Ossining Opens New Greenway in the Sing Sing Kill

Ossining will celebrate its newest park, the Sing Sing Kill Greenway, with a ribbon-cutting and tour on April 13 as part of a 'Smart Water' series of events.

The greenway gives access for the first time in decades inside the ravine that the Kill Brook carved over millennia in its headlong journey from the Ossining hills to the Hudson River.

“The Sing Sing Kill Greenway is an example of environmental ingenuity and maximizing the benefit of public investment," said Village of Ossining Mayor Victoria Gearity in a prepared statement. "We’re taking a hard look at ways we can responsibly provide for our current needs, while looking ahead to the needs of future generations - all while making the most of taxpayer dollars. Thanks to innovative thinking from the village engineer, a required sanitary sewer upgrade has been transformed into a magnificent public greenway through the heart of downtown Ossining. We invite the public to celebrate in its beauty."

Ribbon cutting and tour: The new Sing Sing Kill Greenway

When: Wednesday, April 13 @ 6pm

Where: Joseph G Caputo Community Center, 95 Broadway, Ossining

What: Join elected officials and community members for the official opening of Ossining’s newest public green space. Participants are invited to then walk and explore the Greenway.

Sing Sing Kill Greenway Tours and Educational Program

When: Saturday April 16 @ 2-5pm

Where: Entrances at Joseph G. Caputo Community Center (95 Broadway) and the Central Avenue Bridge (staircase).

What: The following experts will be positioned along the Greenway inviting visitors to learn about the newly redesigned Kill from historical, environmental, geological and engineering perspectives:

• Captain Scott Craven - Local Historian and Capt. of the Ossining Police Department
• Gareth Hougham - President of the Hudson Valley Arts and Science Nonprofit Environmental Organization
• Paul Fraioli - Village Engineer
• Richard Sicignano - Geology Teacher at Ossining High School
• The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct will be inside the Weir Chamber allowing visitors a rare perspective into the functioning of this historic water system.

Turning the ravine into a public park has been a longtime dream of Ossining officials and environmentalists, specially after the village's Department of Public Works moved from its old facility at the base of the gorge on Water Street.

Village officials are making the greenway's debut part of a ‘Smart Water’ event series that showcases innovative municipal approach to infrastructure investment.

These educational and cultural events feature water projects that are the result of collaborative efforts between the Village engineering and public works department, local elected officials, and environmental and historical organizations.

"Superintendent of Water/Sewer Andrew Tiess and I have always promoted proactive measures to ensure the sustainability of quality potable water for our residents,” Fraioli said. “Major rehabilitation of our existing facility, supplemented with technological improvements for monitoring and efficiency, have allowed the Department of Public Works to provide safe drinking water to the Village's growing population. Looking forward, in the face of increasing demand, energy costs, and operating costs, the Village must continue to maintain, improve and protect our potable water facilities and natural resources."

Village officials said ‘Thinking and acting ahead’ defines Ossining’s approach to an environmental issue effecting communities across the country: maintaining safe potable (drinking) water and sewer systems sustainably. This includes diligent conservation measuring and leak detection, constant evaluation of water quality, upgrading sewer lines, and working to forecast future needs.

The roster of upcoming ‘Smart Water’ events includes: A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Sing Sing Kill Greenway and subsequent educational tours, an open-access Board of Trustee Work session focusing on potable water issues, a screening of the acclaimed documentary FLOW, and Green Ossining’s Earth Day Festival - the largest of its kind in Westchester County.

PHOTO/ scanned by user:parkerdr - scanned postcard, dated 1907. Public Domain