Breathing New Life into a Historic Corner

Post Office Park is taking shape on a site once home to the former Kingston Post Office, and while the building itself is gone, its legacy will live on. The park’s design incorporates concrete elements that reference the architecture and significance of the original post office. Future designs could include a welcoming arch and benches that take inspiration directly from the building’s facade, recreating the Post Office steps and arches. The community also asked for a fountain on the Millard Building side. Recognizing the many cultures and ancestries that have enriched Kingston’s history, the park design intends to honor those who came before us and their descendants.

Designed with Purpose and People in Mind

From the ground up, Post Office Park is being built to invite connection, relaxation, and exploration. The park featured new sidewalks and meandering paths that welcome pedestrians and cyclists alike, encouraging movement and accessibility for all.

The landscape brings nature into the urban setting with the planting of carefully selected native trees, shrubs, and perennials. A pine tree, circled by bluestone, represents the Tree of Peace, a high significance for the Native Americans. The Broadway corridor has been a path for traveling since before Europeans set foot on the soil.

An interpretive sign briefly tells the story of the former Kingston Post Office and its importance to the local community.

Game tables have been installed for chess, checkers, and other community favorites, promoting informal socializing and multigenerational engagement.

Benches throughout the park will offer comfortable spots to pause, meet friends, and enjoy a coffee or hot dog.

For those arriving on two wheels, bicycle racks will make the park a convenient and safe stop along the Greenline system of trails and complete streets.

A Park for Everyone

Post Office Park is more than a beautification project—it’s a community investment. By integrating elements that reflect the area’s history and meet the needs of today’s residents, Kingston is creating a welcoming space that fosters civic pride, encourages outdoor activity, and enhances the city’s walkability.

As construction continues, residents and visitors alike can look forward to enjoying this thoughtfully crafted green space. Whether you’re playing a game, learning a bit of local history, or simply soaking in the scenery, Post Office Park promises to be a new favorite destination in Kingston.

Investing in Health and Community Through Strategic Funding

The development of Post Office Park has been made possible through a combination of strategic planning and public investment. The initial vision and planning for the park were supported by funding from the New York State Department of Health’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) program, which aims to foster healthier, more active communities through improved access to physical activity and nutritious food. The construction phase was funded through a blend of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) resources, reflecting a strong commitment to community revitalization and equitable access to public spaces.

Stay tuned for updates and opening announcements as this exciting project nears completion!

The Kingston Greenline is more than just a rail trail. It’s a citywide network of multi-use paths, linear parks, and complete streets that connect our neighborhoods, schools, business districts, and historic sites. It’s where Kingston walks, bikes, runs, and commutes.

Now that the Greenline is almost a complete system, The City of Kingston and Ulster County have reactivated the committee that supports its vision, ensures its sustainability, and brings people together around a shared love of our urban trail system.

The Greenline has become a defining feature of Kingston – but trails don’t maintain themselves, and growth doesn’t happen by accident. The restarted Leadership Committee is focusing on:

• Monitoring trail maintenance and improvements
• Advocating for funding and infrastructure investments
• Supporting community events and volunteer days
• Promoting equity, safety, and accessibility
• Building partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and city departments

Email Emily to find out more about the Kingston Greenline, what is happening, and how to get involved.

Happy National Nutrition Month®!

Each year in March we celebrate a variety of holidays, such as St. Patrick’s Day, Women’s History Month, and perhaps a lesser known month-long event, National Nutrition Month®! National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. As a part of this campaign, throughout the month of March everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.

This year the theme for National Nutrition Month is “Celebrate a World of Flavors” to showcase how flavors from cultures around the world are a tasty way to nourish ourselves and diversity. Here at Live Well Kingston, we also like to think of this theme as a way to highlight the importance of our work being community-informed so that it is culturally relevant and appropriate. What does this mean for us? It means that when we talk about how to eat healthy, it’s not just about kale, blueberries, and whole wheat bread. It’s important to recognize that many different cultural cuisines are traditionally full of nutritious foods, which we should honor and respect.

Ready to get in the kitchen?

On social media we recently shared a few nutritious foods that, depending on your culturally background or culinary adventures, you may or may not recognize:

Chayote

• A summer squash originally from Mexico that is also known as mirliton and choko
• A great non-starchy vegetable high in fiber, folate, and vitamin C
• Prepare like any other summer squash, like zucchini or yellow squash

Seaweed

• Traditionally found in many Asian cuisines, this is a whole category of sea vegetables, with many different kinds such as kombu, nori, and dulse.
• Did you know that seaweed, which is high in fiber and iodine, is unique from vegetables grown on land in that it gets its nutrients from the water, not the soil?
• Try seaweed wrapped in your favorite sushi roll or in a salad!

Sorghum

• A naturally gluten-free whole grain that is originally from Africa, but also grown in parts of Asia.
• Naturally drought resistant, able to grow in a variety of climates including the tropics, and is efficient at fixing carbon, it’s a crop that is excellent for the environment.
• Try replacing rice with sorghum in many dishes or try it popped!

Mangosteen

• A tropical fruit full of fiber and vitamin C, with a rich, purple skin and bright white inner flesh that is originally from Southeast Asia, but now found in other tropical regions.
• This one is tricky, because it can be eaten raw, but doesn’t travel well so it can be difficult to find in the US.

Okra

• Originally native to Ethiopia, okra is now essential to many global cuisines, such as in parts of Africa and the Middle East, Caribbean, Indian, and the Southern United States, where it was brought by enslaved Africans.
• It is a non-starchy vegetable with a unique, silky or slimy texture when cooked, that is full of fiber, some protein, Vitamins K and C, and folate.
• While perhaps it is most commonly recognized as an ingredient of gumbo, it can also be used to thicken stews or even grilled.

If you’re looking for some inspiration on how to include some of these foods in your diet in a healthful way, try out this Southern Okra Bean Stew or this West African Peanut Soup, which would be delicious served over some sorghum,  shared by the JSY team at Cornell Cooperative Extension!

How else does this show up in our work?

The City of Kingston was recently awarded a New York State Department of Health grant called Creating Healthy Schools and Communities. Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) is a 5-year (2021-2026) project that supports policy, system, and environmental changes to help make the healthy choice, the easy choice in the City of Kingston. One way that CHSC does this is by working with community and work sites that have food venues to help them establish food/nutrition guidelines that are both evidence-based as well as community-informed to reflect their values and priorities, which will be unique for each site that CHSC works with! 

If you run or work at a community or work site that has a food venue, such as a vending machine, café, or even a food pantry, and you’re interested in receiving support to help establish and implement food/nutrition guidelines, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Kristin Kessler, RDN, CDN, CYT

Project Manager, Dept. Health & Wellness

Email: kkessler@kingston-ny.gov 

Phone: 845-334-3917

They have provided care and improvement to the space. Neighborhood children helped paint the fence a rainbow of colors. New garden and flower beds have been built. Communal resources such as compost and fruit trees have been cared for.

They recently invited the community to a gathering to celebrate the harvest with tomato sandwiches and welcomed the Food Not Bombs group which provided free meals and household items.

Next year they hope to invite in more gardeners, build a toolshed, and make a new entrance and signs.

They have been supported by the Grow Well Focus Team by providing  financial support for the paint, a new hose, and some new tools.  This winter we would like to make plans to support their garden improvement goals. If you would like to get involved, please fill out the survey on the Grow Well page or email Emily.