Washington Square Park is Greenwich Village’s backyard, and like any good groundskeeper, we take on improvement projects to keep it lush and vibrant. When your backyard is a public park, those projects can be anything from plumbing overhauls to furniture replacement – and we can’t forget the admin work that makes it all possible.

In the last year, we’ve completed several important improvement projects, the rewards of which we have been enjoying this summer, and we’re excited to share them with you!

New Benches

Near Garibaldi Plaza, you can spot Washington Square Park’s newest seating additions. Thanks to generous grant funding from Con Edison, the Washington Square Park Conservancy has completed several important infrastructure projects around the park, including replacing these three missing benches. We are thrilled to have this additional seating, which will provide respite for park-goers for years to come.

Interested in honoring a loved one or special event with a bench plaque while supporting the essential care of the park? The Conservancy has just launched its bench dedications program – learn more here.

Garden Projects

In the last year, Washington Square Park has gotten a native plant glow-up! The park’s Conservancy-funded gardeners introduced 2,341 new climate-adapted and native plants to the various garden beds, replacing dead plant matter with heartier, ecologically beneficial alternatives. These plantings use less water, reduce the amount of plant turnover, and create more food sources for pollinators and birds.

The park has also received an eco-friendly equipment refresh! Thanks to support from Con Edison, the gardening team swapped out old gas lawn mowers and leaf blowers with environmentally-friendly electric alternatives. Additionally, Con Edison funded the replacement of four ground hydrants and various other equipment, which will make our gardening team’s life easier and our park greener.

Maintenance Projects

We pride ourselves on our ability to plan for the busy season ahead, and our plumbing projects are no exception. In February, Washington Square Park wrapped up a plumbing overhaul, replacing outdated piping and making other critical upgrades. As a result, the public bathrooms and the fountain are better able to support our busy summer season, especially with extended summer bathroom hours made possible by the Conservancy-funded night crew maintenance team!

Dog Runs

This year, the leash of supporting the dog runs was passed from the Washington Square Dog Run Association to the Conservancy. We are so thrilled to help make this part of the park better for you and your furry friends by providing additional stewardship support. When you see us restocking the doggie poop bags and other maintenance supplies for the runs, be sure to say hello!

License Agreement

After over a decade of growth, community building, impact, and dedication to our mission, the Washington Square Park Conservancy was finally approved for a license agreement with NYC Parks this year, making us the official nonprofit partner of Washington Square Park! We are so grateful to NYC Parks for their partnership, and we are excited to continue serving this passionate community and carrying out our mission to help maintain and improve this beloved park.

Thank you so much for being part of our park community!