What once was one of the world’s most nauseating places is set to become a rare natural haven in New York City.
Over 20 years after being shut down, the Fresh Kills landfill and its enormous hills of waste — which once made Staten Island famous for owning the largest landfill on Earth, “The Dump,” — have now found a new use. Sunday afternoon saw the official opening of Freshkills Park’s first section, the 21-acre North Park, which includes a 20-foot bird tower, a wetland observation platform, and other attractions.
The new area of the park provides access to the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge, spectacular vistas of the surrounding hills and streams, and chances for birding. According to experts, North Park might be a unique place to view the Big Apple’s unusual fauna and natural surroundings, including the osprey, a raptor that has thrived at Freshkills.
A public parking lot, a bird watching tower, a number of foot and bicycle pathways, a composting bathroom that doesn’t use water, an observation deck, and a public parking lot are all included in the project. Additionally, the location has a bike repair facility, bike racks, and picnic spots – as well as a route that leads directly to Schmul Park.
When I came into office, I promised Staten Island it would no longer be the forgotten borough. I keep my promises.
The first section of Freshkills Park is open to the public. And the borough of parks is about to get even greener.
Read more: https://t.co/XXtaPEUaCL pic.twitter.com/X1Sgxr8Dx5
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) October 15, 2023
Mayor Eric Adams, Commissioner of Parks & Recreation Sue Donoghue, Freshkills Park Administrator and President of the Freshkills Park Alliance Mark Murphy, as well as Staten Island elected officials, residents, and visitors, cut a ribbon at the park’s opening.
“At one time this became the largest landfill on the globe, filled with New Yorkers’ household garbage and people became complacent and stated that there was nothing we can do – it was ugly, it was unsanitary, there was a terrible smell coming from here. It was undeserving of class people in the city”, Adams said. “And now again, thanks to the efforts of many who became before us who fought hard…This area has become a new green space that is home for local plants and animals and gives the residents of Staten Island a place to be outdoors, exercise, and breathe fresh air”.
Following a lengthy construction pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, construction at the site was finally finished in October 2022. Due to its vastness, Freshkills is opening in stages, concentrating on the park’s outermost regions to allow visitors to experience the new places as quickly as possible. However, the majority of the park is still off-limits to the public.
Freshkills Park is planned to go through further stages as it develops over the next years. It will be nearly three times as big as Central Park once the 2,200-acre range is completely accessible to the general public. The city has set a completion date for the park of 2036.
