153-556: The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation , also called the Parks Department or NYC Parks , is the department of the government of New York City responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's residents and visitors. NYC Parks maintains more than 1,700 public spaces, including parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities, across
306-510: A metamorphic rock that is very hard to weather . The Tibbetts Brook valley is set in Inwood marble , which weathers more easily. The east side of the park near Indian Field contains Yonkers granite, an igneous rock that mixed with Fordham gneiss as a hot magma before later cooling. Van Cortlandt Park contains the Bronx's largest freshwater lake , the eponymous Van Cortlandt Lake. The lake
459-504: A nursery needed to be built to transport the plants during the garden's reconstruction. The rustic wooden bridges were to be replaced with stone bridges, while the wooden stairs were to be superseded by stone stairs. Not only did many plants die during the process, but the actual rebuilding was delayed until 1911. Two years later, the Parks Commissioner for the Bronx refused to allocate reconstruction funds because, he stated,
612-617: A $ 21 million settlement to avoid going to trial. The department maintains an enforcement division, called the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP), responsible for maintaining safety and security within the parks system. Parks Enforcement Patrol officers are employed as nyc special patrolmen and have very limited peace officer status under NYS Penal Law, they are empowered through this status to make arrests and issue summons for park related offenses at new york city parks only. PEP officers patrol land, waterways and buildings under
765-626: A 1910s excavation for a sewer pipe, stones were unearthed that were suspected to be from the old van der Donck estate. During World War I , the Parade Ground was used to train soldiers. Eight tennis courts opened in 1914 with admission being $ 1 per person, and owing to the Van Cortlandt Golf Course's immense popularity, the Mosholu Links also opened that year. By 1917, the Parade Ground contained 10 out of
918-642: A Request for Bids (RFB) or Request for Proposals (RFP). Yorkville Sports Association (YSA) for three years operated the New City Parks Softball Concession that contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the City's General Fund. Approximately 500 concessions currently operate in parks throughout the five boroughs, and they generally fall into two categories: food service and recreation. The food service concessions range from pushcarts selling hot dogs to restaurants such as Tavern on
1071-399: A boat. To thwart robbers, besieged golfers quit playing in traditional foursomes and instead ventured forth in football-team-sized units. Some players added an extra club—a night stick—or tucked tear gas spray into their golf bags." Years later, one writer recalled that dozens of the course's trees died, and "flagsticks were reduced to broken bamboo poles stuck into the ground." Weeds overgrew
1224-762: A citizen and cannot make arrests. For this reason a typical patrol will include a PEP Officer and an Auxiliary Officer. By combining the two, the manpower of the Parks Enforcement Patrol is significantly increased at no cost to the city. Should the team come upon a situation requiring enforcement, the PEP Officer can deal with it while the Auxiliary Officer covers the Officer's back and radios the situation to Parks Central and if needed will ask for additional help. " Urban Park Rangers and Associate Urban Park Rangers (Sergeants) are represented by DC37 Local 983 ,
1377-561: A civil service employees union. The union is currently headed by President Joseph Puleo. The PEP also have a security trained service that provide participants with experience needed for future employment in the private sector. The Urban Park Rangers was founded as a pilot program in 1979 by then Parks Commissioner Gordon J. Davis, with the support and encouragement of Mayor Ed Koch . The program provides many free programs year-round, such as nature walks and activities. They also operate programs such as The Natural Classroom for class trips and
1530-446: A comprehensive statement of the expense and capital budget priorities and needs, evaluate the progress of capital developments and the quality and quantity of services provided by agencies, and otherwise consider the needs of the borough. Each of the fifty-nine community districts has a community board composed of up to 50 volunteer members appointed by the local borough president , half from nominations by Council members representing
1683-523: A four-year term, whose duty it is to prosecute all crimes and offenses cognizable by the courts of the county. There is also a sixth DA, the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Narcotics , who is unelected, but appointed by the five elected DAs. The Brooklyn Public Library and Queens Public Library are public library systems within their respective boroughs. The New York Public Library
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#17327662898621836-470: A maximum of 950–1150 registered voters). The law also allows the election of assembly district leaders. The political parties' county executive committees typically select candidates for local offices, to be ratified by the full county committees. Many small parties do not have county committees and designate candidates at the state level. The political parties' judicial nominating conventions select candidate New York Supreme Court justices. Candidates for
1989-472: A mayor who has become unable to serve. There are also numerous commissions, boards, tribunals and offices that are independent of the mayor's office. Legislative power in the City of New York is vested in the New York City Council . The New York State Constitution empowers local governments to adopt local laws in addition to ordinances, resolutions, rules and regulations. The Council
2142-556: A need for a larger water supply. Major David Bates Douglass was appointed to perform engineering studies on the future Old Croton Aqueduct in March 1833. Douglass made estimates for the new aqueduct in 1833–1834 and John Martineau performed a separate study in 1834. Both found the proposed route, which ran through the present-day park, to be okay. Thus, in 1837, construction started on the Aqueduct, which ran 41 miles (66 km) from
2295-581: A paramilitary model, There are seven titles (referred to as ranks) in the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Parks Enforcement Patrol: New York City park enforcement officers are special patrolmen in connection with special duties of employment. They have very limited Peace Officers authority pursuant to New York State Criminal Procedure Law § 2.10(27) as listed in Chapter 13 subsection (C): Special Patrolmen. Begun in 1996
2448-613: A park patrol force in hopes of having a full-time force established, Commissioner Hennessy created volunteer park inspectors (later called "Auxiliary Park Inspectors") to patrol the Bronx parks during the day. According to his "1919 annual report of the Department of Parks", the first park inspector he appointed was Inspector William Blackie. Inspector Blackie was injured on Columbus Day 1919 while attempting to arrest two men poaching song birds in Van Cortlandt Park . Despite
2601-478: A sawmill, creating a mill pond at the site where the lake is. Later, he also added a gristmill. The sawmill was relocated around 1823 and stayed in operation until 1889. The gristmill was destroyed by lightning in 1901. By the time the park was created, Van Cortlandt Lake needed to be cleaned, as cesspools in Yonkers had leaked sewage into Tibbetts Brook, which fed into the lake. A 1903 annual report from
2754-423: A series of culverts before draining into the south edge of the lake at approximately West 242nd Street. There are efforts to daylight this south end into the former New York and Putnam Railroad right-of-way that runs through the park as part of the park's faster plan. There is no surviving documentation for the creation of Van Cortlandt Lake. In 1699, Jacobus Van Cortlandt dammed Tibbetts Brook to power
2907-549: A sprawling lawn dubbed the "Parade Ground," while the Van Cortlandt House was converted into a public museum. The construction of the Parade Ground required demolition of a few old buildings and cornfields. The Parade Ground was immediately used by the National Guard for brigade practice, replacing the parade ground of Prospect Park . The ground received unspecified "improvements" in 1893–1894. With
