News on Straus Park
Friends of Straus Park Activities for 2025
2025 was an exciting year for Friends of Straus Park and our volunteer team. We accomplished quite a bit, doing a three-season planting, regular park cleaning, while holding four events – including a new 3 event music series. All this including two new maintenance projects to keep the park new looking.
Spring 2025 saw the result of previous planting of 2,000 tulips and 2,000 daffodils in the major planting beds and throughout the park around trees. This gorgeous floral display greeted park visitors and was complemented by planting of Caladiums, Coleus, 6 Azelia bushes, hydrangea, pink dogwood and ferns. 2025 had a wet spring which was good for the flowers but bad for our first event. The Titanic & Straus Family Memorial Event was cancelled because of rain – twice. So, despite preparations, we had no Titanic event.
Maintenance of the park is a constant FOSP activity. In spring, volunteers put another coat of Tung Oil on all our park’s benches to deepen the protection and lengthen their usable lives. This was an easy job taking about 10 minutes for each bench. Throughout the spring-summer, we began a new project to remove ivy from around bushes and trees and mulched the soil to keep the ivy from returning. In some cases, we were able to plant new perennials in the mulched areas. In 2026, we plan to continue this job by removing most of the park ivy and plant new bushes and plants that are native to New York. Donations made this work possible.
In early fall, FOSP volunteers began a testing project to remove rust areas from the fencing and apply new paint where needed. The Broadway entrance railings and fence were the first to have rust removed and be repainted.
In early fall, FOSP volunteers began a testing project to remove rust areas from the fencing and apply new paint where needed. The Broadway entrance railings and fence were the first to have rust removed and be repainted.
However, FOSP did sponsor and hold three music concerts throughout the spring and summer. These concerts were well attended and increased the visibility of FOSP and our capabilities. Our spring event featured a jazz singer and accompanist. Our two summer music concerts featured show tune singers with an accompanist- one in early August and the other in early September due to a rain delay of our July event. All our park activities can be found in a schedule on our website at fospark.com
In late spring our volunteers planted 9 rose bushes and 7 white/purple lilacs. Additional plantings in early summer included tropical impatients, gernaniums, hybiscus, pansies, pink begonias, and a pink dogwood tree.
With the coming of fall, new plantings included chrysanthemums throughout the park and a group of cone flowers near the southern entrance. The park was beautiful in fall with colorful flowers and the golden leaves of the many Gingko trees. As the park entered a snowy winter, we had the chance to see the park trees encased in a lovely white coat. Is spring around the corner?
Be sure to check out our upcoming events.
