace through red maples, highbush blueberries, and skunk cabbage. More adventurous hikers can climb Mt. Moses, a 260-foot hill named for former Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. Because the trees are in bud, the overlook at the top of the mountain is panoramic this time of year, affording views of the Raritan Bay. Many of the trails in High Rock Park are connected, so ambitious hikers can walk for several hours through the woods, encountering few people and crossing only one or two roads. A variety of wildlife abounds on these trails: wood ducks, great blue herons, muskrats, hawks, owl, woodpeckers, frogs, and turtles.

"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion."

(born 1972)

"Having worked with John at Madison Square Park, I know of his ability to network and communicate with people," said Bronx Borough Commissioner Hector Aponte. "These skills will be put to good use as John and the community develop a new vision for Van Cortlandt Park."

John Herrold has long been involved in New York Citys parks, professionally and personally. John joined Parks & Recreation in 1999 after a several years of volunteering with the Riverside Park Fund. As a part-time aide to the Riverside Park Administrator, he oversaw special events and coordinated volunteer and community projects in Riverside and Fort Washington parks. He was especially involved in relations with the dog-owning community and worked on design and fundraising for the reconstruction of two dog runs in Riverside. He was officially dubbed "Director of Quadruped Affairs" and fielded calls from around the country and as far away as Japan and Australia on the design and management of dog runs.

Starting in 2001, John served as the manager of Madison Square Park, where he oversaw daily operations, capital improvements, a wide range of special events, and community relations. He also nurtured a strong relationship between park operations and the fundraising and programming activities of the Madison Square Park Conservancy.

Born in Manhattan and raised nearby in northern New Jersey, John recalls his formative time on his familys woodland property in rural Pennsylvania. "My life-long love of the natural environment, which led to my intense appreciation for New Yorks green spaces, comes from this experience. It was also how I came to understand planning, construction, and maintenance." John is a graduate of Columbia College and has lived on the Upper West Side since the late 1980s.

As far as his new position is concerned, John is eager for the challenge. "I fell in love with Van Cortlandt Park the first time I visited," said John. "The deep woods, nature trails and aquaculture; the horseback riding, golf and athletics; the historic house, nursery, gardens and playgrounds, make it a fascinating place for people with every sort of interest. And its big enough to contain all of this with room to spare."

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives."

Albert Schweitzer
(1875-1965)

As Commissioner Benepe and his student helpers shoveled wood chips and laid logs, attendees took in the crisp, summer air and enjoyed trail mix and snacks courtesy of Balance Bar. Marty Grossman, an Alley Pond Park volunteer, said National Trails Day is a great way to generate the public interest in helping to maintain parks and trails. "We need all the volunteers we can get," said Grossman. "They really make a big difference in working to upkeep the parks and its trails."

National Trails Day NYC took place in parks throughout the city, including Highbridge Park in Manhattan, Marine Park in Brooklyn, High Rock Park in Staten Island, Alley Pond Park in Queens, and Pelham Bay Park and Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx and along the Bronx River.

A variety of local organizations and community groups from around the city participated in National Trails Day. Groups large and small helped to restore trails by clearing pathways, planting flowers, and aiding in light gardening work. "We had a lot of hands to help us blaze the trail," said Dorothy Reilly, Director of Public Relations for the Greenbelt Conservancy in Staten Island. "What would have taken a few days or longer, was done in just one day."

Reilly and others constructed a new trail leading to a building in High Rock Park. John Dorn, Editor of Backpacking Magazine and Celina Montorfano, Director of Conservation Programs at the American Hiking Society, were among some of the volunteers on hand to help with trail restoration and planting vegetation in Staten Island.

In the Bronx, National Trails day participants enjoyed a six-mile canoe trip along the Bronx River. The purpose of the trip was to explore the area and gain public interest in parks, explained Elyse Leon, an outreach coordinator for the Bronx River Alliance.

National Trails Day began twelve years ago when the American Hiking Society instituted an annual event to celebrate the beautiful trails throughout the United States. The organization promotes hiking as a way to stay healthy and fit, and encourages communities to become stewards of their local trails.

National Trails Day NYC is sponsored by Parks & Recreations Natural Resources Group and Urban Park Rangers, Partnerships for Parks, Greenbelt Conservancy, NY/NJ trails conference, Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx River Alliance, Balance Bar, EMS, and Backpacker. Thanks to the volunteers, private sponsors and community organizations, New Yorkers can take a hike on new, restored trails as the summer season begins. Special thanks also to David Kovall and Parks & Recreations Marketing and Special Events division for coordinating this meaningful day of special events across the five boroughs.

Written by Melissa Kuhn

"Everybody is looking at everybody elsea foolish crowd walking on mirrors."

(18791955)

If your mother has a green thumb, a great way to kick off Mothers Day weekend is at Parks & Recreations "Green Day" at the Arthur Ross Citywide Nursery, in Van Cortlandt Park, the Bronx. Usually closed to the public, the Citywide Nursery will open its doors, displaying hundreds of trees, plants, and flowers to horticulturally curious New Yorkers of all ages. Parks & Recreations expert gardeners and foresters will be on hand to give instruction on a variety of topics, including composting, pest management, and butterfly gardens. You and your mom can also bond by making nature crafts, learning flower pressing, and taking walking tours. "Green Day" is free and takes place on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The nursery is located at East 242^nd Street and Van Cortlandt Park East.

Two historic house museums are also hosting Mothers Day activities. On Saturday, Brooklyns Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, at Clarendon Road and Ralph Avenue, will host a "Tea & Tulip Festival", from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. This free festival will include May Pole dancing, arts & crafts, live music from balladeer Linda Russell, and, of course, plenty of tea and tulips. On Sunday, the Merchants House Museum, at 29 East Fourth Street in Manhattan, will host a traditional "afternoon tea" in the Merchant Houses 19th-century garden. Treat your mother to a pot of English tea along with scones served with jam and clotted cream, finger sandwiches, and frosted confections. The cost is $40 per couple, with an additional $15 for each guest. Pre-payment and reservations are required for the two seatings at 1:30 and 3 p.m. Please call 212-777-1089 for more information.

The Urban Park Rangers have paid special attention to Mothers Day this year, with a variety of Mom-centric activities in parks throughout the city. On Saturday, mothers and children can head to Inwood Hill Parks Nature Center in Northern Manhattan to join in an afternoon of gardening and planting, beginning at 2 p.m. The Nature Center is located at 218th and Indian Road in Inwood Hill Park. Mothers Day activities continue in Inwood Hill Park on Sunday, with a 10 a.m. hike through Overlook Meadow; the hike meets at the Inwood Hill Nature Center. You can also treat your mom to a meal at the New Leaf Cafin Fort Tryon Park, watching the sun set over the Palisades. Staten Islands High Rock Park is hosting a special Mothers Day hike on Sunday, starting at 2 p.m., giving out-of-borough residents plenty of time to take the ferry and make their way to the island. Hikers should meet at the High Rock Ranger Station, in High Rock Park, at the end of Nevada Avenue off Rockland Avenue. Crafty kids should head to the Central Park Dairy on Sunday, where they can make a Mothers Day gift at the Rangers "Eco-crafts" workshop. And for the truly adorable gift, stop by Central Parks Mineral Springs, where dozens of lonely dogs and cats will be looking for new owners to mother them. Visit the Central Park Conservancy website, www.centralparknyc.org, for more information on events in Central Park.

"Experience Spring is the unofficial start of spring," said Commissioner Benepe. "Parks across the city were hopping with activity Saturday as thousands of kids participated in dozens of fun activities. We are grateful to Healthfirst for helping to present these free and healthy outdoor activities for New Yorkers."

"Healthfirst has always been committed to the communities it serves," said Paul Dickstein, Healthfirsts President and CEO. "By partnering with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Healthfirst is proud to help create a series of fun, safe, and healthy events the whole family can enjoy." Parks & Recreation is also partnering with Healthfirst to present the Great New York City Halloween Party in October.

Central Parks event, previously known as "Easter Eggstravaganza," brought about 20,000 people out into the beautiful spring weather. Participants were able to make arts & crafts, go in-line skating, visit a petting zoo, and see live performances. There were also games, face-painting, a greenmarket, and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny and Paz the Penguin.

In addition to Central Park, this years Healthfirst Experience Spring was held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Linden Park in Queens, and Brownsville Recreation Center and Von King Recreation Center in Brooklyn. At each of the events, smiling children dyed eggs, made tissue paper flowers, planted seeds in pots to take home with them, got their faces painted, listened to a cappella, and much more.

