Locals Organize Coney Island Creek Park Cleanup

Steven Patzer and Andrew Windsor organized a cleanup of the Coney Island Creek Park.

“In August, my friend Andrew Windsor and I were walking alongside Coney Island Creek Park and saw massive amounts of garbage,” said Mr. Patzer. “We spoke with both the Parks and Sanitation Departments but DSNY couldn’t do anything because it was Parks property, and Parks couldn’t assemble a volunteer event until late October. We decided to grab a few volunteers and clean up the area knowing that the area would become especially dirty after Labor Day. Thankfully our efforts were a success.”

The two friends first let their friends and family know they would like help, but then news began spreading on soacial media. Kashif Hussain, Deputy Public Advocate of Infrastructure and Environmental Justice, also decided to lend a hand. In all, the volunteers were able to collect 26 hypodermic needles in just three hours with 20 volunteers.

Going forward, “we are calling upon the Parks Dept. to put garbage cans and signs on the beach to limit the amount of trash build-up,” said Mr. Patzer. The two organizers said they plan to have more events, beginning this coming Sunday, September 15. “The community is outraged by the sheer neglect by the Parks Dept. and that is reflected in the comments section of many Coney Island Facebook groups,” concluded Mr. Patzer.