Staten Island · Richmond County
Nelson Recreation Area
NYC Parks
- Location
- Nelson Avenue, Great Kills
- Size
- 6 acres
- Hours
- 6 AM - 1 AM daily
- Type
- NYC Parks
Nelson Recreation Area is a community park in the Great Kills neighborhood of Staten Island's East Shore, providing athletic facilities and green space for one of the borough's established residential communities.
Great Kills is a predominantly Italian-American residential neighborhood on Staten Island's eastern shore, with a strong community identity and a neighborhood character that reflects the borough's suburban lifestyle.
The park features athletic fields, playgrounds, and open space serving families in a neighborhood that values outdoor recreation and community gathering. The nearby Great Kills Park (a National Park Service property) provides waterfront access.
Staten Island's East Shore communities, including Great Kills, Eltingville, and Annadale, were among the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The storm's devastating impact reshaped the community's relationship with the waterfront.
Nelson Recreation Area serves the Great Kills community with the kind of neighborhood-oriented recreational facilities that are essential to the suburban residential lifestyle that defines much of Staten Island.