A Clean Win For The Village: Senator Brad Hoylman And Washington Square Park Conservancy Announce Nearly 60 Brand-New Trash Receptacles Installed In Washington Square Park

PHOTOS: Click Here For A Dropbox Link With Before & After Photos Of Trash Receptacles in Washington Square Park

NEW YORK CITY -- Washington Square Park is now home to nearly 60 new trash receptacles, thanks to a $100,000 discretionary fund grant from Senator Brad Hoylman (D/WF-Manhattan). In the last few weeks, NYC Parks has completed the installation of nearly 60 sleek, state-of-the-art Scarborough Litter Receptacles throughout Washington Square Park.

“Washington Square Park is a jewel of our community – a true public space that’s open and accessible for all New Yorkers,” said Senator Brad Hoylman. “I’m thrilled to have secured more than $100,000 in state funding to install these brand new trash receptacles in Washington Square Park and I’m confident they will help make sure the Park is a clean, pleasant respite in our busy urban landscape. My thanks to the Washington Square Park Conservancy, Community Board 2 and the Village community for their can-do attitude, working with my office to make this project a reality.”

“A broken trash can isn’t just ugly, it causes real problems for the Park,” said Washington Square Park Administrator and Conservancy Executive Director George Vellonakis. “The old cans were prone to overflow, leading to piles of trash on the ground and giving rodents easy access to a buffet of refuse. These new cans are stronger, sleeker, and easier for staff to empty and keep clean. It seems like a small change, but it makes a big impact on the overall feel of the Park - no one wants to read a book next to a pile of trash. State Senator Hoylman is in the Park all the time, so he understood very quickly what a problem this was and committed to finding a solution. It’s thanks to him that we’ve made this necessary upgrade.”

Senator Hoylman’s $100,000 grant covered the purchase, delivery and installation of 58 new, state-of-the-art Scarborough Litter Receptacles throughout Washington Square Park, as well as providing 10 additional receptacles held in reserve to replace future damaged or broken trash cans. The brand-new receptacles are made of heavy-duty black metal and can hold up to 30 gallons at a time; importantly, these sleek new receptacles fit the unique atmosphere and landscape of the Park.

12 million people visit Washington Square Park each year, bringing hundreds of thousands of pounds of trash along with them. Until now, the Park had only 48 trash cans which were more than a decade old and in a state of severe disrepair.