The refreshed Chelsea Waterside creates more usable spaces for visitors while also prioritizing expanding green spaces and plantings through the reduction of paved areas.
Renovations
The new Chelsea Waterside Park was designed with environmental sustainability in mind. The striking new restroom façade uses granite and wood salvaged from pathways and walls previously located on the site. Solar panels and skylights were also incorporated into the restroom design, and low energy LED lighting was installed at the sports field.
Overall, more plants and green spaces have been added and the amount of paving has been reduced, as Chelsea Waterside was designed with environmental sustainability in mind. Additional highlights include solar power panels on the roof of the comfort station, efficient water fixtures, low energy LED sports field lighting, storm water detention and all native plantings,
In addition, the design and construction involved salvaging high quality materials from the original park and integrating them into the new park; for example, granite once used for seating has been repurposed to form the exterior finish of the new public restroom. (Learn more about the Park’s sustainability initiatives.)
Sports Areas
Chelsea Waterside’s refreshed turf sports field provides a resilient playing surface for soccer, rugby, ultimate and more, with bleacher seating for spectators. Organizations that hold a permit during a specified date/time have priority and exclusive use of the field. Only a permit can guarantee specific rights and usage of the field.
The basketball court at Chelsea Waterside is free and open to the public, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Playground
The Chelsea Waterside Play Area brings together much of what is special about Hudson River Park, including the adaptive reuse of relics from the past. Limestone cattle head sculptures are incorporated into water features, reclaimed from historic meatpacking district business, New York Butchers’ Dressed Meat Company, whose building was demolished in 1991. Granite seating blocks have also been repurposed from Pier 54’s arch.
In summer 2018, the Park opened a new and enlarged playground featuring a custom, multi-colored, 64-foot wooden slide in the shape of a Pipefish, one of many fish species that lives within Park waters. The slide was designed and built by a Denmark-based playground design company, and is the first of their themed playground structures in the northeastern U.S. The playground also includes multiple water features.
Dog Park
The dog park at Chelsea Waterside has expanded by nearly 4,000 square feet, from 3,500 square feet to 7,400 square feet. It has separate areas for large dogs and small dogs and features innovative canine-friendly water spray jets as well as mounds and boulders. New tiered seating and benches increase the seating capacity for dog owners fivefold — providing more shade and greater comfort.
All dog runs are open daily from 6:00 AM–1:00 AM.
Scheduled daily cleanings: 10:00–11:00 AM, 2:00–3:00 PM & 6:00–7:00 PM