Healthfirst Experience Spring was also sponsored by Western Union, KTU, Viacom Outdoor, and the New York Post.

"April Rain Song"

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night

And I love the rain.

Langston Hughes

Crabapple trees have a long and colorful history. Unlike the heavy, succulent apples that have become integral to American cuisine, the crabapple fruit is less than two inches in diameter and will pucker the mouth with its sourness. There is a dizzying array of crabapple and apple tree species, but all domesticated apples are believed to derive from a wild apple found in the mountainous terrain of what is now Kazakhstan. The Silk Road ran through these mountains and introduced Western Europe to products of the Orient, including the apple. The modern traveler of the Silk Road will find the path overgrown with forests of apple trees.

Early American settlers continued the westward trajectory of the apple tree, carrying seeds and seedlings to the New World. The European arrivals were eager to have Old World comforts. With the apple, settlers could cultivate their land with familiar trees, grow apples for traditional dishes, and perhaps most importantly, brew cider (the alcoholic kind). By the mid 1600s, there were over 60 documented varieties of domesticated apples, and probably thousands more in the wild. John Chapman, the legendary Johnny Appleseed, is responsible for creating many of the orchards in the United States. During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Chapman capitalized on the popularity of cider and made his fortune traveling West from Massachusetts to Ohio, stopping at frontier posts to plant orchards and sell trees to settlers.

The rise of the temperance movement and the increasing popularity of other fruits and liquors led to a decline in the planting of new orchards. Apple trees only became a high commodity again in the twentieth century, when landscape architects recognized the beauty of the crabapple and began using it as an adornment in their landscape designs.

In the first decades of the twentieth century, landscape architects planted crabapple trees across the country, including in New York Citys parks. In 1935, the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) sponsored the creation of new parks, playgrounds, and the site for the 1939-1940 New York Worlds Fair in Flushing Meadows. Ornamental crabapples were often used in these projects, many of which were designed by Robert Mosess consulting landscape architect, Gilmore Clark. Riverside Park and Central Parks Conservatory Garden still house some of the most glorious stands of crabapple trees.

Although the crabapple is one of the most long-lived ornamental trees, many of the crabapples planted in the early years of the twentieth century have succumbed to old age and disease. The loveliest hybrids of crabapples are often the most prone to fireblight, cedar apple rust, apple scab, mildew, and leaf spot. The International Ornamental Crabapple Society has been rating crabapples for their susceptibility to disease as part of their National Crabapple Evaluation Program, so that new orchards of crabapples will last longer than their predecessors. Meanwhile, Parks & Recreation has begun propagating crabapple whips in the Arthur Ross Nursery in Van Cortlandt Park, and is searching for a grant to help fund the return of the crabapple.

Under the leadership of Commissioner Benepe, Fiona Watt, Parks & Recreation Chief of Forestry and Horticulture, has been the powerhouse behind the effort to bring the multi-stemmed crabapple back to New York City. "The crabapple groves of Riverside Park and the all of the Conservatory Gardens in Central Park are astoundingly beautiful in all seasons of the year," she said. "To stand amongst the fallen blossoms is almost a religious experience."

Written by Dana Rubinstein

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

Cling, swing,
Spring, sing,
Swing up into the apple tree.

T.S. Eliot
(18881965)

With every turn of the season, our Urban Park Rangers create a new edition of the "RedTailer," a newsletter notifying New Yorkers of the free goings-on run by the Rangers in City parks. The sheer breadth and diversity of the events detailed in the RedTailer are testament to both the hardiness of the Rangers and to the popularity of their programs. "Many New Yorkers use the parks as places to escape the city's urban landscape and reconnect with nature. People can camp, canoe, hike, rock climb and seek out wildlife all right here in New York City," commented Michael Cushing, Manager of Explorer & Adventure Programming for the Urban Park Rangers. Indeed, I tallied a total of 168 activities in the Winter 2003 issue, which covers only three months. These activities range from owl seminars and astronomy lessons to open mic nights and Animal Courtship Singles Walks (a whimsical nod to St. Valentine); from scavenger hunts and snowshoeing to camping and canoeing; from birding and backpacking to Historic House tours and storytelling; from seminars on the History of Staten Island to discussions of glaciers.

