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Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Safe Harbors Green officially unveiled
By SHANTAL RILEY
[email protected]
The Safe Harbors Green was officially
unveiled at a festive ribbon-cutting
ceremony last Thursday. In full bloom,
the park has already hosted several
shows, events and community gatherings
this year.
“I was born in that corner flat,” said
Jim Taylor, pointing to a building across
the street. “So, to me, this is about
community.”
The park is situated on a half-acre
of land at the corner of Broadway and
Liberty Street. Decorated on one side with
a gigantic mural painting by Francisco
“Dasic” Fernández and photographic art
by Dmitri Kasterine, the green has quickly
become a City of Newburgh landmark.
The park is Americans with Disabilities
Act-accessible, with paths, benches,
native plants, solar lighting and a flat
area for stages and performances.
Sustainably designed by Beacon-based
landscape design firm One Nature, the
park features rainwater gardens that
absorb runoff that would otherwise flow
into the city sewer system. Safe Harbors
of the Hudson purchased the land in 2015.
Taylor and his company Taylor
Recycling were among a group of
companies, organizations and individuals
that collaborated over the past two years
to make the park a reality. Many, like
Taylor, donated precious time, labor and
materials to the project.
“She said, ‘We have to purchase that
lot,’” said Safe Harbors Executive Director
Lisa Silverstone, recalling when Safe
Harbors board member Hannah Brooks
made an early gift to purchase the empty
lot next to the Safe Harbors building.
Supporters and Safe Harbors staff cut the ribbon to officially unveil the Safe Harbors Green.
“This is a message to all the people who
didn’t think Newburgh was safe enough,
beautiful enough or worthy enough,” said
Brooks, gesturing to the park.
The project was paid for with $250,000
from New York State Assemblyman Frank
Skartados’ office, an $85,000 Central
Hudson Main Street Revitalization grant
and private donations. Construction
began in May last year.
“The green was truly the epicenter
of the Illuminated Festival,” Silverstone
said, referring to the recent Newburgh
Illuminated Festival. The green is home to
the City of Newburgh children’s summer
film series and will soon host students
taking trapeze lessons with the Zip Zap
Summer Circus Program.
Safe Harbors of the Hudson recently
received a $500,000 Main Street Program
grant from New York State Homes and
Community Renewal for repair of the Ritz
Theater roof. Silverstone said the repair
project would be completed sometime in
the summer next year.
To learn more about Safe Harbors of
the Hudson projects, visit Safe-harbors.
org.
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Jim Taylor of Taylor Recycling described the park as proof of what the Newburgh community
can do when it comes together.
SLCH_McLaughlin_July13_MHT_3col_Quarter.indd 1
6/28/2017 9:51:21 AM