3060-415: A study to determine the specific elements of the park that needed restoration. Highway structures were also reconfigured to clean runoff from these structures. An excavation in the 1990s yielded over 2,500 artifacts. A set of tennis courts were proposed within the park east of the Van Cortlandt House in the 1990s; despite concerns from preservationists, though the courts were approved. The city built
3213-793: A useful life of more than five years and cost at least $ 35,000. Its regulations are compiled in Title 56 of the New York City Rules . The original Parks Commission was formed in 1856 and was responsible only for Central Park . In 1870 the Tweed Charter gave it jurisdiction for all the parks in Manhattan. In addition, each borough had its independent Park Commission. The history of the Park Enforcement Patrol Officers can be traced back to 1919, when
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#17327662898623366-418: Is 4 to 8 feet (1.2 to 2.4 m) deep at various times of year, and has an area of 18 acres (7.3 ha). The lake is used for recreational fishing, as it includes species such as largemouth bass , black crappie , brown bullhead , bluegill , pumpkinseed , golden shiner , common carp , white sucker , and yellow perch . It is fed by Tibbetts Brook , a stream originating in Yonkers, which runs through
3519-523: Is Susan Donoghue, who was appointed on February 4, 2022. The current chair of the New York City Council Committee on Parks & Recreation is Shekar Krishnan . The department is allocated an expense budget and a capital budget. The expense budget covers the total expenses incurred by the agency, including salaries. The capital budget is dedicated solely for new construction projects, as well as major repairs in parks that have
3672-414: Is a unicameral body consisting of 51 Council members, whose districts are defined by geographic population boundaries that each contain approximately 157,000 people. Council members are elected every four years, except that after every census held in years divisible by twenty, districts are redrawn, requiring two consecutive two-year terms, the second of which is held in the redrawn districts. The Speaker of
3825-1176: Is a 1,146-acre (464 ha) park located in the borough of the Bronx in New York City . Owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation , it is managed with assistance from the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance. The park, the city's third-largest, was named for the Van Cortlandt family , which was prominent in the area during the Dutch and English colonial periods. Van Cortlandt Park's sports facilities include golf courses and several miles of paths for running, as well as facilities for baseball , basketball , cricket , cross-country running , football , horseback riding , lacrosse , rugby , soccer , softball , swimming , tennis and track and field . The park also contains five major hiking trails and other walking trails. Its natural features include Tibbetts Brook; Van Cortlandt Lake ,
3978-415: Is a private, non-governmental library serving the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, that receives government funding. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) provides public housing for low- and moderate-income residents. NYC Health + Hospitals (New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, or HHC) operates public hospitals and clinics. The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)
4131-486: Is ever present. It can never be checked until the Parks Department has a force of keepers with police authority" and he recommended that the "Park protectors should be under control of Park Commissioners absolutely". In 1920, legislature was passed for the creation of a force of park keepers for NYC parks but the city refused to approve it and authorize funding. In an effort to show the mayor the effectiveness of
4284-638: Is known as the Peach War . This forced the settlers, including van der Donck's widow, to flee to Manhattan. Following the takeover of the New Netherland colony by the British in 1664, the claim to the estate was awarded to Hugh O'Neale, the new husband of van der Donck's widow. Because the O'Neales lived far away from the land, the claim was awarded to O'Neale's brother-in-law and van der Donck's widow's brother, Elias Doughty, who proceeded to sell off
4437-564: Is responsible for the administration of city government. The New York City Council is a unicameral body consisting of 51 members, each elected from a geographic district , normally for four-year terms. Primary elections for local offices use ranked choice voting , while general elections use plurality voting . All elected officials are subject to a two consecutive-term limit . The court system consists of two citywide courts and three statewide courts. New York City's government employs approximately 330,000 people, more than any other city in
4590-548: Is superior to the older forms of municipal legislation such as ordinances, resolutions, rules and regulations. The codified local laws of New York City are contained in the New York City Administrative Code . The Council has several committees with oversight of various functions of the city government. Each council member sits on at least three standing, select or subcommittees. The standing committees meet at least once per month. The Speaker of
4743-418: Is the chief executive officer of the city and a magistrate , appoints and removes all unelected officers and exercises all the powers vested in the city except otherwise provided by law, and is responsible for the effectiveness and integrity of city government operations. The mayor is directly elected by popular vote for a four-year term. The mayor is also responsible for creating the city's budget through
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation - Misplaced Pages Continue
4896-779: Is the city's economic development corporation . The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) manages the New York City Subway and MTA Regional Bus Operations through its arm the New York City Transit Authority . Despite this name, the NYCTA, like the rest of the MTA, was created by the New York State Legislature as a public-benefit corporation , which the legislature and governor of New York control. The MTA also operates
5049-560: Is the third-largest park in New York City, behind the Staten Island Greenbelt (1,778 acres (720 ha)) and Pelham Bay Park (2,772 acres (1,122 ha)). It has numerous attractions and features that are both recreational and educational. The different parts of Van Cortlandt Park have a varied geology. The Northwest Woods and Old Croton Aqueduct Trailway have a steep terrain dotted with Fordham gneiss ,
5202-539: The American Revolution . "1625", the date at the bottom, was chosen to emphasize the city's Dutch roots but has been characterized as "arbitrary" and "simply wrong" by notable city historians (New Amsterdam was actually settled in 1624). The flag of New York City was adopted in 1915. Its blue, white, and orange bands represent the colors of the Dutch flag that flew over the city, then New Amsterdam, between
5355-474: The Bronx , is budgeted at $ 3.25 million and includes tree houses for children, bike racks, a sprinkler system for summer recreation, and a mini-state. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreations maintains facilities and provides services through a network of public service workers, volunteers, and partnerships with private organizations. The momentum for private partnerships increased dramatically during
5508-533: The Bronx River Parkway , and Pelham Parkway between Jerome Avenue and Pelham Bay Park. By the 1960s, large portions of the park, such as Tibbetts Brook, were being polluted by human activity; in addition, the brook now flowed into the Broadway sewer at the south end of Van Cortlandt Lake. Pollution from upstream and the highways, and spillover of chemicals used in the golf course, killed fish in
5661-545: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ; according to the complaint, the NYC Parks' senior managers sought out and promoted whites to management positions without announcing job openings for those positions or conducting any formal interview processes. The complaint also said that since at least 1995, minorities have been significantly under-represented in NYC Parks' managerial ranks. In 2008, the City of New York agreed to pay
5814-546: The Croton Water Filtration Plant , a drinking water treatment facility, under the park's Mosholu Golf Course. Plant operations began in 2015. The plant was needed in order to filter contaminants from urban runoff pollution in the Croton River watershed and protect the public from Giardia and Cryptosporidium , microorganisms which can cause serious health problems. The Croton plant
5967-526: The London plane and a maple leaf. It is prominently featured on signs and buildings in public parks across the city. The London plane tree is on NYC Parks' list of restricted use species for street tree planting because it constitutes more than 10% of all street trees. The department is a mayoral agency, headed by a commissioner who reports to the Deputy Mayor of Operations. The current Parks Commissioner
6120-724: The New York City Mayor's Office of Management and Budget , submitted for approval, not drafting, to the Council. Along with the mayor, the Public Advocate and the Comptroller are the only three directly elected citywide officials in New York City. The Public Advocate is an elected official with responsibility to ease public relations with the government, investigate complaints regarding city agencies, mediate disputes between city agencies and citizens, serve as
6273-716: The New York City Police Department , and Parks Enforcement Patrol officers. The Community Parks Initiative was launched in 2014 and is providing $ 318 million of capital funding to improve more than 60 parks mainly located in densely populated neighborhoods where there are significant rates of poverty. The park improvements, such as Ranaqua Park in the South Bronx , consist of playground equipment, lighting, seating areas, water fountains, synthetic turn fields, trees and greenery, and rain gardens to collect storm water. The Longfellow Park renovation, also in
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation - Misplaced Pages Continue
6426-622: The New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera performed in the field during the summer. However, it too had deteriorated because of intensive use: the grounds' topsoil had eroded away and the sidewalks started to buckle. In 1978, the Perrier Company donated a fitness trail consisting of 12 exercise machines to the park; there were originally supposed to be 18 machines, but the extra six machines were deemed unnecessary. Two shuffleboard courts were also installed in
6579-408: The Staten Island Greenbelt . NYC Parks produces many special events, including concerts and movie premieres. In the summer, the busiest season, the agency organizes free carnivals and concerts, and sends mobile recreation vans to travel throughout the five boroughs providing free rental equipment for skating, baseball, and miniature golf . The symbol of the department is a cross between the leaf of
6732-729: The Staten Island Railway within Staten Island, as well as the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad , both of which are commuter lines that have termini in the city but run largely in the suburban counties of New York State and Connecticut. Other regional transportation is managed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey , including the bridges and tunnels between New York City and New Jersey, and all airports and seaports within
6885-658: The Unami language . The strip of land on the Hudson River's east bank, between the current-day Spuyten Duyvil Creek and Yonkers , was sold to the Dutch West India Company in the early 17th century. Adriaen van der Donck , a Dutch settler, bought the land from the company in 1646. Van der Donck also paid the Indian chief Tacharew, whose tribe used to live on the land, as a friendly gesture. He named
7038-501: The 1620s and 1660s. Located in the center is a blue print of the official Seal of New York City minus its Latin motto. There are two official variants of the New York City flag. The Mayor's Office version adds an arc of five five-pointed stars (representing each of the five boroughs) in blue above the seal, and the Councilmanic version adds the word "COUNCIL" in blue below the seal. Van Cortlandt Park Van Cortlandt Park
7191-432: The Bronx is Bronx County, Manhattan is New York County, Queens is Queens County, and Staten Island is Richmond County. When New York City was consolidated into its present form in 1898, all previous town and county governments within it were abolished in favor of the present five boroughs and a unified, centralized city government. However, each county retains its own district attorney to prosecute crimes, and most of
7344-538: The City of New York". Eboracum was the Roman name for York, the titular seat of James II as Duke of York . The two supporters represent the unity between Native Americans and colonists, the four windmill sails recall the city's Dutch history as New Amsterdam , and the beavers and flour barrels the city's earliest trade goods (see History of New York City ). The crest over the seal is the American eagle , added after
7497-534: The Council, selected by the 51 Council members, is often considered the second most powerful post in New York City's government after the Mayor. Bills passed by a simple majority are sent to the mayor, who may sign them into law. If the mayor vetoes a bill, the Council has 30 days to override the veto by a two-thirds majority vote. A local law has a status equivalent with a law enacted by the New York State Legislature (subject to certain exceptions and restrictions ), and
7650-573: The Council, the Majority Leader, and the Minority Leader are all ex officio members of every committee. Prior to 1990, the city also had a powerful Board of Estimate , a unique legislative-executive hybrid. Although it could not pass laws, it shared authority for the city budget with the council and controlled functions such as land use, municipal contracts, franchises, and water and sewer rates. The Board's membership consisted of
7803-531: The Criminal Court and Civil Court, respectively.) The Family Court of the State of New York is a family court that hears cases involving children and families. The Surrogate's Court of the State of New York is the probate court which oversees the probate of wills and administers estates. New York City is composed of five boroughs or counties, collectively comprising 59 community districts. Each of
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#17327662898627956-544: The Criminal Court and the Civil Court, and several statewide courts, the Supreme Court, Surrogate's Court, and Family Court. Unlike the rest of New York, New York City counties do not have a typical County Court. Each statewide court is located in each of New York City's five counties (boroughs). There are also numerous extrajudicial administrative courts such as OATH , which are executive agencies and not part of
8109-650: The Croton River upstate to the New York Public Library Main Branch and Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan . The project was built by 3,000–4,000 laborers who completed the entire aqueduct in five years. The aqueduct's builders constructed a gatehouse within the present-day park to provide access to the aqueduct's interior. The old aqueduct was supplemented by the New Croton Aqueduct in 1890, which also ran through
8262-589: The Croton Water Filtration Plant project, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection was given $ 200 million to mitigate the effects of constructing the plant. A feasibility study in 2009 found that a bridge near the location of 233rd Street was the most feasible, and would connect the two sections of the trail. This bridge was deferred over lack of funding in 2014 before planning resumed in 2015. The John Kieran Nature Trail (1.25 miles (2.01 km), easy), which connects to
8415-515: The Green and Terrace on the Park . Recreational concessions include facilities such as ice rinks, stables, marinas, and golf courses. In fiscal year 2009, NYC Parks' Revenue Division helped collect over $ 110 million in revenue from various sources including concessions, lease agreements, like those for Citi Field and Yankee Stadium , special events, and dockage. At the turn of the 20th century most of
8568-462: The Mayor, and numerous departments, boards and commissions. The Mayor also appoints several deputy mayors to head major offices within the executive branch of the city government. The City Record is the official journal published each weekday (except legal holidays) containing legal notices produced by city agencies, and regulations are compiled in the Rules of the City of New York . The Mayor
