Coffee Bark at St. Nick's Dog Park

This Saturday, June 2nd from 9am to 11am the Friends of St. Nicholas Park will be hosting its monthly Coffee Bark in the St. Nick's Dog Park. This social event is an opportunity for dog owners in the neighborhood to meet each other and discuss park issues, play dates, and future endeavors in St. Nicholas Park. Coffee and other refreshments will be served in the dog run. The Friends hope to have a neighborhood corporate sponsor for the Coffee Bark.

Any business interested or if you have any questions please email info@stnicholaspark.org

The 19th Annual Hamilton Heights House & Garden Tour

The Hamilton Heights Homeowners Association will host its 19th Annual House and Garden Tour Sunday June 3rd. Information is below. The Hamilton Heights historic district border the north part of St. Nicholas Park.

Volunteer! Its My Park Day this Saturday in St. Nicholas Park

This Saturday, May 19th is "Its My Park Day" at St. Nicholas Park. We have lots of things to get done in the park and need as many volunteers as possible. Come out for a great day of working in one of Manhattan's most historical and beautiful parks.

We are meeting at the 135th Street Plaza (at St. Nicholas Avenue) at 11am. "Its My Park Day" lasts until about 2pm. Please dress in work clothes and bring a pair of gloves if you have them (although gloves will be provided as well). We'll have hats and other goodies for all volunteers.

Below is a list of things we'll help with on Saturday.

Fence painting on the terrace
Debris clean-up and raking
Planting of flowers and beds

Thanks and see you on Saturday!

Sincerely,

Friends of St. Nicholas Park

Dog Run Construction A Success! Small Dog Run Now Open!

Yesterday a team of volunteers helped open our permanent corral and erected the fence for our new small dog run. Our small dog run is now open. Both dog runs now have benches and woodchips. We are now certainly ready for summer. Thanks goes out to all who helped. A special thanks goes out to St. Nicholas Park Gardener Scott Farrington, Park Staff Hugo Chase, and NYC Parks Department Project Manager Brad Romaker.

Below are some photos of the work day yesterday. Enjoy!

New Commanding Officer of the 26th Precinct

Deputy Inspector Michael E. Cassidy, who is the head of the 26th Precinct
which serves St. Nicholas Park will be leaving for a new command assignment effective Monday, May 14th.

The Friends have worked with the Deputy Inspector to help improve safety in the park and we will surely miss his dedication to the neighborhood. He and his fellow officers helped provide input on making our events in the park safer for the public.

The new Commanding Officer of the 26th Precinct will be Captain Thomas A. Dutkowsky. Captain Lawrence P. Flood will remain the Executive Officer.

The Deputy Inspector sent a note to the Friends. He writes:

"I wish to thank everyone at the Friends for all their support during my tenure. It was pleasure closely working with you, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and Partnerships for Parks in making a positive impact upon St. Nicholas Park.

I wish you all the best!"

NYTs: Harlem’s Cultural Anchor in a Sea of Ideas

From the New York Times
By FELICIA R. LEE
Published: May 11, 2007

You could almost see the ghosts among the new furniture and modern recessed lighting. It was a few days before the staff at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, at 135th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard in Harlem, finished hanging two exhibitions and stripping the paper off the doors at its bigger, brighter new entrance. Amid the sounds of hammers and drills, they prepared for tomorrow’s public celebration of the center’s two-year, $11 million renovation.

Continue by clicking to the story here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/11/arts/design/11harl.html?ref=nyregion

Monthly Meeting Tonight (May 8th) at 7pm

The Friends of St. Nicholas Park will be holding their monthly meeting tonight at the Harlem Visitor's and Community Resource Center at 502 West 142nd Street (between Amsterdam Ave. and Hamilton Terrace). The group meets every month on the second Tuesday evening at 7pm.

Tonight's agenda includes:

1. Summer Events Calendar
2. Increasing our membership
3. Fundraising activities
4. Dog Run update
5. Capital Projects Update

Bring your ideas and your friends to one of Harlem's most active organizations!

For more info email us at info@stnicholaspark.org.

Dog Run Construction Day II scheduled for May 12th

Hey all,

We will need lots of volunteers to help build our small dog run and move our entrance for the large dog run now that our wonderful corral is completed. Below is what we will try to accomplish on Saturday. Please spread the word - the more people we have the more we'll get done and the more fun we'll have!

Dog Run Construction Day

Saturday, May 12th 10am-2pm

-Fence erecting for small dog run

-Cutting and moving fencing for new corral entrance

-Landscaping around new corral entrance

-Spreading woodchips in small dog run

Coffee, danish, and water will be provided. Please dress in work clothes and bring work gloves if you have them. We will have gloves to provide as well.

If you have any questions please contact us at info@stnicholaspark.org

Thank you!
Friends of St. Nicholas Park

Hamilton Grange move update

Just wanted to pass along some new information about the Hamilton Grange's inevitable move into St. Nicholas Park. I spoke with John Shiner with Rep. Charles Rangle's office, he told me the money has been approved and hope to get it moved this year! The monies for this project where actually secured in 2006 for this project, but the grange was not put into the actual projects. But the Ways and Means committee, which Rep. Rangle chairs, has backtracked and since the funds have already been allocated in 2006, the money will be coming.
This is very exciting news for St. Nicholas Park. Once the grange is moved into St. Nicholas Park, our park will certainly take it's place as a must see attraction.
With the hard restoration work that has occured over that past number of years, we are that much more ahead of the game in making St. Nicholas Park a safe a beautiful park to visit and enjoy!
Best,
Shawn