Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
A Nature Trail Next to the Sewage Plant in Greenpoint
By
tien mao
Published Sep 27, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
tien mao
Published Sep 27, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
In the shadows of the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, residents of Greenpoint will soon be able to go on a nature walk. The Department of Environmental Protection, which operates the sewage plant, is officially opening the Newtown Creek Nature Walk this Saturday. The 800-foot nature walk along Newtown Creek, which took 9-years and $3.2 million to complete, is landscaped and features access points to the polluted creek.
The Times even observed a school of fish at one point during a walk through of the trail. Perfect, as the walkway features seven fishing piers on a tributary of Newtown Creek. We hope that anyone that does go fishing in the new park keeps in mind this quote from Emily Lloyd, the city's environmental commissioner, "There’s the oil. There’s a lot of bacteria in the water." That warning goes out to people using the nature trail as a launching point for kayaks and canoes too.
While we commend the DEP and Newtown Creek for adding a little bit of nature to Greenpoint and listening to community requests for access to Newtown Creek, spending a lazy afternoon fishing next to a wastewater treatment plant (the largest in the city, in fact) seems like a less than ideal. We suppose one could get used to the smell of sewage if you're out there long enough.
The opening celebration festivities are this Saturday from 11AM - 4PM with light refreshments and activities for children.
Photo of members of the LIC Community Boathouse on Newtown Creek (is that the trail in the background?) by elderta_2001 on flickr
Tagged
children
community
Environmental Protection
nature
News: NYC
newtown creek
people
photos
smell
the city
The Department
the smell
the times
tien mao
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC’s subsidized childcare waitlist is moving, starting with 3K families
The city notified 3,000 families on the waitlist that they were eligible for a voucher.
By
Karen Yi
Published Oct 21, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Elon Musk drops $500K on NY Rep. Mike Lawler's re-election bid
The world’s richest person is spending on dozens of races across the country, but only one in the Empire State.
By
Jon Campbell
News
Elon Musk drops $500K on NY Rep. Mike Lawler's re-election bid
The world’s richest person is spending on dozens of races across the country, but only one in the Empire State.
By
Jon Campbell
Early Addition: If you catch a mouse, there are meaner options than feeding it to a bird
By
James Ramsay
Brad Lander says he's released after Israeli forces detained him during olive harvest
By
Ryan Kost
George Washington Bridge reopens after fatal shooting; no arrests made
By
Ryan Kost
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .