Once known as the world's largest landfill Fresh
Kills will soon be known as one of the largest urban parks in
America. SITRAC had several board members attend an exploratory fact
finding meeting on Thurs. Oct. 22nd to help plan the park.
The meeting held at the Greenbelt Recreation Center
on Staten Island was coordinated by Carrie Grassi,Land Use Review
and Outreach manager for the park. " We will be developing two
quadrants in Fresh Kills Park first based on their earlier closing
times as a landfill. We hope that these sections will be open
in 3-5 years"
SITRAC's Jim Grogan was instrumental in giving ideas
on how a championship style cross country course can be designed and
developed. "The NCAA Div. 1 championships are held on a course
that was previously a landfill" Grogan provided overhead
photos of the site in Indiana to emphasis the interlocking trail
system that allows different distance races.
SITRAC also gave feedback on developing both hard
and soft surfaces to allow for different type community use.
It might not be in our lifetime but when this whole
project is finished Staten Island will truly be known as the Borough
of parks.