8721-539: The Mosholu Golf Course, was also built using Croton mitigation funds. As part of the "Van Cortlandt Park Master Plan 2034", critical ecological elements of the park, such as the forest, the rural landscape, and Tibbetts Brook, would be restored, and the brook would be diverted. As of March 2014 when the report was written, the lack of natural drainage points within Van Cortlandt Park led to
8874-540: The NYC Parks Enforcement Patrol Mounted Auxiliary Unit is a volunteer unit within the department. This unit is made up of private citizens who volunteer their time by working with officers of the Parks Enforcement Patrol. Auxiliary officers patrol in uniform and on horseback in various NYC parks, and "ensure the preservation of the natural and living resources in the city's parks, as well as the safety of those utilizing
9027-463: The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation mentioned that the lake had probably not been cleaned since the mid-18th century, and now contained a layer of "refuse and vegetation on top, and an ooze two to three feet deep on the bottom," with qualities more like a "semi-bog." Cleaning of the lake started in 1903. The lake's original earthen dam was removed, the lake was emptied, and 30,000 cubic yards (23,000 m ) of deposits were dredged from
9180-587: The New York state and local courts' total filings. There are also several extrajudicial administrative courts, e.g. the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) adjudicates matters for city agencies unless otherwise provided for by law, and the city Parking Violations Bureau adjudicates parking violations. The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial court of general jurisdiction , which in New York City hears felony cases and major civil cases. (Lesser criminal and civil cases are heard in
9333-579: The Parade Grounds the same year, but went unused because of a lack of playing equipment. In response to studies and accounts that showed the bad condition of the lake, the state restored the fish population of the lake in 1978. In 1977, the Bronx Borough Board created a special committee to oversee and develop plans for improving Van Cortlandt Park. The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park soon came up with its own suggestions to improve
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#17327662898629486-514: The Parks Department proposed to dredge the swamp and create a lake in its stead, but despite this plan receiving $ 70,000 in funding in 1906, it was deemed "not feasible" to drain the swamp directly into the Broadway sewer. Another plan to remove the swamps in the park's southwest was approved in 1904. The plan was to build an athletic field in the southwest swamp's place, but all swamp-infill proposals for this sector were rejected in 1917. By 1922, there were 23 acres (9.3 ha) of swampland left in
9639-546: The Putnam Branch tracks, and a fungicide with 8.5% cadmium content that was being sprayed on the golf course. A year later, a private landscaping firm estimated that it would cost $ 4–7 million to restore the Van Cortlandt Lake. By this point, the lake was so dirty that a small boat could not float on it, even though the lake was 15 feet (4.6 m) deep. Catfish were the only fish that could survive in
9792-488: The Putnam Trail, opened in 1987 and is named after local writer and naturalist John Kieran. The path features 13 stone pillars, each made of a different variety of stone, that were tested for the facade of Grand Central Terminal during the terminal's construction . The variety eventually chosen was Indiana limestone because it was cheap. The trail hugs the edge of the Van Cortlandt Lake and Tibbetts Brook marsh. The John Muir Trail (1.5 miles (2.4 km), moderate)
9945-411: The United States and more than any U.S. state but three: California , Texas , and New York . The city government is responsible for public education, correctional institutions, public safety, recreational facilities, sanitation, water supply, and welfare services. New York City consists of five boroughs , each coextensive with one of five counties of New York State : Brooklyn is Kings County,
10098-404: The Van Cortlandt Course during winters. Also in the late 1960s, the city decided to build a series of public pools on the site of the Colonial Garden, consisting of a diving, a swimming, and a wading pool. Construction on the $ 1.5 million pools started in early 1969 and was completed by 1970. Because of the swampy nature of the ground underneath it, the pools soon began to crackle and set. By 1979,
10251-459: The Van Cortlandt Golf Course compounded the lake's dirty condition, and by 1912, the lake and brook contained significant sedimentation. Nearby residents also disliked the wetlands near the lake, as they could be used to breed malaria -borne mosquitoes, and were thus seen as "unsightly and unsanitary." In 1896, they proposed to fill the wetlands in, and the infill proposal was funded by the New York City Board of Estimate in 1899. Subsequently,
10404-451: The Van Cortlandt House on the former Tippett property, but died before its completion. The Van Cortlandts did not primarily live in that house, instead staying in Manhattan most of the time. A family burial ground was created in 1749, later to be known as "Vault Hill." Frederick, who was buried in Vault Hill, had willed the massive home and surrounding lands to his son, James Van Cortlandt (1727–1787). The Van Cortlandt family land
10557-432: The Van Cortlandt House on the property, but died before its completion. Later, the land was used during the Revolutionary War when the Stockbridge militia was destroyed by the Queen's Rangers . In 1888, the family property was sold to the City of New York and made into a public parkland. The Van Cortlandt House, later designated as a historic landmark, was converted into a public museum, and new paths were created across
10710-425: The Volunteers and the Professional Officers. Since inception it has provided several hundred thousand dollars towards the operation of the Mounted Unit, including the Capital Construction of a new barn. Former Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe was quoted as saying "there is some doubt that the Parks Department could afford to run a mounted unit without the Mounted Auxiliary." Auxiliary officers do not have powers beyond
10863-434: The city border. The new course, which started at the original polo fields, did not conflict with either of the golf courses. In 1922, there was a proposal to acquire land for the future Saw Mill River Parkway , which would connect the park to 424 acres (172 ha) of open space in Westchester when completed. Through the 1930s, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation kept adding new recreational facilities in
11016-654: The city purchase the property. Around the same time, New York Herald editor John Mullaly pushed for the creation of parks in New York City, particularly lauding the Van Cortlandt and Pell families' properties in the western and eastern Bronx respectively. He formed the New York Park Association in November 1881. There were objections to the system, which would apparently be too far from Manhattan, in addition to precluding development on
11169-493: The city to propose alternate sites for the plant. The plant was built 160 feet (49 m) below the Mosholu Golf Course, at a cost of $ 3.2 billion. To lessen the disruption caused by the plant's construction, in 2010 the city used mitigation funds from the construction budget to restore the Van Cortlandt Park Parade Ground. The Sachkerah Woods Playground, located at the park's southeast corner near
11322-493: The city's five boroughs . It is responsible for over 1,000 playgrounds , 800 playing fields, 550 tennis courts , 35 major recreation centers, 66 pools, 14 miles (23 km) of beaches, and 13 golf courses , as well as seven nature centers, six ice skating rinks , over 2,000 greenstreets, and four major stadiums . NYC Parks also cares for park flora and fauna, community gardens, 23 historic houses, over 1,200 statues and monuments, and more than 2.5 million trees. The total area of
11475-417: The city's ombudsman and advise the mayor on community relations. The Public Advocate is a member of the Council. The Public Advocate stands first in line of succession to the mayoralty. The Comptroller conducts performance and financial audits of all city agencies, serves as a fiduciary to the city's five public pension funds totaling nearly $ 160 billion in assets, provides comprehensive oversight of
