Hudson River Park Broke Attendance Records In 2019, Park Says

MANHATTAN, NY — Volunteers and scientists helped clear more than 500 pounds of trash from the shores of Hudson River Park this year as park of the green space's "record-breaking" year for sustainability, parks officials announced this week.

The massive trash cleanup was part of the park's new Park Over Plastic campaign, which focused on cleaning the shoreline of the Hudson River at the park's Gansevoort Peninsula in Chelsea and Pier 76 in Midtown Manhattan. Park stewards also installed four water fountains on the grounds, preventing the use of an estimated 50,000 single-use water bottles, a spokesperson for the Hudson River Park Trust said.

The success of the park's sustainability campaigns came during a year when Hudson River Park attracted nearly 200,000 visitors, who attended about 800 events and programs.

"As stewards of the estuarine sanctuary, we are excited to welcome a record-breaking number of students and visitors with a calendar of events designed to engage New Yorkers with the waterfront and inspire another generation of people invested in preserving the long term health of the river," Hudson River Park Trust CEO Madelyn Wils said in a statement.

Some other highlight's from Hudson River Park's year in sustainability include:

• Composting 81,000 pounds of food scraps;
• Diverting 430,000 pounds of organic waste from landfills;
• Hosting 500 education programs attended by more than 33,000 people;
• Planting more than 29,000 bulbs and flowers and 1,700 trees and shrubs.