Dear residents,
Spring has sprung in Peekskill, and as everything begins to bloom, I am excited to share updates about what’s popping up in our City!
Community Hub
The Community Hub, led by Director Johnathan Zamora, is transforming camps this summer for our youth to enjoy and to provide them with memorable experiences. The City is excited to partner with the YWCA of White Plains & Central Westchester for its Freedom School for ages 5-10 and Camp Funkist for ages 4 – those entering 6th grade. The Freedom School is free and will include a culturally enriching program that strengthens academic, civic, and social skills in a creatively fun way. Camp Funkist, in collaboration with the YWCA of White Plains & Central Westchester, will provide an individualized, nurturing, and safe environment for campers with activities that will include sports, swimming, art, STEM, musical theater, theme weeks, specials, and so much more.
In addition to our collaboration with the YWCA of White Plains & Central Westchester, the City is excited to once again provide our Creative Arts Camp for grades 1-7, Teen Travel Camp for grades 6-9, and the Rising Stars Summer Program through the City of Peekskill Youth Bureau for youth ages 10-13. The Creative Arts Camp will include songwriting, dance workshops, creative storytelling, Disney & Pixar film animation, and more. Our Teen Travel Camp will include exciting trips to Six Flags, Splashdown, Top Golf, Lake Compounce, A1 Athletics, and more. The Rising Stars Summer Program, which is free, will include the addition of soccer, basketball, and swimming programs thanks to a recently awarded grant.
With all the programming happening this summer, we are also looking forward to our pool reopening at Depew Park, outdoor movie nights in Pugsley Park, our concert series at Riverfront Green, and family-friendly kid shows at Riverfront Green.
Interested in learning more about what is happening within the Community Hub? Click here to subscribe to their newsletter and learn more about upcoming events for Parks & Recreation, the Youth Bureau, and Seniors/Nutrition Services.
DPW
I am excited to share that the City of Peekskill Food Scraps program is now open 24/7!
Deposit your food scraps in any of the four bins at the drop-off site located at the City’s DPW Garage on South Street and Louisa Street.
A special thank you to our DPW department for creating a drop-off site for residents to properly dispose of their food scraps and reduce waste. Please note that plastic bags, packaging, wrappers, baby/hand wipes, and pet waste are not to be deposited in the bins.
Now that spring is in the air, and we are all about community, we are providing spring cleaning dates for community groups and organizations to work alongside our Public Works team to freshen up our parks, city streets, and public spaces.
If you want to roll up your sleeves and make a difference in our community, please complete this form to connect with our DPW team.
Over the past two decades, Peekskill has experienced an increase in climate change related flooding. This flooding has increased remediation costs dramatically. The City will be awarding contracts in response to a request for proposals for professional engineering consultants to study the Peekskill Hollow Creek and McGregor Brook watersheds as well as City property on the Hudson River. They will recommend flood mitigation projects and best management practices for the areas which are highly prone to flooding. This work will be used to attract additional funding for 
construction of capital projects and implementation of best management practices.
Planning and Development
As you all know, as you look around our great city, Peekskill’s residential footprint is continuing to grow. We are happy to share that 1108 Brown Street (1 Park Place), which includes retail and public space, is fully leased.
As a recently certified Pro-Housing Community, we are excited for the completion of 100-106 Smith Street, which will provide 6 units, and the completion of 505 South Street, which will include 51 apartments, a pool, and other amenities. The City is dedicated to addressing housing needs and will continue to work closely with developers to create places for individuals and families to call Peekskill home.
Our most recent art installation, “Luminated Rhythm” by Shagun Singh, is a series of laser-cut aluminum panels that form a rhythmic wave along Central Avenue under the Route 9 overpass. The colors and rhythmic shapes are inspired by Ecuadorian pollera skirts, paying homage to the Ecuadorian community that calls Peekskill home. Over the next few months, the artist will return to add imagery to each panel and install lighting to enliven this stretch of Central Avenue.
Lastly, with the support of the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), the City of Peekskill has recently engaged Trajectory Brands Inc. to create a strong graphic logo and establish a new brand for the City’s marketing efforts. A fresh logo and brand representing the City’s unique attributes, people, and history will help build awareness of Peekskill across the Hudson Valley and the region beyond to support the local economy and bolster community pride while attracting businesses and visitors.
Through research, public surveys, focused interviews, and a small working group, Trajectory and the City will gather public input throughout the project to ensure the messaging and identity for the City of Peekskill are authentic and relevant. The design process is expected to deliver a comprehensive identity program and “look” for the City by later 2025 for use in various marketing, social media, websites, banners, ads, and other applications.
As we enjoy the change of seasons, please support our local businesses, enjoy our parks, and experience all that our great City has to offer.
Sincerely,
Matt
Matthew C. Alexander,
City Manager
