I’m extremely proud to announce the brand new community garden in Central Nyack
is now officially open to residents. Just last week, I was joined by Town
Councilmembers Don Franchino and Mike Graziano as the first plantings were made
in this beautiful community space located just a short walk away from the Central
Nyack Community Center. This new garden, funded by a grant from the County of
Rockland, will provide residents with a shared space to grow fresh produce, connect
with neighbors, and promote sustainable, healthy living. It will also be the
centerpiece of new programming and educational offerings available through the
community center and the Clarkstown Parks and Recreation Department.
After a particularly brutal winter, many people are looking to get outside to reconnect
with nature and their neighbors, and this community garden offers a great way to
accomplish those goals. Whether it is a child planting seeds for the first time, a senior
sharing decades of gardening knowledge, or families working side-by-side to cultivate
fresh produce, this new space provides a wonderful opportunity for people to come
together and share experiences.
In addition to the raised planting beds, the garden offers ample space and seating for
those looking to spend some quality time outside. Rain barrels are on site to provide a
water source, and there is a brand new greenhouse to help seedlings get started and to
allow for rainy day activities. There’s an area planned as a pollinator garden, and the
site is located right near access to the Buttermilk Falls trail.
I want to thank the members of the Central Nyack Civic Association and the children
from the Central Nyack Community Center afterschool program who were on hand
to get the first plants in the ground! Residents can now reserve space in the raised
planting beds, and our first two participants got started in our opening event.
Clarkstown residents who are interested in reserving space at the community
garden can call the Parks and Recreation Department at 845-639-6200 to sign up.
This wonderful new addition to Central Nyack is just one in a number of investments
we’ve been making in the neighborhood. In 2023, the town put over $1,000,000 into
repairs and upgrades to the community center, including replacing the roof,
resurfacing the outdoor basketball court area, putting new lighting and upgrades in
the inside gym space, and much needed HVAC improvements. In 2025, the center
received additional updated fitness equipment. And we’ve got something really
special in the works right now.
In 2023, the town purchased property at 55 Waldron Avenue located directly across
the street from the community center with an eye toward future municipal use
related to the center. The town is now in the process of acquiring an additional
adjacent property in order to create the neighborhood’s first municipal playground.
Stay tuned for more details to follow on this exciting project, and in the meantime,
grab a spade and some gardening gloves, give a call to our Parks and Recreation
Department, and get planting in the new garden.
