How to Discover Freshkills Park on June 26th
Photo: Dimitrios Papanikos
Freshkills Park will offer a Discovery Day event on Sunday, June 26th from 11am to 4pm. During this free public event, 700 acres of the normally closed site will be open for a one-day opportunity to discover the unique experience and views the park has to offer. Thanks to the support of program partners, sponsors, and collaborators, there will be lots of ways to enjoy the event.
Bicycling
Visitors of all ages can bring their own bicycles into the park. The Freshkills Park Alliance will also provide free bikes to borrow during the event. A total of five miles of paved roadway will be accessible, including a three-mile loop along meadows and wetland ponds.
“A Fresh Look” Photography Contest
Photographers are invited to take photos of the landscape at the event and submit them to “A Fresh Look: Freshkills Park Photo Contest.” Winning portraits of Freshkills Park will be published in the Staten Island Advance and displayed at the Staten Island Arts Culture Lounge.
Bookmaking Workshop
Visitors are invited to learn how to bookbind with artist Susan Mills and make their own field notebooks. This workshop uses one-of-a-kind paper made by Susan from Phragmites, an invasive plant harvested at Freshkills Park as part of the UnCommon Pages art project.
Expert-Led Walking Tours
- NYC Audubon will offer free guided bird walks to experience the benefits that the restoration of Freshkills Park is having on local wildlife.
- DSNY Director of Waste Management Engineering Ted Nabavi will lead an educational tour about landfill engineering at the park.
- Artist Eva Neves will offer two “Sketch and Stroll” tours. Materials will be provided.
- Freshkills Park’s Arturo Romua and Megan Moriarty will also lead tours, providing an overview of the park’s past, present, and future.
Kayaking
Kayak Staten Island will lead two tours along the creeks at Freshkills Park. Pre-registration is required for kayak tours. Participants must be at least 16 years old. Registration opens Sunday, June 12th at 9 am.
Music and Food Trucks
A DJ from the College of Staten Island’s WSIA will play music during the event. There will also be food trucks available for lunch at the park.
Volunteering
Volunteers make events at Freshkills Park possible. To volunteer at Discovery Day, visit the Volunteer Page. Thanks to Volunteer Heart Ambulance of Staten Island, New York Cares, and Kayak Staten Island for their service.
Getting There
Parking will be just outside Freshkills Park in the lots near 350 Wild Avenue in Staten Island. From there, visitors can take a shuttle bus or walk or bike one mile to the main hub. A free shuttle will also make trips to and from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George (Ramp E, Taxi Stand) during the event.
Discovery Day is presented by NYC Parks, NYC Department of Sanitation, and the Freshkills Park Alliance. Join the mailing list and follow @freshkillspark on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more details.
Photo by Dimitrios Papanikos.
