New Park in NYC: East River Park Sections have Opened The city officially opened a large new section of the new East River Park. Built with a purpose: to protect the vulnerable Lower Manhattan from future coastal storms. It is also doing double duty as new recreational space for the neighborhood. Here you can expect: Six regulation tennis courts Two regulation basketball courts Picnic BBQ spaces (15 grills!) 600 new trees and over 21,000 shrubs, grasses, and perennials Water play sprinklers Larg