Former Landfill Will Turn into State Park

With parks getting a facelift everywhere in the city — with many already having gone that route in Brooklyn — this is a perfect time to create something new to excite the locals.

Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced that he plans to open the city’s largest state-run park near the edge of Jamaica Bay in East New York, the Brooklyn Paper reported.

“This new park will be a treasure in the heart of Brooklyn, offering hundreds of acres of beautiful parkland on the shores of Jamaica Bay,” Cuomo said in press release. “We are committed to ensuring every New Yorker can access the recreational, health and community benefits of open space, and this park will open new doors to wellness for New Yorkers who need it most.”

The park will sit on what was once a toxic landfill and it will cost the state roughly $15 million to bring to life on some 407 acres of barren bay land. The area selected for a revitalization will be bordered by Pennsylvania and Fountain avenues and the Belt Parkway. 

Governor Cuomo  announced the new plans in his yearly State of the State address, in a bid to turn the run-down bay into a lush green space, the Brooklyn Paper reports. The park will have comfort zones, shaded areas  and concession stands. There will be bike trails and hiking trails. According to the BP, there are also areas for kayaking and fishing that will open up later in 2018 or early 2019.

The announced plans could also include the creation of a potential amphitheater and a bridge to connect the other parts of the park. 

There’s only one other exclusively state-run park in Brooklyn — Williamsburg’s East River State Park. The Hudson River Park in Manhattan is around 500-acres but is in a partnership between the state and the city.