Fields & Trails

In order to restore and maintain our Athletic Fields, the Alliance supports NYC Parks by hiring a seasonal City Parks Worker to manage the area. Every year, with support from schools’ athletic directors, the Alliance hires border collies to safely and effectively remove geese from the Parade Ground—thereby making the fields clean and safe. Border collies are natural herders and are trained to move geese out of the park without injuring them.

The Calhoun School provides funding to purchase vehicles and a maintainer for the athletic fields and the Parade Ground. Their donation is complemented by support from the other neighboring schools Horace Mann School has restored and assisted with maintenance of two tennis courts.

Every weekend in the fall, races are held, the largest being the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational (MCXCI), which draws almost 12,000 high school participants annually from across the U.S. It is not only the largest event in Van Cortlandt Park but also, according to the organizers, the largest high school cross country meet in the country.

The Cross Country Trail is not just for competitive athletes and hardcore runners. Recreational runners use the trail throughout the year. Local running groups such as the Van Cortlandt Track Club, New York Road Runners, and other organized groups are available for recreational and competitive training and events.

In order to restore and maintain our Cross Country Course, the Alliance supports NYC Park by hiring seasonal City Parks Workers and hosting volunteers to maintain the trail.

Each year New York Road Runners and local schools support the continual maintenance of the Cross Country Trail.

If you have a group interested in volunteering, visit our Community Stewardship page for more information.