As we know perhaps too well, New York City still has the chills. Fortunately, the Rangers winter season and upcoming spring season are packed with energizing activities. Coming attractions include a night hike in Van Cortlandt Park, an African American History seminar in Crotona Park, Anthony Francis Classical Music Quartet, "Edible Insects, Yum!", and four different activities saluting February 29, including "Leap Year: Things that Leap, Jump and Hop." To join the community of New Yorkers who eagerly await this newsletter, please access our website, www.nyc.gov/parks, click on "About Parks," followed by "Urban Park Rangers" and "Receive the Red Tailer in the Mail." You can also read the Tailer online.

For the more technically-minded reader, there is the "Spec-Tator," a newsletter put out by our Specifications and Estimating division at Capital Projects. The "Spec-Tator," in addition to carrying a clever pun in its name, seeks to communicate the innovations in our Specs & Estimating division to the rest of the agency. One recent issue addressed some irksome problems with Type D water fountains, whose comma shape allows wheelchair access. Unfortunately, these same fountains have a tendency to become "geysers" or alternatively, to not flow at all. The "Spec-Tator" described the agencys concerted efforts to modify and save these important amenities. The "Spec-Tator is the result of a Capital Projects brainstorm. In the future, the "Spec-Tator" will welcome submissions from other divisions and be accessible on the Parks & Recreation website.

Via "AfterSchool News," our AfterSchool staff reports the most recent achievements of program participants and informs fellow employees of upcoming events. The newsletter functions much like the "Spec-Tator," sharing successes and failures with its readership and thereby facilitating an exchange of constructive ideas. Meanwhile, our AfterSchool programs also create books of poetry, posters, art calendars, and neighborhood news articles, which are given to parents, posted in recreation centers and used for program outreach. Our recreation centers are themselves quite prolific, most notably Sorrentino Recreation Center, Lost Battalion Hall, and Hunts Point, each putting out their own newsletters like clockwork. "Through our newsletters, we share program accomplishments and information, reinforcing a sense of community among Parks staff and with the public," said Julia Schaffer, Parks AfterSchool Supervisor.

Written by Dana Rubinstein

"Ah, you flavor everything; you are the vanilla of society."

Sydney Smith
1771-1845

Wild turkey populations live in various parks across New York City, including Van Cortlandt Park and Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan, the Greenbelt in Staten Island. Recently, a single wild turkey has been spotted in Manhattans Riverside Park and Battery Park. Its unclear whether its the same bird, but either way, it is making friends with its new neighbors.

Based on research conducted by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, wild turkeys were abundant in the 1600s. Wild turkeys generally live in large flocks, sometimes as large as 70. The male wild turkey, also called a gobbler, has bright feathers that can change color, while the female has brown feathers. The male turkey also has a beard that hangs down from its breast that can be as long as 16 inches. Female wild turkeys, or hens, weigh between 8 and 12 pounds, while the gobbler can weigh as much as 22 pounds.

Interestingly, the "gobble" noise commonly associated with turkeys is just one of 28 different calls. Other calls include the yelp, cluck, puff, and kee-kee. Wild turkeys are also impressive movers. They can fly as fast as 55 mph and run as fast as 12 mph.

As Thanksgiving approaches and we feast on turkey, everyone should keep their eyes out from the spotted turkey in Riverside Park, suspected to be a female. New York City is filled with animal and plant wildlife and there is lots to see and learn from in our parks.

Weekday closings of Central Park drives will be suspended starting Monday, November 24, 2003 through Wednesday, December 31, 2003. The Central Park drives will remain open all day on weekdays during this period. The Central Park drives will be closed on weekends and legal New York City holidays during this period, as usual: the drives close on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and open at 6:00 a.m. Monday morning. On legal NYC holidays, the drives close at 7:00 p.m. the night before the holiday and re-open at 6:00 a.m. the morning after the holiday.

Weekday closings of Prospect Park drives will be suspended starting Monday, November 24, 2003 through Friday, January 16, 2004. The Prospect Park drives will remain open all day on weekdays during this period from 7:00 a.m. Mondays until 7:00 p.m. Fridays. The Prospect Park drives will be closed on weekends and legal New York City holidays during this period with the following schedule: the drives close on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and open at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning. On legal NYC holidays, the drives close at 7:00 p.m. the night before the holiday and re-open at 7:00 a.m. the morning after the holiday.

