Riverside Playground Partners

Join our parent community

Stretching nearly half the length of Manhattan from West 59th to West 181st Streets, the six miles of public parkland stewarded by Riverside Park Conservancy provides essential outdoor space for New York City children to play, explore and discover the joy of nature in an urban environment.

For nearly 40 years, the Conservancy was fortunate to work with the Hippo Playground Project, an all-volunteer group dedicated to restoring and caring for Hippo Playground at 91st Street and providing free enrichment activities for the community.

Today, we’re excited to build on this model by launching Riverside Playground Partners to help deliver the highest standard of care for all of our 16 playgrounds, bring more family-friendly programming to every section of the Park, and foster connections between families who share an appreciation for nature and a commitment to local engagement. Together, we will create welcoming, vibrant neighborhood spaces for play, learning and friendship.

Two ways to participate

1. Join the Leadership Committee

As a member of our new Leadership Committee, you’ll support the Conservancy’s mission, connect with neighbors along the Park’s six miles, and have the opportunity to help shape events and programming for children in the Park. You’ll also receive regular updates on our capital projects.

All members who enroll before October 2027 will be noted as Founding Members. Join today to help support how families play, connect, and learn in the Park now and in the future.

Leadership Committee Annual Contribution: $2,500

Benefits include:

Recognition as a Founding Member of the Leadership Committee of Riverside Park Conservancy’s Playground Partners
Opportunity to participate on the Planning Committee, and tickets for you and your family, for RPC’s annual Spring Fair
Opportunity to participate on the Host Committee, and tickets for you and your family, for RPC’s annual Hudson Beach Party

Invitation to annual Playground Partner Leadership Committee cocktail party
Invitation to annual Partner Summit
Subscription to “Playground Partner Press,” a quarterly newsletter
Playground Partners button and other swag

Join the Leadership Committee today!Join the Leadership Committee today!

2. Volunteer with us

Volunteers are an essential part of the success of our Playground Partners programming! Parent volunteers will have the chance to connect with more of their neighbors and students get the opportunity for hands-on community service, and exposure to event work. Volunteering is also a great way to learn more about the Leadership Committee.

We’re excited for you to become part of this legacy of community and family in our Park. Read on to learn more about how your support and volunteerism will help us continue to serve children and families in Riverside Park now and in the future.

How our park serves families

We provide high-quality kids’ programming.

Our Summer on the Hudson series hosts a multitude of free events, including musical story times, children’s performance series, nature explorations and full-day festivals! We also run a summer Sports Camp for children ages 4 to 16, where kids receive quality coaching in baseball, basketball, flag football, soccer, tennis, and volleyball, all centered around the values of sportsmanship, healthy living, leadership and community.

Check out our full calendar and bring your family to an event.

We organize meaningful group stewardship opportunities for local families and school groups.

Our team facilitates a wide array of volunteer activities focused on bringing local families and schools together to give back to the Park. Favorite annual events include “Sandsational!” where kids help clean up and replenish the sand in our sandboxes, and “Coastal Cleanup” where families work to remove litter from the park and the Hudson River shoreline, while learning about the environment and our local ecology.

This is a great way to introduce kids to nature and stewardship with hands-on gardening and clean-up activities. Reach out to [email protected] to learn more.

We fundraise and advocate for funding to provide maintenance, repairs and upgrades to playgrounds.

Our 16 playgrounds require dedicated maintenance, and many of them are in need of major repairs. With the help of individual donors and supportive elected officials, we strive to fund both regular upkeep and much-needed improvements to these spaces.

Questions about the Leadership Committee?
Please contact Olivia Cothren, Director of Development, at [email protected].

Questions about Volunteerism?
Please contact Devorah Roberts, Director of Special Projects and Assistant to the President, at [email protected].

Filter map by

Latest News

Riverside Park Conservancy Receives $3 Million from Governor Hochul for Dinosaur Playground Restroom Improvements

About Us

Our Work