Syracuse maintains more than 1,000 acres of public parks, from 88-acre Burnet Park on the West Side to pocket neighborhood greens scattered across the city. Here are the parks worth knowing, with correct locations and real details.
Burnet Park, Tipperary Hill, West Side (88 acres)
The city’s largest park sits on the western edge of Syracuse in the Tipperary Hill neighborhood, according to the City of Syracuse Parks Department. Its 88 acres include the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, an AZA-accredited facility housing more than 900 animals across 216 species on 43 acres, plus three softball fields, a basketball court, two tennis courts, a 50-meter swimming pool and a nine-hole par-three golf course.
Onondaga Park, Strathmore, South Side (82.6 acres)
Split into upper and lower sections in the Strathmore neighborhood, Onondaga Park covers 82.6 acres total. The 67-acre Upper Onondaga Park wraps around Hiawatha Lake, a popular spot for fishing and walking. The park was designed as part of the Olmsted-era park movement in Syracuse, per the city’s parks records.
This story came from public records we pulled ourselves
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Thornden Park, Westcott (76 acres)
Located in the Westcott neighborhood, not Strathmore, not University Hill, Thornden Park covers 76 acres of rolling terrain bordering Syracuse University. The city purchased the land in 1921. Its standout feature is the E.M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden, a two-acre space with more than 3,800 plants and 368 varieties of roses maintained by the Syracuse Rose Society, according to the Thornden Park Association. The amphitheater, originally called Sylvn Theatre, was built in 1933 and seats up to 6,000 people.
Other amenities include a swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, paved trails and a playground.
Schiller Park, North Side (37 acres)
Named for German poet Friedrich von Schiller by the neighborhood’s German immigrant community, this 37-acre park on the North Side features a 50-meter outdoor pool, six tennis courts, a basketball court, a soccer field, outdoor exercise equipment, a gazebo and a playground, according to the City of Syracuse.
Kirk Park, South Side (33 acres)
This 33-acre park on the South Side includes a community center, an outdoor swimming pool and multiple athletic fields and courts, per the City of Syracuse Parks Department.
What the City Is Spending
Syracuse is in the middle of a $50 million parks overhaul that touches facilities across the city, according to city budget documents. Individual project details are available through the City of Syracuse Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs office.
Sources: City of Syracuse Parks Department (syr.gov), Thornden Park Association (thorndenpark.org), Wikipedia, Syracuse Parks Conservancy
