Community members and environmental advocates appeared at Newburgh City Hall on Monday, August 14 to voice their displeasure about the clearing of brush, grass and shrubbery along the Newburgh Waterfront, mainly located at the People’s Park site also known as Consolidated Iron.

A portion of the waterfront area on the Consolidated Iron site has a new section of area that residents, when first seeing images surface online, believed to be asphalt. A closer observation of the site discovered crushed stone had been used. The brush and other overgrown areas were cleared out. Newburgh City Manager Todd Venning addressed the matter of concern during his manager’s update that the project had been undertaken by the City of Newburgh Department of Public Works the previous week.

“DPW has also cleared brush, weeds and poison sumac at the Consolidated Iron site in the first phase in a site improvement project,” said Venning. “No trees were removed in this process and no chemicals were used. This beautification project will enhance the views of the Hudson River, facilitate access to the shore line, preserve the existing trees and improve public safety.”

Venning said the next phase of the site improvement project would be the laying down of topsoil and the planting of grass at the site to help with creation of a walking path for city residents.
Environmental advocates, such as Conservation Advisory Council Chair Chuck Thomas and member Marianne Marichal, residents Anusha Mehar and Kippy Boyle and Greater Newburgh Parks Conservancy Chair Kathy Lawrence, commented on the clearing down at the riverfront.

“I too was surprised when I learned about his action,” said Thomas. “This one [project] was not what we [CAC] would like to see but I think all good intentions were there when you did it.” “I don’t feel like as a city we’re investing enough in our green spaces,” said Lawrence. “In terms of what went on down at the shoreline, I think everyone acknowledges there was a lack of communication, there was certainly a lack of advance notice in terms of the Conservation Advisory Council.”

Councilman Anthony Grice addressed the matter as critical comments had been made to him and several of his council colleagues. Other council members supported the idea of protection of the land down at the river.

“What people call the People’s Park is mislabeled, making people believe it has always been, or is designated as, a park. The correct name is Consolidated Iron, after the scrap metal processing and storage facility that was there,” Grice said “The brush that was cut was inspected first. It was cut due to a large amount of trash that was getting trapped and/or into the Hudson and to make a path for bikes. The path is crushed stone, not blacktop. Not all bikes can ride over overgrown brush, so a compromise must be had. The flora can grow back.”