“From coastal resiliency and sustainable green practices to the preservation of affordable housing, world-class public art, and vibrant, year-round programming in award-winning public spaces, Battery Park City leads the way in many of the measures that makes cities livable."
BPC Parks Happenings is a monthly “snapshot” of the Authority’s work in maintaining Battery Park City’s parks and public spaces. Scroll down to see what’s on tap for December.
– Lead Up to Lights: Our Parks Operations team is hard at work in preparation for Battery Park City’s Holiday Lights Celebration. Come join us on Thursday evening, December 5, 6PM at Rockefeller Park for the annual neighborhood tradition!
– Green to Green: With the holiday season upon us, we will begin collecting Christmas trees on December 26 and continue through January 31, 2025. Please place your tree at the curb — without decorations, lights, or tree stands, please — for collection by our Parks Operations team. The trees will be chipped and used as mulch that will help keep Battery Park City beautiful year-round.
– Cold Wind Blows: By the end of the month, winterization of all water systems throughout the parks will be complete as our team prepares for the cold weather to set in.
– Dog Duty: Battery Park City’s three dog runs will continue to be washed daily on days with temperatures at 40 degrees or above. Do you frequent BPC dog runs? Don’t miss the chance to complete our dog run survey.
– More Leaf Relief: Leaf pick-up and composting continues this month, with staff collecting litter-free leaves for composting and mulching back into our garden beds. This reduces waste sent to landfills and provides gardens with a boost of organic matter fertilization.
– Lawn Love (Reminder): As a reminder, limited lawn closures this fall include North End Avenue, Rector Park East, Rockefeller Park South, and Teardrop Park’s small lawn. Read the full community notice here.
– Winter Hours (Reminder): Hours of operation have shifted for the winter season. Public restrooms in Teardrop Park will now close at 6:30PM, and the Irish Hunger Memorial will close by 6:45PM daily.
– Volunteer with the Best: BPCA’s Horticulture team is looking for volunteers who would like to join us in completing gardening tasks like weeding, watering, and deadheading of plants. Please reach out to info@bpca.ny.gov for a volunteer application and more info.
Sustainability at BPCA – In October we composted 7,865 lbs. of food waste and 109 lbs. of dog waste from the community. Please remember to use our green compost bins to discard your food waste. And if you’re walking along the South Esplanade or in one of our dog runs, help BPCA reach zero waste by composting your dog waste.
– Our community compost drop-offs, located at 75 Battery Place, Gateway Plaza, 200 Rector, the lower level of River Terrace and Chambers Street, and the Esplanade by North Cove Marina are open 24/7 for drop-off of scraps for our compost program.
– Our Path To Zero! As a decades-long leader in sustainability, BPCA is striving to divert 90% of what is sent to landfill! To continue helping toward our Zero Waste goal, we ask that you rethink what you throw away in the parks, and please recycle or compost items.
Actions that make a difference in BPC’s parks:
– Use refillable coffee cups and water bottles – Place compostable items in green bins – Place dog waste (without baggies) in designated bins – Minimize waste such as plastic snack bags – Minimize plastic utensils – Only take what you need when eating out, such as ketchup and other condiment packets and napkins
