2022
St. Vartan Park Conservancy realized a host of accomplishments between its launch in the spring of 2022 and the end of the same year. Some of the charity’s achieved goals in 2022 appear below,
Established the charity following a successful campaign that opened the St. Vartan Park garden to the general public after decades of closure
Authorized by IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, to improve St. Vartan Park and provide further enhancements to the wider community
Started community engagement and public outreach with May event that included garden plantings with Conservancy officers and other St. Vartan Park supporters, including schoolchildren, NYC Parks leaders, and national, state and city elected officials
Supervised several volunteer groups and many individuals — more than 150 volunteers in all — who conducted extensive park-wide repairs and painting of benches, fencing, gates, lampposts, railings, exterior of park building, and storage chests
Started a garden committee and designated a Conservancy ecosystems advisor and Conservancy garden design consultant
Provided extensive garden stewardship, plants and supplies in coordination with NYC Parks and Partnerships for Parks
Enhanced the full park through plantings in the garden and flower beds, and through daily litter removal
Hosted several St. Vartan Park beautification sessions as part of Partnerships for Parks’ It’s My Park volunteer program
Started sports committee, which initiated an alliance between handball and pickleball players for more efficient use of the park’s westernmost sports courts
Secured various unique domain names, produced and maintained comprehensive website (stvartanpark.org) and established Conservancy public service address (team@stvartanpark.org)
Created and managed digital marketing campaign, including integrated email/online marketing/newsletter program that featured 18 issues of complimentary newsletter to fast-growing subscriber list
Designed and secured various brand assets, including Conservancy trademarks and other creative content
Started archival library of photography, video and other content from the park’s history
Built social media network (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter) with more than 20,000 total followers, with handle consistency (@stvartanpark)
Received positive comments about Conservancy progress from hundreds of community members, including about mental-health benefits realized through public access to the park garden
Managed the volunteer program Swish You Were Here, which places basketball nets on Manhattan public basketball rims with missing or damaged nets
Regularly advised NYC Parks on community needs and park upgrades, which led to approval of such permanent additions as garden benches and garden-entrance signage with hours
Regularly maintained and replenished books in Little Free Library kiosk in the east park, through book donations to Conservancy from individuals and private businesses
Started fundraising program that raised cash and in-kind donations, with no compensation paid to Conservancy officers
Established partnerships with multiple community organizations and private businesses, including hosting a public Conservancy tent at the annual Murray Hill Festival staged outside the park, and starting a volunteer program with corporation WTW
Served as advance and on-site park liaison for day-long Kids Foot Locker commercial shoot that kept session’s park space open to public and prompted a donation from the production team to Conservancy
Managed student program that provided school credits for volunteer hours
Educated park visitors and online audience on such topics as park wildlife, geography and history
Provided event and promotional support to other community organizations, including Mary Lindley Murray (P.S. 116), Murray Hill Neighborhood Association, Alliance for Kips Bay and The River School (P.S. 281)
Started a campaign to prompt ongoing public use of the park’s dormant NYC Parks building, with actions that included a public Conservancy presentation to Manhattan Community Board 6’s Land Use and Waterfront Committee
Initiated and maintained advocacy outreach for the park community, including with elected officials regarding Conservancy’s goal of public access to unused state-owned green space located near the park
Widely promoted NYC Parks’ programming in the park through Conservancy website, social media accounts and other media outlets