Save the Eco-Ambassadors and the Coastal Education Center

What’s going on

Eco-Ambassadors has been a vibrant partnership with the City of New Rochelle. Every summer, local teens learn hands-on STEM and marine science, get paid for their work, and teach what they learn.

Together, we won a $700,000 state grant to fix up Oakwood Pavilion at Five Islands Park and turn it into a Coastal Education Center for schoolkids and the whole community.

But red tape is holding things up. The state needs a signed agreement with the City before work can start. On September 30, 2026, the state warned that without one, the grant is at risk. If it’s lost, the City loses it too. We will also lose other grants tied to it, and it will mean the end of the Eco-Ambassadors program.

A pavilion worth saving

Eco-Ambassadors used to meet in Oakwood Pavilion. In summer 2025, it was condemned, and it hasn’t reopened since. Today it’s fenced off and in need of repair.

Then

Now

How we got here

1. 2022Eco-Ambassadors begins with the City.
2. 2025City Council backs the plan. The state awards the grant.
3. Summer 2025The pavilion is condemned and closes.
4. Sept 30, 2026The state says the grant is at risk.
5. NowWe need your help.

Read the documents

• City Council Resolution 2025-4January 14, 2025. The City Council endorses the grant application. (PDF)
• City Manager’s letter of supportJanuary 17, 2025. The City’s letter to the state backing the plan. (PDF)
• New York State DEC letterSeptember 30, 2026. The state’s notice that the grant is at risk. (PDF)