Council Member Joseph Borelli (R – South Shore) has been working with the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC DPR) over the last several months to provide safer, easier access to the Owl Hollow soccer fields on the south shore of Staten Island. Constituents have contacted Borelli’s office in significant numbers to express their concern regarding the park’s accessibility.

Hundreds of children use the soccer fields each weekend. Previously they had only one access-point for entering and exiting the property, which borders the heavily-trafficked Arthur Kill Road. In response to concerns raised by Borelli’s office, NYC DPR has opened portions of the fencing around Owl Hollow to allow park-users to enter through natural paths. The creation of these additional entry-points is a positive step toward ensuring that youth soccer players and their parents won’t have to walk along a winding road which, as community-members are well aware, is notoriously devoid of sidewalks.

“This has been a problem for a long time. It kills me to see so many young children and their parents lugging their sports gear up that road to the entrance of the park,” said Borelli. “One of the first bills that I had drafted when I entered the NYC Council was one that would require sidewalks on NYC Parks’ properties like Owl Hollow so that the children who use the park have a safe way to enter and exit. It may seem fundamental, but these are things that we need to fight for every day. My thanks to NYC Parks Borough Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone for always being a part of the solution; this could not have been accomplished without her support.”