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Locals say Shore Road Park is a mess

July 9, 2020 Jaime DeJesus

Photos courtesy of Peter Mancini

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A walk in the park has become a bit messier.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, parks around the city have gotten dirtier as garbage has piled up and grass hasn’t been properly maintained. Shore Road Park has been no exception, according to local residents.

Peter Mancini, a teacher and Bay Ridge resident, started working out in the park after gyms closed in March and has seen a gradual rise in the amount of trash.

“If you start out from 100th Street where the bridge is and take that path all the way up until about 86th Street, the Shore Road path is an absolute mess,” he said. “And then underneath where all the fields are, the sidepaths, grass is overgrown, not maintained, and the place I see the garbage pile up is by 97th Street where the stairs are.”

Mancini has contacted elected officials, the NYC Parks Department, and 311 asking for garbage to be collected.

“It can take from three to seven days to pick up the garbage,” he said. “A picture can’t describe it. The animals run by and start ripping the garbage up. We’ve got skunks, possums, all sorts of animals that are going to feed.”

Most recently, he said the garbage hasn’t been picked up since the holiday weekend

“All the garbage is still there from July 4,” Mancini said on Wednesday. “There was one guy who went into the middle of the field down the stairs and cleaned up the entire ballfield and collected the garbage. He brought his own garbage bags and cleaned it up. And then he brought everything to where the lamppost is after the stairs. They are saying there aren’t enough people to work.”

NYC Parks said Parks Enforcement Patrol officers work closely with the NYPD to monitor and enforce the rules related to littering and dumping in parks and reports should be made to 311.

“During the crisis, it’s become strikingly clear that parks are critical infrastructure and we have seen a significant increase in usage as the city continues to open up,” said a Parks spokesperson. “Our Parks staff’s continued service on the frontlines through the crisis demonstrates how committed we are to keeping up our city’s parks for the health and safety of all New Yorkers. With the significant increase in use, there has been a significant amount of trash left behind — we must all do our part.”

“Due to COVID19, our economy is mired in the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression,” said Councilmember Justin Brannan. “New York City had a $10 billion budget gap. In order to balance the budget, tough cuts had to be made across the board. Every program, service, agency and department in the city got a haircut, and that included the Parks Department and the Sanitation Department.”

“It’s absolutely critical that our parks be in great condition for all to enjoy safely,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “While it was all hands on deck to fight COVID, now that we are on track to reopen, I am urging the Parks Department to work quickly to ensure that Brooklyn’s beautiful open spaces are as ready for Phase 2 as we all are.”