Outdoor Art and Community Gardens in Downtown/Lower Manhattan

Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m. to approximately 3:00 p.m. (end time may vary depending on time spent in each garden).
Meeting Location: Inside the Oculus, main floor, near the L’Arte Del Gelato kiosk.
Directions: Take the #1 train to WTC Cortlandt; R/W to Cortlandt Street; 2/3 to Park Place; A/C to Chambers Street; PATH or E to World Trade Center; or 2/3/4/5, A/C, J/Z to Fulton Street.
Distance: ~5 miles, with dropout points along the route.
End Point: First Avenue & E 14th Street (near crosstown buses and the L train).
Pace: Moderate, with multiple stops; mostly flat city streets, with a few uneven paths inside gardens.
Bring: Water, snacks/lunch, sunscreen, hat.
Restrooms: Available at the Oculus (start), Lions Gate Field building in Sara D. Roosevelt Park (Broome & Forsyth), and Tompkins Square Park (near end).

About the Walk
We’ll explore outdoor art installations, murals, and several beloved community gardens in Chinatown, the Lower East Side, Little Italy/SoHo, and the East Village—celebrating the vibrant cultural mosaic that defines New York City.

Highlights Along the Route

• Oculus Plaza: Check out the art installation "REWIND" by contemporary New York artist WhIsBe: oversized childhood toy sculptures including a giant gummy bear, rocket ship, dinosaur, robot, and colorful building blocks.
• City Hall Park: Explore Genesis Belanger's “Heads or Tails” installation featuring whimsical sculptures of fruit trees, birds, and reimagined Lady Justice figures that explore value, authenticity, and justice in civic live.
• Manhattan Municipal Building: Admire the Guastavino tile arch system—a marvel of structural and aesthetic innovation introduced to the U.S. in 1885.
• Police Plaza: Pause at the Sugar House Prison Window, a haunting remnant of a Revolutionary War-era prison with a tragic legacy.
• Freeman Alley: Take a peek into this narrow Lower East Side passage off Rivington Street famous for its ever-changing graffiti and street-art murals, making it one of New York City’s most vibrant outdoor art spaces.

Community Garden Highlights

• M’Finda Kalunga Garden: Founded in 1982 to reclaim public space and support low-income housing. Today, it’s a vibrant hub for cultural events, gardening, and even chickens. The garden sits atop a historic African burial ground, where free and enslaved Black New Yorkers were buried from the late 1700s until 1853.
• Elizabeth Street Garden: A nearly 200-year-old public space recently saved from demolition thanks to community advocacy.
• Liz Christy Garden: NYC’s first community garden, established in 1973 by the Green Guerillas. A testament to grassroots urban renewal.
• 6th Street & Avenue B Community Garden: A large, leafy community garden known for its winding paths, flower beds, vegetable plots, fruit trees, and outdoor gathering spaces. Created by neighborhood volunteers in the early 1980s on a former vacant lot, it remains a vibrant community hub that hosts gardening programs, workshops, performances, and seasonal festivals
• 6BC Botanical Garden: A hidden gem in the heart of the East Village, 6BC is beloved by locals and visitors alike—especially for its whimsical tree house with a tiny library tucked inside. It’s a bucket-list stop for anyone who loves secret gardens and community spirit.

We'll enjoy our lunch break in M’Finda Kalunga Garden.

Hike Leader
Brigitte (646-651-3911, day-of only).

Take the Great Saunter Fall Challenge. Register here to walk 32 miles over 16 days, starting Oct. 3. Help Shorewalkers support our parks by donating $10 to participate, with all fees going to Riverside Park Conservancy. This walk will count for 5 miles of your total.