The “ample hills” of Walt Whitman’s Crossing Brooklyn Ferry have moved to Governors Island.
On Tuesday, July 19, Governors Island officially opened the Hills, the latest in a series of redevelopment phases outlined in the Governors Island master plan. Completed nearly one year ahead of schedule, The Hills consist of four slopes that occupy 10 acres of the 172-acre island. The hills range between 25 feet and 70 feet high.
Each of the hills offers something unique. Grassy Hill, the smallest of the bunch, is the perfect green space for a picnic overlooking the island as well as a view of the Manhattan skyline. At 40 feet tall, Discovery Hill features a site-specific sculpture by contemporary artist Rachel Whiteread. Slide Hill houses four slides, including the longest in New York City. The tallest of the hills, Outlook Hill, has a universally accessible path that leads to amazing views of the New York Harbor in every direction.
Designed by the Dutch landscape architecture firm West 8, the master plan for the redevelopment of Governors Island has focused on the utilization of resilient and sustainable design and building practices. As Leslie Koch, president of the Governors Island Trust, told the Guardian, “This is really the first park to be really designed as a resilient landscape. And it’s all integrated with the idea of visitor experience.”
The construction of the Hills incorporated sustainable principles including using the demolition debris of old island structures and deploying clean infill as well as lightweight pumice.
Visit the Hills this summer on weekdays from 10 AM to 6 PM and from 10 AM to 7 PM on weekends. Enter the Hills Instagram photo contest while you’re at it.
Photo: Emily Roach