11628-463: The city's approval, particularly overgrown areas of the property were made passable. Wide walking paths were built over original walkways, including the thin paths that led to the Van Cortlandt family cemetery, high on the nearby bluffs. "Certain lands" around the house were then filled in for the purpose of creating a "Colonial Garden," which was proposed in 1897. During excavation of the grounds, Indian artifacts and graves were found, corresponding to
11781-414: The city's budget and fiscal condition, reviews city contracts for integrity, accountability and fiscal compliance, manages the fair, efficient and effective resolution of claims against the city, ensures transparency and accountability in the prevailing wage rate-setting process and enforces prevailing wage and living wage laws. The Comptroller stands second, after the Public Advocate, in the line to succeed
11934-479: The city. The Port Authority is an interstate compact operating agency jointly controlled by the Governor of New Jersey and Governor of New York . State Election Law defines the structure of political parties. It requires each party to have a state committee and allows them to organize county committees. The county committees are composed of at least two members elected from each election district (containing
12087-427: The citywide offices of mayor, comptroller and public advocate are designated jointly by the five county executive committees of each party. In most cases, insurgents who are party members can challenge party-designated candidates by petitioning for a primary election . The seal of New York City , adopted in an earlier form in 1686, bears the legend SIGILLVM CIVITATIS NOVI EBORACI , which means simply "The Seal of
12240-420: The community district ( i.e. , whose council districts cover part of the community district). Community boards advise on land use and zoning, participate in the city budget process, and address service delivery in their district. Community boards act in an advisory capacity, wielding no official authority to make or enforce laws. Each of the five counties of New York City elects a district attorney (DA) for
12393-435: The concept of the Parks Enforcement Patrol was first thought of by Bronx Parks Commissioner Joe Hennessy, who reported in the "1919 Annual Report of the Department of Parks" the "necessity of a proper protective force" to be established. The following year in his 1920 annual report to the mayor, Commissioner Hennessy once again pushed for a full-time park police force. On page 16 of the 1920 annual report, he wrote that "Vandalism
12546-433: The course, and golfers would wear long-sleeved shirts to ward off against the city's insufficient mosquito repellents. Homeless squatters moved into the park, while courses fell into disrepair, replaced by dirt tracks and "huts and forts" built by neighborhood kids. In 1985, the city licensed control of the courses to Los Angeles -based American Golf Corporation for 60 years, leading to their restoration. Other parts of
12699-554: The court system is organized around the counties. New York City is divided between two federal judicial districts. Bronx County and New York County are in the Southern District while Kings County, Queens County, and Richmond County are in the Eastern District , although both districts have concurrent jurisdiction over the waters in their respective districts. The executive branch of New York City consists of
12852-553: The directors have been: 40°46′3.5″N 73°58′16.7″W / 40.767639°N 73.971306°W / 40.767639; -73.971306 Government of New York City The government of New York City , headquartered at New York City Hall in Lower Manhattan , is organized under the New York City Charter and provides for a mayor-council system . The mayor is elected to a four-year term and
13005-501: The fact that Luther R. Marsh, vice president of the New York Park Association, owned land near Van Cortlandt Park in particular. Opponents argued that building a park system would divert funds from more important infrastructure like schools and docks; that everyone in the city, instead of just the property owners near the proposed park, was required to pay taxes to pay for the parks' construction; and that since Marsh
13158-530: The first recorded people to inhabit in the area now referred to as Van Cortlandt Park. They settled in the area around the 14th or 15th centuries. The Lenapes used the geographic features of the area to support their community; for instance, they used the Tibbetts Brook , Spuyten Duyvil Creek , or Hudson River for fishing, and flatland areas for farming. They formed a village named Keskeskick, whose name roughly translates to "sharp grass or sedge marsh" in
13311-422: The five boroughs has an elected borough president . The borough presidents can have legislation introduced in the council, recommend capital projects, hold public hearings on matters of public interest, make recommendations to the mayor and to other city officials, make recommendations on land use and planning, and make recommendations regarding the performance of contracts providing for the delivery of services, in
13464-432: The flooding of recreational areas within the park during heavy rains. The park's paths would also be restored with the addition of three new pedestrian bridges; a playground; four activity centers, of which two would be outdoors and two would be indoors; a skate park; an athletic field; and three basketball courts built within the park. "Comfort stations" and food concessions would also be added. The Van Cortlandt Golf Course
13617-473: The following June. Besides plants, the garden had rustic wooden bridges and wooden stairs and a "handsome fountain and central court." A "Shakespeare Garden" was also opened that year, with a grand stairway leading down to it. The next year, park officials realized that the Colonial Garden's construction was of poor quality and hard to cultivate. The garden had to be raised 3.5 feet (1.1 m), and
13770-525: The forests. The stock of younger, replacement trees in the old-growth forest had relatively little diversity compared to other natural forests. In 1979, New York City Councilwoman June Eisland released a report on Van Cortlandt Park. The report noted that pollutants from the Major Deegan Expressway were entering Van Cortlandt Lake, and that the park ecosystem was also being harmed by inadequate drainage, soil sterilants that were used on
13923-454: The former Van Cortlandt Park station can be seen along the trail. As part of the park's 2034 master plan, NYC Parks undertook a project to pave the entirety of the trail through Van Cortlandt Park as well as a short extension to the south, making it usable for both pedestrians and bicyclists. A construction contract for the paving project was awarded in October 2018 to Grace Industries, and it
14076-449: The garden looked just fine. Under threat of tearing the garden down, the city had to find money to fill and drain the ground. The rebuilding contract was awarded in 1909 and completed by 1911. Various adjustments were made over succeeding years. A network of roads through the park was built soon after, allowing the construction of picnic areas and hiking trails as well as making the forests more accessible to visitors. A stone memorial
14229-419: The general public alike. "Explorer" programs are available for activities such as canoeing in the city's flagship parks in all five boroughs. NYC Urban Park Rangers are easily identified by their uniforms. Although NYC Park Rangers possess peace officer status, their primary mission is environmental education, protection of park resources, and visitor safety. Law enforcement in city parks is the responsibility of
14382-469: The house to deceive the British into thinking that his troops were still on the grounds. Washington used the house one final time in 1783 after the Treaty of Paris . The British had just withdrawn their troops from Manhattan, and Washington and George Clinton were getting ready to enter the island, stopping over at the house before doing so. In the 1830s, officials in a rapidly expanding New York City saw
14535-497: The interests of the people of their borough. Each of the five boroughs has a borough board . They are composed of the borough president , Council members from the borough, and the chairperson of each community board in the borough. The borough boards can hold or conduct public or private hearings, adopt by-laws, prepare comprehensive and special purpose plans and make recommendations for land use and planning, mediate disputes and conflicts among two or more community boards, submit
