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First phase of Shirley Chisholm State Park in Brooklyn opens

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FOX 5 New York

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A mural honoring Shirley Chisholm by the artist Danielle Mastrion, Shirley Chisholm State Park, Brooklyn, N.Y., July 2, 2019. (Courtesy of Governor's Press Office)

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - The new Shirley Chisholm State Park along Jamaica Bay is the crown jewel of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan to improve parks and recreational areas in Brooklyn neighborhoods.

The park honors former Rep. Shirley Chisholm, a Brooklyn native, who was the first African-American woman elected to Congress in 1968 and the first African-American woman to run for president.

The site is a former landfill that was transformed into the park with the help of environmental experts and the state and the federal government. The first phase, which is complete, cost $20 million.

The 400-acre park features 10 miles of marked trails for hiking and biking, a pier for picnicking and fishing, access to the water, and a mural honoring Chisholm created by the artist Danielle Mastrion.

By 2021, the park is also slated to include a lawn large enough for live performances.