2.1 // Resilient Waterfront Parks Our waterfronts are not simply the edges of the city; they are functional spaces in and of themselves. NYC Parks is committed to ensuring resilient waterfront parks are accessible, provide much-needed recreational amenities, and serve an ecological function. In order to adapt our waterfront parks to be more resilient, they should be built more durably and with risks in mind, through proper material and plant selection as well as appropriate design detailing. Resilient waterfront park design should also account for “the norm, not the storm.� In other words, waterfront parks should facilitate everyday public use during typical weather conditions while still including elements meant to face the risk. This approach maximizes parkland utility and public investment. NYC Parks encourages a contextual, site-by-site approach to each new or renovated waterfront project. Every site is unique in its site-specific conditions, surrounding upland context, recreational, ecological, and community needs, and likely risk factors. As such, resilient waterfront parks, open spaces, and natural areas should, at a minimum, aim to meet the following goals:
Provide access and a high-quality park experience
Access to and within waterfront parks enables these spaces to thrive. Recreational opportunities and programming should be considered and provided when possible to enhance user experience, as detailed further in Chapter 3. In natural areas, access can still be provided, but in a more limited manner to protect ecological functionality, as detailed further in Section 4.3.
Recover quickly from both small and large storms
Waterfront parks should recover quickly with minimal pre- and post-storm intervention and maintenance. Chapters 4 and 5 provide guidance on how to achieve this by waterfront park site type and through use of resilient materials.
Be designed with risks in mind
By using durable materials, hardy plants, and appropriate design details, waterfront parks will be able to withstand harsh waterfront conditions as well as evolving climate patterns, as detailed further in Chapter 5. Where appropriate and feasible, waterfront parks can also seek to:
Bolster urban ecosystems
Waterfront parks can strive to incorporate elements that promote functional ecosystems and employ natural systems-based coastal resiliency strategies, as detailed further in Section 3.3, throughout Chapters 4 under different site types, and through use of plantings and certain coastal edges as found in Chapter 5.
Adapt edges for sea level rise
Waterfront parks can adapt edges to account for future projected sea level rise. This could range from moving pathways to higher ground, to subtly regrading wetland sites where appropriate, as detailed further in Section 3.3.
Aid in community-scale coastal resiliency
Waterfront parks can play a role in addressing community-scale coastal resiliency by employing interventions that aid in upland protection. Examples of this could range from raising bulkheads to restoring a coastal forest, as further detailed in Section 3.2.