14688-525: The jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation on foot, bicycle, horseback, boat and marked patrol trucks. PEP officers are also responsible for physical site inspections of NYC park concession facilities to assure the concessionaires compliance with state laws. The New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency whose mission is to provided police patrol service and investigate all crimes that occur within New York City which includes parks areas and facilities. Following
14841-476: The lake and forest, which had been overtaken by invasive species introduced during highway construction. Since then, there have been seven plans for restoring natural elements of the park, as well as three plans for park restoration. Gradual improvements began taking place in the late 1980s, including the addition of new pathways, signage, and security, as well as the restoration of playgrounds and other recreational facilities. In January 1988, NYC Parks conducted
14994-415: The lake bed. A new 2,270-foot (690 m) retaining wall was then erected along the lake's eastern shore, and a new dam was installed to reform the lake and to allow future cleaning of the lake without having to dredge it. After the opening of an overflow drain in 1911–1912, which connected to the sewer under Broadway completed in 1907, Tibbetts Brook was directed into the new sewer, The construction of
15147-753: The lake was used by up to 3,000 skaters on weekdays and 10,000 on weekends. The ice-skating house, shared with the golf course, was added in 1902. By 1935, the lake was used by approximately 20,000 skaters daily. There are several old-growth forests with tree species and genera such as black oak , hickory , beech , cherry birch , sweetgum , red maple , and tuliptree . The forests also contain wild turkeys , red-tailed hawks , great horned owls , bats , Eastern chipmunks , Eastern gray squirrels , groundhogs , gypsy moths , Eastern cottontail rabbits , striped skunks , North American raccoons , Virginia opossums , white-tailed deer and Eastern coyotes . In addition, over 130 species of butterflies can be found in
15300-525: The lake water. The city of Yonkers eventually attributed the cause of the Van Cortlandt Lake's pollution to four storm sewers that were found to be illegally connected to Tibbetts Brook upstream. The utter disrepair in the park prompted some informal rules at the park's golf courses. For instance, the Los Angeles Times noted that "a player was allowed to drop his ball a club length away if it rolled up against an abandoned auto, or, in one case,
15453-432: The lake's surface area was being lost to sedimentation every year. In addition, an algal bloom caused the lake to be in a low-oxygen condition, endangering plants and animals in and around the lake. "Unpleasant odors" in the summer also reduced recreational opportunities on the lake, and these conditions combined made it virtually impossible to come into contact with the lake's water without getting sick. By 1976, there
15606-496: The lake. This problem was first noticed in May 1961 when thousands of dead bass , pickerel , catfish , perch , and carp floated up at the edge of the lake. The mass-death of fish was blamed on siltation, Three years later, fish were still being killed by siltation. City investigators took water samples from the lake and found that they contained large amounts of weeds and sediment . About 22,000 square feet (2,000 m ) of
15759-525: The land " Colen Donck " and built a house upon the land. The house was built between current-day Van Cortlandt Lake and Broadway . It faced south, probably because this was the location of a natural marshland. What is now the parade ground was used by van der Donck for farming. Van der Donck died in 1655. That year the Munsee bands that lived in the lower Hudson River valley briefly occupied New Amsterdam and attacked Pavonia and Staten Island during what
15912-497: The land part of the Philipsburg Manor , which extended from Spuyten Duyvil Creek to the Croton River in modern Westchester County . Philipse's wife died, and he remarried Olof Stevense Van Cortlandt's daughter, herself a widow. Philipse's daughter Eva later married Jacobus Van Cortlandt , who was Mrs. Philipse's brother. The land that Van Cortlandt Park now occupies was acquired by Van Cortlandt from Philipse in
16065-515: The largest freshwater lake in the Bronx; old-growth forests; and outcrops of Fordham gneiss and Inwood marble . Contained within the park is the Van Cortlandt House , the oldest known surviving house in the Bronx, and the Van Cortlandt Golf Course, the oldest public golf course in the country. The land that Van Cortlandt Park now occupies was purchased by Jacobus Van Cortlandt from John Barrett around 1691. His son Frederick built
16218-400: The locker rooms were heavily vandalized and the diving pool had been closed. The city's fiscal crisis in the 1970s caused the rest of the park to fall into disrepair. A dearth of funds exacerbated the pollution of the park. Hands-on education programs at the park were reduced to passive observations of flora and fauna. Elsewhere in the park, excessive foot traffic was eroding the soil in
16371-790: The mayor, comptroller, president of the City Council, and the five borough presidents . The three citywide officials each cast two votes, and the borough presidents one each. In 1989, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the Board of Estimate as violating the principle of "one man, one vote", due to the dramatically unequal numbers of constituents being represented by each borough president. The city subsequently adopted its current arrangement by referendum. The state court system in New York City has two citywide courts,
16524-495: The mayoralty of Michael Bloomberg . Often the initiatives of Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe were controversial. Most businesses that operate or generate revenue on New York City parkland are considered concessions and must obtain a permit or license from the Revenue Division of Parks. Pursuant to the City's Concession Rules, these licenses and permits are generally awarded through a public solicitation process, such as
16677-501: The mid-to-late 1690s. In 1699, Van Cortlandt dammed Tibbetts Brook in order to power a sawmill (and later, a gristmill , ), creating Van Cortlandt Lake as a mill pond in the process. In 1732, Van Cortlandt acquired an additional parcel from the Tippett family. The estate was then passed on to Jacobus's son Frederick Van Cortlandt (1699–1749) and family in 1739; it was once a vast grain plantation. In 1748, Frederick built
16830-649: The new park was being planned, the New York City & Northern Railroad, later the New York and Putnam Railroad , was built through the center of the park. It had two stops in the Bronx: one inside the park, and another to the south at Kingsbridge . South of Kingsbridge, the railroad merged with the present-day Hudson Line of the Metro-North Railroad . The tracks were used for passenger traffic until 1958, and by freight trains until 1981. A shuttle train
16983-548: The objection of the New York City Police Department , Commissioner Hennessy established the first Park Patrol Harbor unit when he obtained two small motor boats from the Navy which he immediately put into service and had park staff patrol the waterways of the Hutchinson River . In 1922, Commissioner Henessy (through his annual report) requested the mayor to establish special magistrates to deal with park related violations
17136-560: The old aqueduct. The trail features vestiges of an old, disused brick tunnel that brought water to Manhattan, as well as a gatehouse for the aqueduct. Within the park, the Old Croton Aqueduct trail borders Mosholu Golf Center and Driving Range, as well as the Allen Shandler Recreation Area. Its southern end is cut off by the Major Deegan Expressway in the southwestern end of the park. As part of
17289-460: The old village of Keskeskick. The nine-hole Van Cortlandt Golf Course opened on July 6, 1895, as the country's first and oldest public golf course. The 2,561-yard (2,342 m) course comprised current holes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 12, 13, and 14. The first eight holes were easier and less than 200 yards (180 m) apart, but the last one had a fairway 700 yards (640 m) in length. The ninth hole, which spanned two stone walls and two small brooks,
17442-504: The park also fell into disrepair, such as Vault Hill, whose headstones and crypts were vandalized in the 1960s. As early as 1962, a New York Times reader wrote of vandalism on Vault Hill. A lack of annual maintenance of the park's jogging tracks and bridle paths had caused them to erode and become overgrown at some places. In 1978–1979, NYC Parks performed a wholesale renovation of the park's eroded and dilapidated bridle paths and jogging tracks. The Parade Ground remained popular, and
