Touring Brookfield Park, Revitalized Staten Island Dump Site
Staten Islander News went on a walking tour of the newly revitalized Brookfield Park, formerly a superfund site. The site has received some work and attention over the last several years.
The dump itself was capped, and there are pipes sticking up from random places in the ground where the old dump materials are venting out. The garbage was covered with a heavy plastic lining and many feet of dirt, portions of which were covered with asphalt.
This particular Park is a very urban style one, with paved roads and paths rather than dirt trails. At the edge of the park is fencing overlooking the waterway next to the park. In certain areas, particularly where the vents are and next to the fence, you will get a whiff of the familiar scent of “garbage dump” that many Staten Islanders will remember from the time of Fresh Kills activity. The smell from that dump was overwhelming at times, particularly when walking to your car from Pathmark, Kmart, or the mall itself. The Fresh Kills landfill is also now a Park, adding to the total Park area in Staten Island, now known officially as the Borough of Parks.
In Brookfield, there are several small streams and lakes that people sit next to and possibly try to catch fish in, and there are also areas that are somewhat wooded where one can walk a little bit to get a feel for the natural area that remains. Mostly, though, it is reminiscent of Clove Lakes Park, which is primarily asphalt and paved paths.
If you’re looking for a different park experience on Staten Island, you might want to check this out. It’s a bit small, smaller than most of the other parks, but it’s scenic and interesting.
Also shown in the video is the Trackless Trolley Garage on Arthur Kill Rd. Below is a photo of a trackless trolley:
Trackless Trolley, Richmond, Staten Island, N.Y. [old bus, men standing outside]. Image Credit – NYPL
Banner Image: Brookfield Park map. Image Credit – NYC Parks
Staten Islander News Service Staff Writer
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