FRESHKILLS PARK TO HOLD ITS FIRST FREE DISCOVERY DAY OF THE SEASON

 DATE:                        Sunday, June 4, 2017 

TIME:                          11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

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LOCATION:               Freshkills Park, 350 Wild Ave., STATEN ISLAND

Freshkills Park will host a Discovery Day event, opening more than 700 acres and eight miles of trails to the public for a day of bicycling, tours and hiking. The free event offers New Yorkers a chance to explore the park before it opens and learn more about the landfill-to-park transformation project. The site is otherwise closed to the public.

Activities:

Bicycling – Visitors can bring their own bicycle or rent one for free at Freshkills to bike across miles of paved roadway, including a three-mile loop along meadows and wetland.

Tours – NYC Audubon and the NYC Department of Sanitation will offer free guided walks, and eight miles of trails will be open self-guided hikes.

Kids – Kites will be available to fly at the top of North Mound and Urban Parks Rangers will engage kids in fun, educational activities.

Food – Food will also be available for purchase during the event.

Transportation:

Shuttle buses will transport visitors to and from the St. George Ferry Terminal (Ramp E, Taxi Stand) into the park. Those arriving by bicycle can enter at the 350 Wild Ave. entrance. For cars, parking will be available just outside Freshkills Park in lots near 350 Wild Avenue. From there, visitors can take a shuttle bus or walk one mile to the main event area. A shuttle will also be provided to and from North Mound, which offers panoramic views of New York City.

This event is presented by NYC Parks, NYC Department of Sanitation, and the Freshkills Park Alliance. Those interested can register at http://freshkillspark.org/calendar.

At 2,200 acres, Freshkills Park is almost three times the size of Central Park and the largest park to be developed in New York City in over 100 years. It is at the site of the former Fresh Kills Landfill—the largest landfill in the world before closing in 2001. Since then, the landscape has been engineered with layers of soil and infrastructure, and the area has become a place for wildlife, recreation, science, education, and art.