17595-405: The park into six pieces and demolished most of the remaining marsh in the park. This construction also induced siltation of the brook, leading to further creation of marshes. Moses also made improvements to the park itself, building new walkways, paving dirt roads, creating playgrounds, and installing lights. Baseball, soccer, and cricket fields were added in 1938. The Van Cortlandt Stadium
17748-460: The park since 1875, when records were first kept. Amphibians present include American bullfrogs , red-backed salamanders , and spring peepers . Also present in and around the park's waterways and wetlands are common snapping turtles and Eastern painted turtles , as well as red-eared sliders that were introduced to the region. There are five major hiking trails in the park. The Putnam Trail (1.5 miles (2.4 km), easy), runs north through
17901-462: The park to fall into disrepair. Gradual improvements began taking place from the late 1980s on including the addition of new pathways, signage, and security. In 2014, the "Van Cortlandt Park Master Plan 2034" was published. The forest in what is now Van Cortlandt Park has been around for 17,000 years, since the end of the Wisconsin glaciation . The Wiechquaskeck , a Wappinger people, were among
18054-507: The park's baseball diamonds. The park's recreational facilities were quite popular, with more than 10,000 people using them on a busy day. However, during and following World War I, the Parade Ground was used for war training. Until 1926, the baseball fields did not contain backstops , and had to be vacated by July 4 of every year, so the National Guard could use the field. The 6.2-mile (10.0 km) cross-country running course
18207-406: The park, and two airplane pilots were fined in 1947 for unauthorized airplane landings. Around 1939, the old aqueduct, which was now a popular hiking trail, started becoming a popular route with cyclists. Soon after, there was a proposal to redevelop the trail as a bike path. This proposal never came to fruition, although in the mid-1970s, the city built a separate bike path along Mosholu Parkway,
18360-486: The park, and the Parks Department hoped to convert parts of it for some athletic purpose, but this required the New York Central Railroad to raise one of its bridges first so the swampland could be accessed. However, there are no records of that bridge being raised or of the swamp being converted. In its early years, the lake was used for boating , canoeing , curling , and ice skating . By 1899,
18513-549: The park, the width of the parkways ' lanes was reduced. Tibbetts Brook was dredged and landscaped in 1938 to accommodate construction. Such construction continued until 1955, during which the Major Deegan Expressway (current Interstate 87 ) was also built, bisecting the Mosholu Parkway. This conflicted with Moses's plans for the park as a "rural oasis", as highway construction ultimately separated
18666-414: The park. In 1937, it was noted that the marshlands had fauna such as red-winged blackbirds , yellowthroats , green bottle flies , beetles , dragonflies , tadpoles , herons , kingfishers , and ospreys . Its flora included cattail , skunk cabbage , and moss . Its avian population during the winters has exceeded that of either Central or Prospect Parks; a total of 301 bird species have been seen in
18819-441: The park. After the parcourse for the parade grounds was approved in 1978, the New York City Department of Parks promised to cooperate on the Van Cortlandt Park improvement plans. The 1979 Eisland plan also detailed suggestions for park improvements. This culminated in the 1980 appointment of a park coordinator who would start devising details of a "master plan" for the park. In 1985, a study recommended ecological restoration of
18972-501: The park. The Colonial and Shakespeare Gardens had a combined 250,000 flowers by 1931, but both were demolished by the end of the decade due to bad drainage. In 1934, Robert Moses became the New York City Parks Commissioner, and during his 16-year tenure as commissioner, altered almost every aspect of the park. His job partially entailed balancing the needs of area residents, whose numbers had grown in
19125-509: The park. The Old Croton Aqueduct was in use until 1955, though the part that ran through the park was closed down in 1897 after the new aqueduct was connected to the Jerome Park Reservoir . In 1876, Frederick Law Olmsted was hired to survey the Bronx and map out streets based on the local geography. Olmsted noted the natural beauty of the Van Cortlandt estate, comparing it to Central Park which he designed, and recommended
19278-428: The parks would appreciate greatly over time; that the commission had only chosen property that could easily be converted into a park; and that Pelham Bay Park would soon be annexed to the city. Ultimately, the parks were established despite the objections of major figures like Mayors William Russell Grace and Abram Hewitt ; Comptroller Edward V. Loew; and Assemblymen Henry Bergh and Theodore Roosevelt. In 1880 while
19431-460: The parks, by maintaining a clearly visible presence. They monitor areas that are not accessible by vehicle; they deter, identify and report illegal or unsafe activities that require Parks Enforcement Patrol or police attention; and they advise the public on park rules and regulations." As an IRS 501C Corporation, the Auxiliary solicits funding to purchase horses, tack and provide training for both
19584-554: The past decade, with transit users who traveled to the park from the north and south. Moses's development plans in the 1930s called for the construction of the Henry Hudson Parkway and Mosholu Parkway to bisect Van Cortlandt Park and meet at a trumpet interchange about half a mile north of the center, merging into the Saw Mill River Parkway. Due to objections over the construction of roads inside
19737-497: The portions of the property. In 1668, a portion of the land was sold to William Betts, an English turner , and his son-in-law George Tippett, whom Tibbetts Brook would later be named for. This property included the modern park parade grounds. Next, Doughty sold a 2,000-acre (810 ha) tract of land, including the current site of the Van Cortlandt House , to Frederick Philipse , Thomas Delavall , and Thomas Lewis. Philipse bought out Delavall's and Lewis's land shares, making
19890-515: The properties maintained by the department is over 30,000 acres (120 km). The largest single component of parkland maintained by the department is the 2,765-acre (1,119 ha) Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. Other large parks administered by NYC Parks include Central Park in Manhattan, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, and
20043-581: The property to make it more passable. In the 1930s, the Robert Moses –directed construction of the Henry Hudson Parkway and Mosholu Parkway fragmented Van Cortlandt Park into its six discontinuous pieces. The last remaining freshwater marsh in New York State , Tibbetts Brook , was dredged and landscaped to accommodate construction, causing large-scale ecological disruption within the park. The 1975 New York City fiscal crisis caused much of
20196-475: The same day the violator was arrested, provide police authority to the parks commissioners (each borough had a commissioner), and provide funding for a park patrol unit because the New York City Police officers "detailed to the Bronx parks in the summer on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are not anxious to serve summonses or enforce the ordinances" A unified citywide New York City Parks Department
20349-622: The site. However, newspapers and prominent lobbyists, who supported such a park system, were able to petition the bill into the New York State Senate , and later, the New York State Assembly (the legislature's lower house ). In June 1884, Governor Grover Cleveland signed the New Parks Act into law, authorizing the creation of the park system. Legal disputes carried on for years, exacerbated by
20502-486: The southwest of the Van Cortlandt Station was converted to a lake. An "outlet sewer" under Broadway was built in 1907. From 1903 to 1911, NYC Parks cleaned the 13-foot-deep (4.0 m) Van Cortlandt Lake, removed the original earthen dam , and emptied the lake in order to dredge the lake bed to a lower depth. A new dam was installed to reform the lake. The former marshland was filled in. During
