STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — NYC Parks Staten Island Borough Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone, Councilman Joseph Borelli and other supporters officially unveiled the reconstructed landscape and tot-lot playground in Eltingville’s Crescent Beach Park on Thursday morning.
The park is named for the sandbar that separates the community from Great Kills Harbor. At low tide, this crescent-shaped sandbar emerges from Wiman Avenue’s foot toward Crooke’s Point in Gateway National Recreation Area.
This is Crescent Beach, looking south. March 11, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
The park now features a new tot-lot playground, seating and enhanced landscaping. New pathways were constructed to improve neighborhood access to the park’s waterfront.
This $2.2 million project was funded with $1.8 million from Borelli and $197,000 from Mayor Bill de Blasio.
“We’re pleased to provide the children of Staten Island with another imaginative space where they can come play, learn and enjoy the great outdoors,” said Ricciardone. “We’re grateful to Mayor de Blasio and Council Member Borelli for their continued support and dedication to ensuring that Staten Islanders have access to quality greenspaces.”
Siblings Eva, 4 and her brother Benjamin, 2 1/2 live in the neighborhood and come to the park often. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
“It is so important that children are given the space to roam, play,and enjoy the great outdoors,” said Borelli. “It’s with great pleasure to see the investment of taxpayer dollars going toward enhancing one of Staten Island’s prized parks, while providing recreational opportunities to support the physical and mental well-being of our youth. I am privileged to be able to provide the funding for such a great development.”
John Borelli, 2 1/2 runs over the new playground bridge for tots at the formal ribbon cutting for Crescent Beach Park on the Eltingville/ Great Kills border. March 11, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
The project constructed a children’s play area which will serve as an exciting playground for kids ages 5 to 12. The site now features new play equipment, enhanced landscaping and new pathways that provide community access to the park’s waterfront.
Little local resident Eva, 4 1/2 plays in the new tot playground. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
Crescent Beach Park offers magnificent views of Great Kills Harbor and Raritan Bay. From the sands of the beach, visitors can see the borough skyline and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The park’s grasslands and oak woods offer year-round sanctuary to various animals, including egrets, great blue herons, ducks, geese, gulls and terns. Monarch butterflies, short-eared owls and snow buntings also live in the parklands, while the salt marsh is home to diamondback terrapins, muscles, crabs and snails, according to the city Parks Department.
Today was the formal ribbon cutting for Crescent Beach Park on the Eltingville/ Great Kills border. NYC Borough Parks Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone and councilman Joe Borelli were on hand with other supporters of the park. March 11, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
Councilman Joe Borelli reaches for his son John’s hand as they head to the new playground for tots. March 11, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
Today was the formal ribbon cutting for Crescent Beach Park on the Eltingville/ Great Kills border. NYC Borough Parks Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone and councilman Joe Borelli were on hand with other supporters of the park. March 11, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
The park includes an osprey nest platform. March 11, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
Over this path leads to Crescent Beach. Today was the formal ribbon cutting for Crescent Beach Park on the Eltingville/ Great Kills border. NYC Borough Parks Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone and councilman Joe Borelli were on hand with other supporters of the park. March 11, 2021. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)