Contact: David Galin
Site to Be Secured Tuesday, May 25; Construction to Begin Wednesday, May 26
Estimated Completion of Renovation of East End of Bowl is May 2022; West End of Bowl is May 2023
ALBANY, NY – Mayor Kathy Sheehan joined 2nd Ward Councilmember Derek Johnson, 7th Ward Councilmember Cathy Fahey, County Legislator Carolyn McLaughlin, Water Commissioner Joe Coffey, Recreation Commissioner Jonathan Jones, and neighborhood advocacy groups to announce the City of Albany will add new soil to the Lincoln Park Bowl to regrade the fields, install new grass, and improve drainage years earlier than originally planned.
The new soil will raise the Lincoln Park Bowl by approximately 2 to 3 feet. The acceleration of these improvements to the Bowl – as identified in the Lincoln Park Master Plan – are being made possible because of the excavation of dirt from Albany Water Department’s Beaver Creek Clean River Project. The Project is located the northwest corner of Lincoln Park, and will significantly improve the water quality of the Hudson River by reducing sewer overflows. Learn more.
Taking advantage of the work underway at the Beaver Creek Clean River Project and revitalizing the Bowl now will not only accelerate the timeframe of when the Fields are renovated but will eliminate the need for thousands of dump truck trips through the South End to remove the dirt from the Beaver Creek Project and save the City approximately $1 million. Mayor Sheehan has committed to investing any cost savings from this project into future Lincoln Park improvements as laid out by the Lincoln Park Master Plan.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said “The acceleration of this long-requested revitalization of the athletic fields in the Lincoln Park Bowl will help continue to transform this historic green space for generations to come. Thank you to the Water Department for their foresight, and to the local neighborhood organizations for their support, suggestions, and partnership.”
Water Commissioner Joe Coffey said: “We are grateful for the recommendations from community groups and residents during our outreach to ensure the transport and grading of the fill material address pedestrian safety, monitoring of air quality, wayfinding and informational signage. We are committed to maintaining this outreach for the duration of the project and into the future.”
Recreation Commissioner Jonathan Jones said “Thank you to the Water Department for supporting the Lincoln Park Bowl Field plan ahead of schedule. This project will save money and time, as well as modify the bowl to clearly designate areas of play. We look forward to collaborating with the community and AWD in the months ahead to develop concepts and ideas for field configurations and programs.”
On Tuesday, May 25, contractors will install fencing around the Lincoln Park Bowl to ensure the safety of those who utilize the walking path around the Bowl. On Wednesday, May 26, contractors will begin moving dirt into the Bowl. The East End of the Bowl is scheduled to reopen to residents in May 2022, and the West End of the Bowl is scheduled to reopen to residents in May 2023. The Northwest Quarter of the Bowl will remain open to residents until September 2021 to limit any impact to users of the Pool and maintain a portion of green space through the summer months.
In addition to frequent testing of the soil and air quality as the project progresses, dust-mitigating fencing will be installed between the Bowl and Bath House/Pool to limit any impacts on the Pool during the swimming season. The City of Albany will also add a four-way stop sign at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Lincoln Park Road to help ensure pedestrian and traffic safety. Additionally, dump trucks moving dirt into the Bowl will be required to stop before crossing the path near the Bath House.
This summer, the City of Albany Department of Recreation will work with the Albany Water Department and local community organizations and neighborhood associations and lead a community input process to solicit ideas and develop concepts for the final playing field configurations.
This project has received the support of the Lincoln Park Alliance, A Block at a Time, South End Neighborhood Association, Mansion Neighborhood Association, Delaware Avenue Neighborhood Association, and Second Avenue Neighborhood Association.
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