Shirley Chisholm State Park Opens in NYC

This colorful mural of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm is by Brooklyn muralist Danielle Mastrion. Chisholm, a Brooklyn native, was the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968. A decade after her death in 2005, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. NPS Photo

407-Acre State Park on Jamaica Bay is Largest in NYC, joins other Gateway NRA green space gems

On July 2, 2019, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the opening of the state's newest and largest public park in New York City, the 407-acre Shirley Chisholm State Park along the shores of Jamaica Bay. The new park, which remains part of Gateway National Recreation Area, honors Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, an educator, former representative of the 12th Congressional district in New York for seven terms and the first African American woman to run for president. The park is a signature project of Governor Cuomo's Vital Brooklyn Initiative, which calls for 34 new or improved pocket parks, community gardens, playgrounds and recreation centers within a ten-minute walk of every Central Brooklyn resident.

Commissioner Joshua Laird, National Parks of New York Harbor, said, "The National Park Service is committed to opening more federal lands for public enjoyment and the opening of Shirley Chisholm State Park at Gateway National Recreation Area achieves just that. The State's completion of the Phase I park is truly a cause for celebration. We are grateful to Governor Cuomo for his vision and welcome our new neighbors at the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Today's opening means that the people of Brooklyn and visitors from all over the City and nation can finally enjoy the site's sweeping vistas of New York Harbor and the natural beauty of Jamaica Bay."

Superintendent Jen Nersesian, Gateway National Recreation Area, said, "Forty years ago a vision took hold to transform a mountain of waste into a jumping-off point into the clean outdoors for hundreds of thousands of nearby residents. It took the perseverance on the part of local community leaders and the tremendous partnership of the State to make the Shirley Chisholm State Park a reality," said Superintendent Jen Nersesian, Gateway National Recreation Area. "This park now joins other Gateway green space gems such as the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Floyd Bennett Field, Jacob Riis Park and Fort Tilden for people to hike, bike, picnic, paddle, and just enjoy being outside."

The 407-Acre Shirley Chisholm State Park on Jamaica Bay is the largest in NYC, and offers hiking, biking, fishing and picnicking. NPS Photo

Where this belongs

• Gateway National Recreation Area
• National Parks of New York Harbor

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