Community Corner

Clinton Hill's Classon Ful-Gate Garden Slated for Revitalization

On New York Cares Day, volunteers will spruce up the block association garden to its pre-Hurricane Sandy condition.

New Yorkers will soon come together Saturday, April 20, to spruce-up a Clinton Hill garden affected by Hurricane Sandy as part of New York Cares Day Spring, an annual day of service run by New York Cares, the city’s largest volunteer organization. 

New Yorkers will return the Classon Ful-Gate Garden, a block association garden located on Classon Avenue between Gates Avenue and Fulton Street, to its pre-Hurricane Sandy condition by spreading soil and compost, removing debris and downed trees, and helping to fix a storm-damaged mural.

The restoration is part of a city-wide volunteer effort by New York Cares, which is seeking 4,000 volunteers to lend a hand from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to revitalize approximately 70 parks, gardens, playgrounds, and community centers across the five boroughs, with a special focus on areas damaged by Hurricane Sandy. 

Individuals, 12-years-old and up, can sign up to volunteer until Thursday, April 18. There is a registration fee of $20 per person. The website provides details including how to participate and how to make a donation in honor of a team or a volunteer. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  

In addition to Classon Ful-Gate, 22 green spaces in Brooklyn will be restored, including, Hart to Hart Garden in Bed-Stuy, the Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn Heights, Ralph Lincoln Garden in Crown Heights and Prospect Park. 

"New York City's parks benefit greatly from the thousands of volunteers who help to plant, paint, and clean-up throughout the year," said NYC Parks and Recreation Commissioner Veronica White in a statement. "NYC Parks and its partners have found that one of the most important measures of how well a park is doing, is how many volunteers it has and how dedicated they are."

White thanked New York Cares for ushering in a new generation of volunteers to lend a hand in the city's parks, "especially this year, as we work to restore facilities across the city damaged by Hurricane Sandy."  


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