Westside Park groundbreaking ceremony. From left to right: Deputy Mayor Elsa Mantilla, Bob Guarasci (CEO NJCDC), Eddie Gonzalez (Director of Community Outreach, NJCDC), Hector Nieves (BOE Commissioner), Mayor Andre Sayegh, City Council President Alex Mendez, Rose Harvey (Executive Director, NCP), Dr. Rev. John Algera, River of God Paddling 

Animal tracks and boot prints, snowballs, and bird songs – despite cold temperatures and snow blanketing the ground, there are many signs that our parks are anything but quiet in these early months of the year.  

As New City Parks begins our second year as a fully independent nonprofit, we aren’t hibernating either! These winter months are, in fact, a critical time for the intensive planning, design, financing, and community coordination work it takes to ensure that our park improvements get to those who need them as quickly as possible. As you will read below, the fruits of this labor can be seen in new grants secured and long-planned parks getting underway. 

All of us at NCP are unwavering in our commitment to ensure that everyone has access to green space in their neighborhood. We cannot thank you enough for your continued support and cheerleading of our work. We can’t wait to keep you updated on all that we achieve together this year!  

Representatives from the City of Paterson, NJCDC, and New City Parks gather at the groundbreaking ceremony for Westside Park in Paterson, NJ.

Last week, Mayor Sayegh, City Council President Mendez, New City Parks, NJCDC, community leaders, and residents gathered in Paterson, NJ to celebrate the groundbreaking of Westside Park’s revitalization project.  

The historic 27-acre park (NCP’s largest project to date) will undergo an ambitious renovation aimed at enhancing recreational facilities, improving accessibility, and creating a vibrant community gathering space. Some of the highlights of the project include a cricket pitch, boat launch, and new river walk, in addition to 265 new trees.  

“This is a game-changer for Paterson,” said Mayor Andre Sayegh. “Westside Park has been a staple of our community for generations, and this investment will transform it into a premier destination for sports, recreation, and community gatherings."

Mayor Andre Sayegh speaks at groundbreaking ceremony. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Lara-Collado/NJCDC.

Rose Harvey speaks at groundbreaking ceremony. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Lara-Collado/NJCDC.

NCP Executive Director Rose Harvey said, “This is an exciting and transformative moment. We’re revitalizing a 100-year-old park – an effort years in the making. Thanks to the mayor, his team, Public Works, NJCDC, and countless others, this project is becoming a reality. With $8 million in matching grants and invaluable community input, we’ve turned a vision into action. This is a true collaboration between the city, NJCDC, engineers, funders, and residents who will help shape its future. A dream come true.” 

To learn more about the ceremony and renovations,

To see the park design and background of this project – or any of our current projects,

Left: site visit to Depew Park in Peekskill, NY. Right: Community meeting for 4th Street Park in Mount Vernon, NY.

At the end of 2024, two NCP projects took a great leap forward with $1.35M in new NYS grants! Projects in Peekskill and Mount Vernon, NY, each received critical funding through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative and the Environmental Protection Fund Grant Program for Parks, Heritage and Preservation. These grants bring us closer to completing the capital funding puzzle to transform these parks and bring joy to their communities.  

Planned renovations of 176 acre Depew Park in Peekskill include upgraded recreational facilities and improved connections to the adjacent Blue Mountain Reservation. In Mount Vernon, the rejuvenation of the storied 4th Street Park includes restoration of its famous basketball courts in addition to new gardens and areas for games and picnics.  

The NCP team is grateful to Mayor McKenzie and Mayor Paterson-Howard and their teams for their partnership and dedication to creating vibrant green spaces in their cities, and to Governor Hochul, NYS Office of Parks Commissioner Simon, and the Mid-Hudson REDC for this grant opportunity.