NYC Parks today announced the opening of a brand-new Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) mounted command facility at the Sunrise Stables in Gemini Fields, Queens, which will allow for increased patrols in Brooklyn and Queensparks. The new facility – the first in the borough in 23 years – will house two Parks horses, Fiona and Ginger, and serve as a new training facility formounted PEP officers.
“We’re excited to debut our new command facility at Sunrise Stables for mounted Parks Enforcement Patrol units, the first facility of its type in Queens in 23 years! Our Parks horses Fiona and Ginger will help our dedicated PEP officers patrol some of the marquee parks in Queens and Brooklyn, as well as the beaches and boardwalk in Rockaway,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “We are so thankful to the L.P. Rizzuto Foundation for this donation, which will allow us to provide a more visible presence in our parks, furthering our commitment to keep our greenspaces safe and welcoming, assist with crowd control during special events, and provide first aid when needed.”
“We are excited to expand our Parks Mounted Unit into Queens, here at Sunrise Stables, and thank Gallop NYC for welcoming us,” said NYC Parks Deputy Commissioner of Urban Park Service and Public ProgramsMargaret Nelson. “The generous donation from our longtime supporters at the L.P. Rizzuto Foundation enabled Parks to purchase trailers to house and care for our current horses and station staff on site, while ongoing operations will be funded by Parks. Located on the border of Brooklyn and Queens, this expansion will allow the communities of these two boroughs to interact with the Mounted Unit as they patrol to keep our parks safe and educate the public.”
With a $162,000 donation from the L.P. Rizzuto Foundation, a new office trailer and horse trailer have been added to the park, allowing for expanded Parks operations out of Sunrise Stables, which is operated by Gallop NYC. From Sunrise Stables, mounted PEP officers can trailer-out and patrol parks in Brooklyn and Queens, including flagship parks like Prospect Park and Flushing Meadow Corona Park; the bridle paths of Forest Park and the winding trails of Alley Pond Park; the rolling hills of Fort Greene Park; large special events in both boroughs, and the seven and a half miles of sand and boardwalk at Rockaway Beach. With its large arena and spacious, farm-like feel, the new Queens Mounted Command will also serve as an ideal location for training new mounted recruits.
Previously, the Parks Mounted Command had two horses housed near Forest Park from 1997 to 2000.
Take a look back at two PEP Mounted Unit Horses who retired in 2022, and NYC Parks commemorated 40th anniversary of the Parks Enforcement Patrol.