City officials cut the ribbon Thursday on the revamped Orchard Beach Nature Center.
The center, located near section two of the beach in Pelham Bay Park, has reopened after undergoing a $2.35 makeover that began in 2018. The city has renovated the interior of the building to provide ADA accessibility and an open layout to enhance programming.
The center serves as a hub for Urban Park Rangers, who arrange tours and adventure excursions on the trails adjacent to Orchard Beach at Hunter Island and Twin Islands and throughout the park. The rangers also use the facility to teach students about the Long Island Sound and adjacent areas.
“The upgrades to Orchard Beach Nature Center enhance the visitor experience at New York City’s largest park, providing a state-of-the-art facility for public programming and environmental education,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue at the ribbon cutting. “Our nature centers serve as hubs for learning, offering workshops for the entire family and educational displays that foster a deeper connection with the natural world.”
The center provides programming hosted by the Urban Park Rangers, as well as educational displays about wildlife and nature at Pelham Bay Park. It also features marine creatures from the Long Island Sound.
According to the NYC Parks Department, the trails feature scenic views of the Long Island Sound and many species of birds and coastal marine wildlife.
The center’s opening comes as construction is taking place to overhaul the historic bathhouse and pavilion at Orchard Beach. The city broke ground on the $87 million project in December 2022. The project will revamp the 140,000-square-foot landmarked pavilion, which includes a significant renovation of its historic architecture and amenities.
“Parks is committed to improving amenities at Pelham Bay Park to ensure all New Yorkers have access to world-class public greenspaces,” Donoghue said Thursday.
The attendees at the ribbon cutting also included state Sen. Nathalia Fernandez, Assembly Member Michael Benedetto, Community Board 10 Parks Committee Chair Terence Franklin and several Urban Park Rangers.
