Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Announces Completion of Upgraded Sport Facilities at Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park Ahead of Summer Season

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the first phase of a multi-million dollar revitalization of Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, the most-visited state park in New York City, has been completed in time for the summer season. The Phase 1 South End Reconstruction project rebuilt the artificial turf, bleachers, and backstop of the existing softball field, created a new tee ball diamond and rehabilitated the adjacent basketball courts and esplanade. This $6.25 million project is just the beginning. Governor Hochul committed to revitalizing the 30-year-old park in her State of the State address earlier this year.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

What an exciting day to be at this spectacular park. Over three to four million people visit this park every year, and I've been one of them. I've been to the swimming pool. We launched our NY SWIMS initiative here, and this is such a jewel, such a point of pride for us.

And I want to thank Leslie Wright, who's our extraordinary Regional Director for the New York State Parks, for the introduction. Also, we have our own New York statewide Commissioner of Parks, Kathy Moser, is here. Let's give her a round of applause. We also have our Commissioner of the Department of Labor, Roberta Reardon, has joined us. Freida Foster of Workers' Compensation Board. So I got all my dream team here from state government. You also are missing a couple of people because they're up doing their important work up in Albany, and I want to give a special shout-out to Senator Cordell Cleare and her staff - let's give her a round of applause. And Assemblymember Al Taylor whose staff is joining us here as well. And Denny Farrell's family, please raise your hands, Denny Farrell's family. Everybody here. We got Herman Farrell III, Monique, Sophia is here.

I'll be brief because I think everybody wants to hear this band more than they want to hear me. Thank you to the Cobras. Thank you, everybody. Give a round of applause here.

I think what's important is to remind everyone why it's so important to have outdoor spaces like this protected and preserved. It is part of Denny Farrell's legacy that we even have this park, that there was something beneath here for a long time, and he was committed to saying, "No, we can do better than that. I'm going to commit to getting a park in this area on top of this treatment facility, and so the whole community can have a gathering space and to get outside and to recreate and just enjoy the beautiful outdoors and be on sports teams." But over many years, they start degrading, they start declining, and if you don't make the investments in them, it'll become all of a sudden a place that no one wants to go to, and I just could not let that happen.

So I can think of no better way to honor Denny than to continue investments in this park. Investments, making sure that this most visited state park in our entire city is going to be well-visited, played - what do you think of this turf on the ground for this softball field? This is amazing. This park is extraordinary, and I'm so excited about what we're doing here today. When I first became Governor, I announced a major renovation here. We announced $26 million to say that this is a place that matters. We have to restore it, protect it and preserve it. And this launch into summer here is an important part of that as we're going to continue our project with bleachers, T-ball diamond, esplanade, basketball courts and we're also making a five-year, $100 million investment into this park to show our long-term commitment to all of you.

So we know Denny loved baseball. This is a fitting tribute for him as someone who loved watching games and being a part of a team and coaching teams. So this is also part of his story and his family's story that we're here today. So I don't want to delay the program anymore, but I am committed to making sure that spaces like this are protected, preserved and there forever for not just you, your children, but your children's children as well. Thank you very much, everyone.