Heritage Park, Staten Island

Staten Island’s unofficial nickname is Borough of Parks and as history shaped this borough, it has a disparity with most of its parks on the South Shore in contrast to its urbanized north. When an opportunity arises to transform a sizable parcel into a park, civic activists and elected officials spring into action. That is how the former Blissenbach Marina on the Kill Van Kull was transformed from an abandoned brownfield into a waterfront park.

The views from the 9.7-acre Heritage Park include the Bayonne Bridge and boats being repaired at the neighboring Caddell Dry Dock. The neighborhood here is not very residential, but the parking lot and bus stop provide access to visitors coming from further afield.

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In contrast to most of the borough, the northern third of Staten Island had been developed long before the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge spurred masses of prospective homeowners to the island. As a result, there are fewer large parks in the North Shore neighborhoods and they tend to be small in size. An exception is a recently formed chain of parks that follow Harbor Brook in the New Brighton neighborhood.

The above photo from the Parks Department shows Goodhue Pond, acquired by the agency in 2013 from the Children’s Aid Society.