2024 has been an extraordinary year of growth at New City Parks. Thank you! 

It is hard to believe that we are approaching the first anniversary of NCP’s establishment as an independent nonprofit. And behind the scenes of our small but mighty park creation model, we have been growing and solidifying. 

Because of you -- our community partners, mayors, city administrations, agencies, and funders -- we are not just creating parks; we are transforming city neighborhoods, rebuilding social fabrics, and improving health outcomes. Because of you, kids are climbing on monkey bars, families are picnicking, pickup basketball games are starting, sports leagues are forming, and somewhere someone is turning a cartwheel in the grass where once there was none. 

Our partners make it possible for NCP to work in more places to build more parks where they are most needed. So, this newsletter takes a moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made in 2024 before highlighting some of our most recent news.  

But first, thank you for all the ways you have partnered with and supported NCP this year.  

NCP Staff Says Thank You!

Wishing you a happy holiday and a healthy and happy start to the New Year, 

-Rose 

This spring, NCP secured a $4.9 million federal grant from the National Park Service to complete the final piece of the funding puzzle for Westside Park in Paterson, NJ, and celebrated the groundbreaking of Barbour Park, along with Paterson community members and Mayor Sayegh. 

The summer park season kicked off in June with the re-opening of Pulaski Pool House after being shuttered for years. The pool and pool house were so popular that the City of Poughkeepsie had to institute two sessions a day to meet demand. Throughout the summer, six community organizations hosted community events in our recently completed parks in Poughkeepsie, NY; bringing basketball, art, environmental education, chess, and joy to these spaces and attracting over 850 participants. We also launched our Community Ambassadors program in Poughkeepsie this summer, providing welcoming presences in our parks there. 

September kicked off with the ribbon cutting at Barbour Park; a triumph for the city and the community. Members of NCP’s staff, board, and advisory council visited Paterson, to see the newly opened park and visit our other two sites in the city.  

All year long we’ve been digging in hard on our next batch of parks, learning about the wants and needs of future park users in our two new cities Mount Vernon and Peekskill, NY.  

With seven parks set to break ground next year across Buffalo, Paterson, and Jersey City and seven more in various stages of development next year promises to be even more exciting than this one!  

In a recent op-ed for the Times Union, Executive Director Rose Harvey explains the importance of the EXPLORE Act to ensure that everyone has access to safe, vibrant green spaces. The Act, currently in front of the Senate, will allow Indigenous tribes, economically disadvantaged municipalities and smaller communities to more easily access vital parks funding.  

“Together, we can create a future where equitable access to outdoor spaces is the norm, not the exception” -Rose Harvey 

NCP Executive Director Rose Harvey plays basketball with community members at Pershing Avenue Park in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Proposed schematic design for Westside Park in Paterson, NJ. Courtesy of NV5.

Earlier this month, the Paterson City Council awarded a construction contract to Flanagan’s Contracting Group to begin the comprehensive renovation of 26.6-acre Westside Park. This is the latest triumphant step towards seeing this flagship park built and reopened to provide recreation, respite, and joy to almost 200,000 nearby residents.  

NCP began work with the City of Paterson and local partners on Westside four years ago, starting with extensive community engagement. Working closely with the New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC), NCP’s design and engineering team at NV5 created a park design to translate community visions into buildable – and fundable -- plans. NCP helped the city raise $14 million in public funding for the construction. 

“Seeing the community’s vision finally to come to fruition is what it is all about,” said New City Parks executive director Rose Harvey. “We are proud and excited by the momentum that has built to bring the complete renovation of Westside Park to this point, and incredibly grateful to all donors whose support has made getting to a construction contract possible.”