Governor Kathy Hochul announced on June 2 that construction will begin this spring on a $15 million project to enhance Bayswater Point State Park in Queens. The initiative aims to improve recreational access, strengthen long-term shoreline resilience, and restore wildlife habitats across the 16-acre park located on Jamaica Bay.
“This park restoration project enhances opportunities for Queens families to ‘Get Offline and Get Outside’ in Far Rockaway while advancing a more sustainable and resilient future for the community park’s shoreline,” Governor Hochul said. “With an innovative approach to bolster the shoreline, we’re protecting this special area from erosion and enhancing valuable habitat for future generations.”
The planned work includes creating approximately 2,000 linear feet of living shoreline, planting over four acres of native vegetation, restoring five acres of tidal marsh habitat, constructing breakwaters with eco-concrete tide pools offshore to reduce wave energy and combat erosion. Additional elements involve building a new ADA accessible fishing pier and elevated boardwalk over sensitive habitats, removing invasive species, restoring salt marsh ecosystems, and eliminating deteriorated bulkhead remnants.
New York State Parks Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser said, “This project addresses the critical need for shoreline restoration at Bayswater Point State Park. Thanks to Governor Hochul and our many partners, this investment will strengthen the park’s natural resources while creating new opportunities for the public to experience this scenic and peaceful coastal landscape.”
The funding includes a $9.7 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), $3.2 million from the Jamaica Bay Damages Mitigation Fund, and $1.6 million from the Environmental Protection Fund. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said these funds are part of ongoing efforts, “to restore the natural resources impacted by pollution within Jamaica Bay” while also improving public access.
State Senator James Sanders Jr., Assemblymember Pheffer Amato, and Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy Executive Director Terri Carta all voiced support for the project in statements praising its focus on resilience, environmental restoration, accessibility improvements such as an ADA-accessible fishing pier and boardwalks, as well as expanded recreational opportunities.
