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May 30, 2014

Ground Breaking: Ocean Breeze Riding Facility

Commissioner Peña-Mora and community leaders break ground.

A ground breaking ceremony marked the official start of construction on the new Ocean Breeze Riding Facility in Staten Island. Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Dr. Feniosky Peña-Mora joined Parks and Recreation Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver and other officials to celebrate the upcoming $5.8 million riding arena.

The year-round facility will be the headquarters of Helping Others Overcome Personal Handicaps (HOOPH), a therapeutic riding program for New York City's disabled community. The facility features a carefully considered design that is ADA accessible and provides parking for accessible vans.

The riding arena is just steps from the Ocean Breeze Track and Field facility, a 135,000 square-foot regional athletic complex that will soon open to the public. Both facilities are designed to minimize damage to the wetland areas of the park, while also meeting new FEMA elevation standards.

"The new riding arena was designed in-house by the architecture teams at Parks and DDC. The arena will provide year-round support for physical and occupational therapy programs, but it will also be available for members of the community to use. It will include a nearly 5,800-square-foot riding arena, stables, areas for feeding and grooming the horses, as well as offices, a lobby, and an observation room for visitors. I thank Borough Presidents Molinaro and Oddo for their strong support of this fantastic new amenity for the people of Staten Island," said Commissioner Peña-Mora.