Fresh Kills facts for kids
Fresh Kills is a stream and a freshwater estuary located on the western side of Staten Island in New York City. An estuary is a special place where fresh water from a river or stream mixes with salty ocean water. The name "Fresh Kills" comes from an old Dutch word, kille, which means "riverbed" or "water channel."
For many years, Fresh Kills was known as the main landfill for New York City's trash. But now, it is being transformed into a huge, beautiful park!
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What is Fresh Kills?
Fresh Kills is more than just a stream; it's a whole system of waterways. It collects water from the wet, low areas of western Staten Island. This water then flows into a larger channel called the Arthur Kill.
The Fresh Kills system has two main branches:
- The northern branch is called Main Creek.
- The southern branch is called Richmond Creek. This creek starts near Historic Richmond Town and drains a large part of central Staten Island.
These streams create a wonderful natural area. People can enjoy activities like kayaking and watching wildlife in the preserved wetlands. Wetlands are important areas of land that are covered by water, helping to clean the environment and provide homes for many animals.
From Landfill to Park
For over 50 years, from 1948 to 2001, the Fresh Kills area was home to the Fresh Kills Landfill. This was the largest landfill in the world, where New York City's garbage was dumped. It was a huge site, covering a lot of land.
After the landfill closed, a big plan was made to turn it into a park. Since 2006, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation has been working on this amazing project. They are transforming the former landfill into Fresh Kills Park.
Fresh Kills Park: A Green Future
Fresh Kills Park is going to be enormous! It will cover about 2,200 acres (or 8.9 square kilometers). To give you an idea, that's almost three times the size of Central Park in Manhattan!
This new park will offer many fun things to do:
- Nature trails for walking and exploring.
- Mountain biking paths for adventure.
- Spaces for community events and outdoor dining.
- Sports fields for games and activities.
- Areas for kayaking and canoeing on the water.
The park's design also focuses on being super friendly to the environment. It will teach people about sustainability and how our actions affect the Earth.
Green Energy in the Park
Fresh Kills Park plans to use clean, renewable energy. This means energy that comes from natural sources and doesn't harm the planet. Some of the green energy ideas include:
- Photovoltaic cells: These are solar panels that turn sunlight into electricity.
- Wind turbines: These tall structures use wind to create energy.
- Geothermal heating and cooling: This system uses the Earth's natural heat to warm or cool buildings.
The park is being built in different stages. Some parts of the park opened in 2010. The entire park is expected to be finished by the 2030s. It's a long project, but it will create a fantastic green space for everyone to enjoy for many years to come.
