Welcome to the City of Kingston, NY

Kingston, dating to the arrival of the Dutch in 1652, is a vibrant city with rich history and architecture, was the state's first capital, and a thriving arts community. City Hall is in the heart of the community at 420 Broadway, and is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except July & August (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Come tour our historic City, with restaurants that are among the region's finest, and local shopping that promises unique finds.

Historic Churches

Kingston is home to many historic churches. The oldest church still standing is the First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Kingston which was organized in 1659. Referred to as The Old Dutch Church, it is located in Uptown Kingston. Many of the city's historic churches populate Wurts street (6 in one block) among them Hudson Valley Wedding Chapel is a recently restored church built in 1867 and now a chapel hosting weddings. Another church in the Rondout is located at 72 Spring Street. Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1849. The original church building at the corner of Hunter Street and Ravine Street burned to the ground in the late 1850s. The current church on Spring Street was built in 1874.

Kingston, NY

Kingston became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British on October 13, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga. In the 19th century, the city became an important transport hub after the discovery of natural cement in the region, and had both railroad and canal connections.

Kingston, NY

The town of Rondout, New York, now a part of the city of Kingston, became an important freight hub for the transportation of coal from Honesdale, Pennsylvania to New York City through the Delaware and Hudson Canal. This hub was later used to transport other goods, including bluestone. Kingston shaped and shipped most of the bluestone made to create the sidewalks of New York City.

Contact Us

City Hall Address:
420 Broadway
Kingston, New York
12401

Phone:
(845) 331-0080
Email:
[email protected]

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The Department of
Health and Wellness

The Department of Health and Wellness is charged with coordinating the Live Well Kingston Commission (LWK), managing the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) Grant Project, and supporting other projects that increase access to health in the City of Kingston. The department was created in 2017 with funding from a local foundation. In 2021, we received the CHSC grant, for 1.5 Million for 5 years.

Coordinating the Live Well Kingston Commission includes the support of its six subcommittees: Age Well, Eat Well, Grow Well, Heal Well, Travel Well, and Play Well. These “Focus Teams” build coalitions with community, host events, and support projects. Along with coordination, the department is tasked with communicating about health, community projects, and LWK initiatives.

In 2023 we wrapped up year two and began year three of the CHSC grant (fiscal year is June 1-May 31), which totals 1.5 million for five years. Physical activity and nutrition strategies are implemented in the Kingston City School District (KCSD), early care and education settings such as daycares, and in the community with food service guidelines and active transportation projects that connect everyday routes to destinations. We continued to partner with our subcontractors: Family of Woodstock focuses on early care, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County (CCEUC) works with KCSD.

Highlights of 2023 Accomplishments:

Creating Healthy Schools and Communities

Family of Woodstock is supporting 12 early care programs with physical activity and nutrition education.
CCEUC facilitated the Kingston City School District Health & Wellness Committee along with four elementary school wellness committees and is working directly with these schools to implement physical activity and nutrition initiatives.
Launched nutrition policies at the Salvation Army Food Pantry, Mental Health Association in Ulster County (MHA), and Kingston Emergency Food Collaborative (KEFC). This included purchasing healthy eating supports such as a refrigerator and freezer for the Salvation Army, kitchen equipment for MHA, and food storage shelving for KEFC.
Conducted a 3-month, citywide veggie of the month pilot campaign, Kingston Eats Veggies
Completed a landscape plan for the Broadway & Prince greenspaces.
Created a bicycle rack program and installed nine racks
Purchased temporary bike racks to host “Bike Valets” at multiple community events.
Initiated the Kingston Greenline Wayfinding Plan which will create signage designs on the system of rail trails and complete streets.

Managed City Projects

Continued managing the Mobile Mental Health grant project that pairs a mental healthcare specialist with a Kingston Fire Department Emergency Medical Technician to staff a mobile response unit.
Completed the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan
Hosted the Complete Streets Advisory Council meetings, drafted Rules of Procedure, and assisted the Sidewalk Financing Taskforce (a subcommittee reviewing ways to fund sidewalk improvements).
Supported the Parks & Recreation Earth Fair
Started managing the construction of Post Office Park (formerly the Broadway and Prince Landscape Design Project).
Designed special communications for the Mayor’s Office.
Initiated the City of Kingston’s Food System Plan project.

Facilitated the LWK Commission and Supported Focus Team Projects

Age Well

Met regularly throughout the year. In-person meetings were held at OFA, CCEUC, and the Kingston Library.
Promoted technology education opportunities.
Hosted a Midtown Walking Group and a Chair Zumba pilot class.

Eat Well

Hosted six meetings with guest presenters. Connected agencies with each other and free trainings.
Initiated subgroups about food waste and culinary nutrition education programming.
Hosted a culinary nutrition training led by The Teaching Kitchen for organizations that prepare free or low-cost community meals
Collaborated with Heal Well to provide food insecurity resources & health screenings at Earth Fair
Supported the Kingston Emergency Food Collaborative (KEFC), which delivered around 39,000 meals in 2023.

Grow Well

Met twice a month via Zoom and in person at the Barmann Park garden.
Led a bicycle tour with stops at five community gardens.
Coordinated the mending of the fence at Rondout Gardens and shed roof replacement at GW Elementary with Ulster Youth Build.
Through a NYS Community Gardens Grant managed by the Kingston YMCA Farm Project, paid Garden Stewards stipends.

Heal Well

Met monthly with additional subcommittee meetings.
Collaborated with Eat Well to provide health screenings & food insecurity resources at Earth Fair
Coordinated health screenings at community events.
Hosted Walk and Talk with a Doc at the Earth Fair and O+ Festival.

Play Well

Met as a group 16 times, this included general team and sub-committee meetings to work on projects that promoted physical activity and access to public spaces.
Hosted chess matches at the Earth Fair and supported the YMCA’s Day of Play event.
Developed “Kingston Walks,” three alternative walking routes while Dietz is under construction.
Developed the “Parks Passport” program where participants visited parks to win a YMCA membership.

2024 Goals:

Continue to manage the CHSC grant project.
Install ten more bicycle racks at various locations.
Develop a LWK assessment and planning project.
Facilitate the LWK Commission, Focus Teams, and communications.
Implement a “Parks in Healthcare” project – Greenline maps and posters for health providers' waiting rooms.
Continue to support the Kingston Emergency Food Collaborative.
Manage two ARPA projects: City of Kingston Food System Plan and the Post Office Park construction.
Support the Mobil Mental Health Project.
Apply to become a League of American Bicyclist’s Bicycle-Friendly Community.
Develop a “bicycle traffic garden” at Forsyth Park.
Build upon the success of Kingston Eats Veggies with an expanded, annual programming.
Develop regular community-facing culinary nutrition programming in the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Community Kitchen in collaboration with community partners.