Outdoors Art and Community Gardens in Downtown/Lower Manhattan

Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Time: 11:00 a.m. to approximately 3:00 p.m. (end time may vary depending on time spent in each garden).
Meeting Location: Inside the Oculus, main floor, near the L’Arte Del Gelato kiosk.
Directions: Take the #1 train to WTC Cortlandt; R/W to Cortlandt Street; 2/3 to Park Place; A/C to Chambers Street; PATH or E to World Trade Center; or 2/3/4/5, A/C, J/Z to Fulton Street.
Distance: \~5 miles, with dropout points along the route.
End Point: First Avenue & E 14th Street (near crosstown buses and the L train).
Pace: Moderate, with multiple stops; mostly flat city streets, with a few optional uneven paths inside gardens.
Bring: Water, snacks/lunch, sunscreen, hat.
Restrooms: Available at the Oculus (start), Lions Gate Field building in Sara D. Roosevelt Park (Broome & Forsyth), and Tompkins Square Park (near end).

About the Walk
We’ll explore outdoor art installations, murals, and several beloved community gardens in Chinatown, the Lower East Side, Little Italy/SoHo, and the East Village—celebrating the vibrant cultural mosaic that defines New York City.

Highlights Along the Route

City Hall Park: Explore *Thaddeus Mosley’s “Touching the Earth”—eight monumental bronze sculptures cast from wood carvings, reflecting African diasporic traditions and Mosley’s intuitive sculptural rhythm.
Manhattan Municipal Building: Admire the Guastavino tile arch system—a marvel of structural and aesthetic innovation introduced to the U.S. in 1885.
Police Plaza: Pause at the Sugar House Prison Window, a haunting remnant of a Revolutionary War-era prison with a tragic legacy.
Sara D. Roosevelt Park: Pass by the *Hua Mei Bird Garden, a morning gathering spot for Chinese men and songbird enthusiasts. We’ll likely miss the birds, but it’s worth a return visit if you're curious.

Community Garden Highlights

M’Finda Kalunga Garden: Founded in 1982 to reclaim public space and support low-income housing. Today, it’s a vibrant hub for cultural events, gardening, and even chickens. The garden sits atop a historic African burial ground, where free and enslaved Black New Yorkers were buried from the late 1700s until 1853.
Elizabeth Street Garden: A nearly 200-year-old public space recently saved from demolition thanks to community advocacy.
Liz Christy Garden: NYC’s first community garden, established in 1973 by the Green Guerillas. A testament to grassroots urban renewal.
6BC Botanical Garden: A hidden gem in the heart of the East Village, 6BC is beloved by locals and visitors alike—especially for its whimsical tree house with a tiny library tucked inside. It’s a bucket-list stop for anyone who loves secret gardens and community spirit.

We'll enjoy our lunch break in one of these gardens—Elizabeth Street Garden if space allows, or M’Finda Kalunga or Liz Christy as alternatives.

Hike Leader
Brigitte (646-651-3911, day-of only).

Take the Great Saunter Fall Challenge. Register here(https://shorewalkers.org/join-a-saunter/) to walk 32 miles in 16 days starting October 4. Registration is only $10 ($8 for members), and Shorewalkers will donate all fees to the Carl Schurz Park Conservancy(https://www.carlschurzparknyc.org/), the dedicated caretakers of the park’s beautiful gardens and lawns. This walk will count for 5 miles of your total. You do not have to participate in the Fall Challenge to join the walk—all members are welcome.

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