After Fourth of July weekend, rather than photos of overflowing garbage cans, beer cans and exploded fireworks on local Facebook group, Friends of Rockaway Beach, the page was full of comments singing the praises of a city agency—NYC Parks. NYC Parks was on their A game when it came to responding to the extra hot, busy holiday weekend this year.
“HUGE SHOUTOUT TO NYC PARKS!!! They crushed it this morning cleaning up the beach after yesterday’s storm!” Suzanne Campbell O’Rahilly posted on Saturday, July 4. “By 6 a.m., most of the beaches between 67 and 105 had been cleaned.”
On Sunday, July 5, local resident and activist John Cori posted, “Huge shout out to NYC Parks Rockaway cleaning crews. Great job dealing with great crowds! Thanks to Queens Parks leadership for adding on extra staff in anticipation of a busy holiday weekend!”
The posts were filled with reaffirming comments. “The cleanup crew at B96/97 boardwalk area is amazing. The dedication was impressive, especially working in the heat this weekend,” Christina Orgera said. “Even with the crowds, the NYC Parks cleanup team’s non-stop management of garbage and bathrooms kept everything looking great.” Compared to past years, locals had their reservations, but were left pleasantly surprised. “I was scared to see what 116-118 would look like this morning, but I didn’t see a single piece of trash! Empty cans, raked beach, no fireworks debris—they did great!” Stephanie Johnson-Virgi said.
According to NYC Parks, they were ready to handle the larger crowds and litter. “NYC Parks proactively adjusted staffing and waste removal operations at Rockaway Beach to keep pace with demand this past holiday weekend. From July 3 to July 5, an estimated 472,000 visitors came to Rockaway’s beaches, including an estimated 250,000 on July 4 alone,” NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura said. “We’re incredibly proud of our staff, who worked long hours to keep Rockaway Beach clean, safe, and accessible for all.”
What was done? According to NYC Parks, on July 4, they had 25 staff members working overtime shifts to maintain boardwalk coverage through the evening hours. While crews usually work until 8:30 p.m., their shift was extended to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, enabling more frequent waste removal.
And on July 5, they started early. Normally starting at 5 a.m., beach cleanup crews were hard at work at 3 a.m., while additional overtime crews were assigned to boardwalk-adjacent playgrounds, access pathways, and the boardwalk itself starting at 5 a.m. They also had 22 additional staffers assisting with cleaning operations from Beach 9th to Beach 17th and Beach 30th, where they removed nearly 200 bags of waste staged at a single collection point.
In addition to more staff, Parks brought out more equipment. A 40-yard trash container and a 16-yard packer increased removal capacity. An additional 40-yard trash container was also staged at Shore Front at 3 a.m. to reduce transport time between the beach and facilities. The amount of garbage collected totaled nearly 300 cubic yards. In total, 138 personnel supported operations between 3 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. on July 5. By the time folks woke up for St. Francis de Sales’ morning beach Mass and got started on their beach day, the beach was noticeably cleaner.
Also impressive was the lifeguard response to an extra obstacle—sharks. Belle Harbor resident Ed Lynch made note of one lifeguard’s response on July 4. “The shark was very close to shore when lifeguard Haylie O’Hagan spotted it and took action. She did not wait for direction from a lieutenant, chief, or anyone else. Haylie sprang into action, running at top speed toward Beach 140th Street while blowing her whistle continuously to alert swimmers of the danger,” Lynch said. Similar actions were witnessed across the beach as lifeguards responded to shark sightings.
“For the amount of people who came out to the beaches on that scorcher of a day, Parks really did a fantastic job,” Councilwoman Joann Ariola said. “I especially have to hand it to the lifeguards, who had a very difficult task on their hands due to the shark sightings. They were able to maintain that delicate balance between letting people cool off and putting people in harm’s way, and they seem to have done that pretty effectively. There were 97 chairs staffed, as well as shore walkers keeping people safe. Kudos to Lifeguard Chief Bonnie Williams, Parks Administrator Elizabeth Walsack, and Deputy Administrator Khalil Bratton for ensuring that everyone had an enjoyable holiday.”