"There be none of Beautys daughters

With a magic like thee;

And like music on the waters

Is thy sweet voice to me."

(1788-1824)

In Central Park, the landmark site of Parks & Recreations Halloween bash, children of all ages enjoyed costume making, in-line skating, live performances, and a greenmarket. They were entertained by Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck walkabout characters as well as a professional pumpkin carver. On what was a beautiful fall day, about 10,000 New Yorkers were in the park getting excited for Halloween.

"We have Newmark & Company Real Estate, Inc. to thank for todays festivities," Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe said in Central Park on Saturday. "Their generous sponsorship has made this event and events all over the city a success."

In Van Cortlandt Park about 4,000 took part in a haunted walk, listened to scary stories, got their faces painted, and picked a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch. Many children came to the park dressed in their costumes as a warm up to the big day. There was also Halloween festivities in Juniper Valley Park in Queens and Prospect Park in Brooklyn a long tradition for Brooklynites.

The fun isnt over yet, however. Tonight is the "Halloween Spooktacular Party Uptown" at Manhattans Jackie Robinson Park and Recreation Center from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. On Friday, October 31, Owls Head Park in Brooklyn will host "Owls Head Halloween Happenings" from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Also on Friday, Staten Islanders can enjoy "The Great Pumpkin Rides Again" at Cromwell Recreation Center from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

To learn more about park festivities, visit www.nyc.gov/parks or call 311.

"Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow,

That I shall say good night till it be morrow."

(1564-1616)

The City Council allocated $1 million to revitalize this popular playground. Children will enjoy new play equipment and swings designed for toddlers and older children. The playground will have new safety surfacing and a spray shower will provide hours of fun on hot days. The entire community will enjoy the new benches and landscaped areas.

In 1948, this playground was dedicated in memory of Colonel David "Mickey" Marcus. Colonel Marcus was a dedicated civil servant, working as a junior attorney for the Treasury Department, an assistant U.S. attorney and Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction. After the outbreak of World War II, Colonel Marcus was activated into the Army and participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. He was awarded several distinguished citations for his military service.

After the war, the United Nations voted to create the independent state of Israel and Israeli officials requested that Colonel Marcus help them prepare a modern army. Serving as Supreme Commander of the Israeli forces along the Jerusalem front, Colonel Marcus was killed on June 10, 1948 by friendly fire. He was laid to rest at West Point. A bronze plaque was dedicated to Colonel David Marcus during the playgrounds renaming ceremony in 1948.

The reconstruction of Col. David Marcus Playground is already well underway and weather permitting the construction is expected to be complete this winter. Project Manager Wim DeRonde is overseeing the renovations. Hicham Osman is serving as Resident Engineer and Landscape Architect Bernadette Grullon originally designed the new play space.

Alan Dubrow, Chair of Community Board 12, Stephen G. McAllister, Deputy Inspector of NYPDs 66 Precinct, Wolf Sender, District Manager of Community Board 12, Rabbi Glanz, Administrative Chaplain for Departments of Correction and Probation, Mark Kronenberg, Chief of Staff for Assembly Member Dov Hikind and Bernard Rothenberg, Representative from Kings County Council of Jewish War Veterans, Post 129 also attended Wednesday's event.

At the groundbreaking, the crowd not only learned details about the playground, but they learned that the word Simcha means celebration in Hebrew. Soon the children and neighbors who helped break ground on Wednesday will be enjoying many more simchas at Col. David Marcus Playground.

This Saturday, October 25, five parks across New York City will host Newmark & Company Real Estate, Inc.s Great New York City Halloween Party. New Yorkers can celebrate Halloween with a wide variety of free activities including parades, haunted walks, hayrides, pumpkin painting, arts & crafts, greenmarkets and live performances.

The Great New York City Halloween Party is taking place in:

Prospect Park in Brooklyn (12:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.)

Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx (4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.)

Central Park in Manhattan (11:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m.)

Juniper Valley Park in Queens (11:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m.)

To learn more about each boroughs festivities, please visit www.nyc.gov/parks or call 311.

"When you have nothing to say, say nothing."

