Nestled in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, Swindler Cove Park represents the crown jewel of New York Restoration Project’s (NYRP) public park projects. Begun as a shore cleanup, this former illegal dumping site now encompasses five beautifully reclaimed acres along the Harlem River – including the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse, Riley-Levin Children's and future Ann Richards Gardens; an additional 15 acres of completed and pending development, including the esplanade, renovated shoreline and Sherman Creek; and NYRP’s Cherry Tree planting project along the Harlem River Drive. Opened to the public in August 2003, Swindler Cove Park represents the full spectrum of NYRP's mission to restore open space as a catalyst for community revitalization and environmental conservation.
An oasis of native natural habitats, Swindler Cove features an urban forest, one of the only saltwater marshes on the island of Manhattan’s shoreline and an abundance of wildlife to explore and experience along the Harlem Riverfront. Today, thousands of children from neighboring P.S. 5, other New York City schools and youth from the neighboring New York City Housing Authority’s Dyckman Houses development participate in a wide spectrum of environmental educational programming at Swindler Cove, including NYRP’s Nature in My Neighborhood and Junior Naturalist programs, as well as NYRP’s NatureMania Spring Break, Summer Camp and Swindler Cove Family Day and Sleepover.
From 1996 to 1999, NYRP removed tons of garbage, rusted-out cars, sunken boats and construction debris from this waterfront site. Then, in 1999 – in partnership with the State of New York Department of Transportation and acclaimed landscape designer Billie Cohen – NYRP transformed the land into a lush array of restored woodlands, wetlands, native plantings and a freshwater pond, accented by a gracious pathway. In 2005, NYRP launched efforts to further restore the environmental health of community residents and expand public access to Sherman Creek as a cooperative venture with the City of New York Department of City Planning. Future phases of this expansion include NYRP’s construction of an all-purpose environmental education facility – the Sherman Creek Center – and creation of the Ann Richards Garden, as well as numerous city agency-sponsored improvements.