It’s been quite a journey, but this weekend Stuy Cove Park reopens and welcomes back its eager, long-suffering fans. While the work is not yet finished, it’s coming along and we’re excited by the new possibilities.
Here’s what Park Manager Candace Thompson says about it all in her June newsletter (sign up here):
“We are framing this as our “Year of Observation” in which we’re taking rigorous notes in order to track plant health issues over time. One of our favorite discoveries has been the being we now affectionately refer to as “Spike”, our resident slime mold. If you don’t know about the quiet genius of slime molds I definitely recommend giving these problem solving creatures a google. And we’re excited about the Community Seed Increase Garden [pictured] we’ve planted in the park’s designated ‘plant nursery’. We’re growing Virginia Wild Rye and Hairy Bush Clover for the Greenbelt Native Plant Center in hopes of collecting the seed this fall and returning it to their city-wide seed library. We’ve tried to make our little baby plugs visible and somewhat aesthetically pleasing while we wait for railings to go in; fingers crossed they aren’t trampled.”
Some things to keep in mind when you’re visiting: It’s very, very sunny from sunrise until about 3pm; it’s going to take a minute for the trees to get big enough to provide shade. If you’re sitting on a waterside bench at high tide, you will get splashed with East River water (definitely don’t do this for a few days following a heavy rainstorm). Some of the beds do not yet have plants, because perennials prefer to take the dormant winter season, rather than the stressful summer, to acclimate themselves. Some of the railings re still being installed, which means some sections of the park will probably get shut down for short periods of time over the next few months. As we also get acclimated to the new Park and its quirks and rhythms, we hope you’ll be patient, while continuing to enjoy the Park to the utmost.
And to that end, please come by on Saturday, June 17th from 10am-12pm for a DIY Spotted Lanternfly Trap workshop and be part of the solution!