(1780-1832)

DONT DROP THE BALL ON YOUR CHANCE TO BE A BOCCE CHAMPION

It started in Egypt around 5,000 B.C. and spread to Greece, and later the Roman Empire. And since Italian immigrants first introduced Bocce to the Americas in the 19th century, its become a quintessential New York City sport. Dont miss out on the opportunity to compete for cash prizes in the Nutella 9th Annual Citywide Bocce Tournament. Preliminary rounds will be held this Saturday, September 13, 2003 in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island and the finals will be held in Juniper Valley Park on Sunday September 14, 2003 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Entering is free and you can register on-site Saturday morning between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m. Bring your friends, and you will certainly have a ball. For more information, log onto the website at www.nyc.gov/parks or call 3-1-1.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

The man who lets himself be bored is even more contemptible than the bore.

Samuel Butler
(1835-1902) ]]> 2009-11-21T16:01:30-05:00 dailyplant17570 http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_newsroom/daily_plants/daily_plant_main.php?id=17570 A few weeks ago, while visiting relatives in Chester County, Pennsylvania, I saw one of the oldest weeping beech trees in the country. Planted by one of Pennsylvanias first settlers, it was over three hundred years old. A weeping beech of that age is an impressive and weird sight. From a distance, it looks nothing like a tree; it appears to be an enormous mound of leaves piled up in the middle of the landscape. Instead of reaching out and up towards the sky, the branches droop and touch the ground, forming a curtain around the tree. The weeping beech I saw had a leaf curtain that appeared to be over 100 feet in diameter. There were so many branches that the leaves seemed to be growing uncontrollably, cascading over top one another, like water in a fountain. Behind the leaf curtain, the tree was even more impressive. Its trunk was thick and twisted and split into several parts. The largest branches rested on the ground or were supported by wooden ladders, while new branches twisted upward and interlaced with each other, to form the dark umbrella, like the canopy I had observed from the outside.

Back in New York, I learned that Queens Weeping Beech Park was once home to a beech of similar proportions. The weeping beech that grew there was legendary, and survived for 151 years, from 1847 to 1998. It grew to a height of 60 feet and its leaf curtain, or "outer circle," reached a diameter of approximately 80 feet. The magnificent tree was survived by its five "daughters"trees that grew from root shoots from the main trunk. Joe Bonkowski, Parks & Recreations Director of Landscape Mangement in Queens, called the "daughters" strong specimens, saying, "even though the main tree is gone, its daughters, which are exact clones, will live on." All of Queens beeches were originally from Europe, cloned from a weeping beech that grew on a noblemans estate in Beersal, Belgium.

There are two types of beech trees: European and American. The two trees I have described are European. A European beech is characterized by its interlacing surface roots, its thick, knotty trunk, and its dark, wavy, foliage. An American beech tends to have a taller, thinner, trunk, and leaves that are thinner and sharper-toothed than its European cousin. You can find both European and American and American beeches in our citys parks. In Central Park, theres a beautiful old European beech on the East Drive at 97^th Street. Also in Manhattan, theres a European beech in Inwood Hill Park, on the west ridge, northwest of Clove. In Brooklyn, you can find European beeches in Owls Head Park, near the playground and comfort station and in Queens, you can find a European beech in the western section of McNeil Park, and of course, in Weeping Beech Park. Although not a City park, the Bronxs Wave Hill is home to copper beeches that are more than a hundred years old and are known as some of the most spectacular beeches on the Eastern seaboard. American Beeches are more elusive; they are not planted as decorative trees and often grow as part of larger forests. They can be found in the ravine of Prospect Parks native forest, in front of the Friends Cemetary. In Van Cortlandt Park, they grow on Cass Gallagher trail and in Alley Pond Park, they grow in a section of the park called "The Oaks." American beeches grow in Pelham Bay Park, near the environmental center, and in Inwood Hill Park, they grow at the entrance to the forest, west of the playing fields. Finally, they can be found throughout Staten Islands Greenbelt, in High Rock Park.

If youve never admired a beech tree, I encourage you to visit one soon. Their pale blue bark is soothing to look at and they are perfect for sitting beneath on a hot summer day. Once youve seen one, youll return to them again and again, to admire their sturdy beauty enjoy their abundant shade.

"This is my letter to the World

That never wrote to Me

The simple News that Nature told

With tender Majesty."

(1830-1886)