Land Protected for Staten Island Park (NYC)

Staten Island, NY, 3/15/05: The nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the City of New York announced today the permanent protection of a privately owned property in the Great Kills neighborhood of Staten Island. The private land located on Wiman Avenue and Tennyson Drive is being added to parkland already owned by the city’s Department of Parks & Recreation. This open space will be managed as part of Crescent Beach Park and open to the public for recreational purposes such as hiking and wildlife observation.

“This property was privately owned and could possibly have been developed, which would have severely impacted Crescent Beach Park,” said Clark Wallace, project manager for the Trust for Public Land. “The Trust for Public Land is pleased to have worked with the Port Authority and the city to protect this land for public use and enjoyment.”

The property is made up of approximately 1/4-acre of upland woods along Wiman Avenue in Great Kills. It will become part of the 20-acre Crescent Beach Park. A large portion of the park being mapped is already city-owned. This mapping is important because it will create a continuous waterfront park between Wiman and Hales avenues on the south shore of Staten Island.

This is the second property protected through the partnership of the TPL, the Port Authority, and the city. Last year, the trio acquired a marina along the north shore waterfront in West Brighton for a new waterfront park.

Port Authority Executive Director Kenneth J. Ringler Jr. said, “The acquisition and preservation of key tracts of land continues to demonstrate Governor Pataki’s and the Port Authority’s commitment to the environment and to Staten Island. This acquisition, along with last year’s purchase of the 9.7-acre Blissenbach Marina on Staten Island’s north shore, will help enhance the quality of life for all of those who live and work in the borough. We will continue to identify opportunities in New York and New Jersey that will allow for preservation of critical habitats and waterfront areas for public use.”

Funds for the $285,000 purchase were provided by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

“The Trust for Public Land and the Port Authority continue to serve as great partners in the creation of public, green spaces,” said Adrian Benepe, commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. “We are grateful for their continued assistance as we work to open up the south shore of Staten Island for the people of New York.”

The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and natural areas, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since 1972, TPL has helped protect more than 1.9 million acres of land in 46 states. Since 1978, TPL has helped create, expand, protect, and steward more than 250 parks, gardens, and natural areas in New York City. This work represents an investment of more than $200 million in land purchases and in the design, construction, and stewardship of these important community resources.