20655-527: The staffing of New York City parks were patronage jobs. In the 1950s and 1960s, public sector unions organized most park workers which was considered at the time the first major political defeat of Robert Moses . During the city's fiscal crisis in the 1970s, the Department of Parks and Recreation City adapted practices such as using welfare recipients and volunteers to do work previously completed by unionized workers and to forge partnerships with nonprofit organizations and local sports leagues. Yorkville Sports (YSA)
20808-586: The state Unified Court System. The Criminal Court of the City of New York handles summons court appearance tickets, violations, misdemeanors (generally, crimes punishable by fine or imprisonment of up to one year), and conducts arraignments (initial court appearances following arrest) and preliminary hearings in felony cases. The Civil Court of the City of New York includes Housing Court for landlord-tenant matters, Small Claims Court for cases involving amounts up to $ 5000, and generally has jurisdiction for damages up to $ 25,000. It handles about 25% of all
20961-429: The war, however. Later, the grounds were used by Patriot militia leaders Comte de Rochambeau , Marquis de Lafayette , and George Washington . The house itself was Washington's headquarters after his troops were defeated in the 1776 Battle of Long Island . That same year, Augustus Van Cortlandt hid city records under Vault Hill to protect them during the war, turning them over to the new American government after
21114-540: The war. It was in "Indian Field," at the present-day intersection of Van Cortlandt Park East and 233rd Street, that the Stockbridge militia was destroyed by the Queen's Rangers , and 38 Indians from the militia were killed in 1778. In 1781, Washington returned to the house to strategize with Rochambeau while their troops waited outside on what is now the Parade Ground and Vault Hill. He later lit campfires outside
21267-645: The woods to the east of this lawn and west of Van Cortlandt Lake, through the golf course and along Tibbetts Brook and the former New York and Putnam Railroad line into Yonkers, where it connects to Westchester County's paved South County Trailway . Previously unpaved, the Putnam Trail underwent a reconstruction project starting in August 2019 and was reopened in October 2020 as a paved pedestrian and bicycle path. The rails themselves were overrun with weeds, but they were no longer usable by trains. The remains of
21420-401: Was a moratorium on all boating activities on the lake. The Van Cortlandt Golf Course was used as a ski slope during the winters starting in 1961, and up to 3,000 visitors would use the slopes each weekend. By 1964, with the use of artificial snow, it was also possible to ski during warmer days. The seasonal ski slope was closed in the late 1960s when the city decided to allow golfers to use
21573-479: Was added in 1939 on the site of a former swamp, and a pool followed in 1970. Moses also landscaped the areas near the Woodlawn and 242nd Street subway stations to attract park visitors from other neighborhoods. During his tenure as Parks Commissioner, Moses took aggressive approach to preserving the park's quality. For instance, six mothers were issued court summonses in 1942 after letting their children dig in
21726-436: Was among the country's hardest holes. Four years after the course opened, the city hired Tom Bendelow , nicknamed the "Johnny Appleseed of Golf", to expand it to 18 holes. The course added a clubhouse in 1902, which also doubled as an ice-skating house. At first, the park was sparsely used for sports. In 1899, there were 10, 7, and 5 permits issued for lawn tennis, baseball, and football, respectively. The Parade Ground
21879-463: Was built after a lawsuit was filed in 1997 against the city by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice and the State of New York . The city settled the suit and a consent decree was issued with the condition that the city would build the plant by 2006. The project experienced delays and ballooning costs due to objections from the local community, which required
22032-481: Was completed in October 2020. The Old Croton Aqueduct Trailway (1.1 miles (1.8 km), easy/moderate), was created in 1968 when the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation had bought a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) stretch of the Old Croton Aqueduct, for use as a walking trail. It starts in Van Cortlandt Park as a grass-and-dirt trail and runs north along the route of
22185-546: Was converted to recreational use starting in 1902, when the National Guard added fields for polo . In 1907, due to overcrowding, Dr. William Hornaday transferred 15 of the Bronx Zoo 's then-rare bison to the Parade Ground, where they stayed until they were shipped to prairie land in Oklahoma later that year. The Colonial Garden, designed by landscape architect Samuel Parsons , started construction in 1902 and opened
22338-436: Was formed in 1934 with Robert Moses as the commissioner, a position he held until 1960. In 1968 it was reorganized as the "Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Administration. In 1976 it was given its current name. In 2001, the department underwent an investigation after the U.S. Attorney's Office received complaints from employees that they had suffered employment discrimination. The lawsuit alleged that NYC Parks violated
22491-594: Was inaugurated in 1914. The track started out as a flat path, became hilly, turned onto a "little spell of road work," went into the forest, and crossed a water before turning back. A year later, it hosted the Metropolitan Association of the Amateur Athletic Union's Junior and Senior Cross Country championships. A modified 3.1-mile (5.0 km) cross-country course opened on November 5, 1921, with runners simply changing direction at
22644-726: Was one of those that helped maintain athletic fields prior to use and assumed responsibilities previously handled by the public sector. During this time the Central Park Conservancy and the Prospect Park Alliance were formed. GreenThumb was created in 1978 to utilize vacant city owned land as garden spaces. By 1989 there were over 1,000 gardens. In the 1990s the program contracted as gardens were repurposed to build housing. Currently, there are over 550 gardens supported by GreenThumb. Since 1934, when New York City Parks Department Commissioners were unified,
22797-466: Was operated by Yonkers Rapid Transit Railway between Kingsbridge and Yonkers . It ran off the main New York and Putnam Railroad line immediately north of the Van Cortlandt station. Service began in March 1888 and ran until 1942 (see § Former railroads ). The family property was sold to the City of New York and made into a public parkland in 1888. The majority of the grain fields were converted into
22950-443: Was placed at Indian Field in 1906, with a plaque misspelling the name of the Indian chief, Abraham Ninham, as "Abraham Nimham." One particular concern was the threat of the wetlands serving as breeding grounds for malaria -borne mosquitoes, which had drawn the ire of local residents and property owners as they believed the wetlands to be "unsightly and unsanitary." The marshlands were filled in between 1906 and 1922. The marsh to
23103-488: Was renovated in 2016. The skate park, new playground, and path improvements were completed in 2020. NYC Parks started renovating the Woodlawn Playground in 2021 for $ 1 million. One of the pedestrian bridges, which would have crossed the Major Deegan Expressway, was postponed in 2020 after its cost had increased to $ 23 million; the bridge was canceled in 2023. At 1,146 acres (464 ha), Van Cortlandt Park
23256-480: Was trying to parcel off some of his land to developers, the park's size should be reduced in order to prevent him from profiting off park usage. However, most of this opposition was directed at the construction of Pelham Bay Park , which was then in Westchester. Supporters argued that the parks were for the benefit of all the city's citizens, thus justifying the citywide park tax; that the value of properties near
23409-626: Was used during the American Revolution by both the Loyalists and Patriots , owing to James's leadership role early on in the revolution. On May 30, 1775, the New York Provincial Congress placed James on a committee to create a report on whether it was feasible to build a fort near his family's house. British General William Howe made the house his headquarters on November 13, 1776, thus placing it behind British-held ground. The Van Cortlandts wished to stay neutral in
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