By Amy Zimmer
DNAinfo News Editor
MANHATTAN — Central Park may be called home by 25 people, according to the 2010 census, but legally speaking, there are only a handful of nights a year New Yorkers are allowed to sleep in the park.
They have to score a slot in the Urban Park Rangers' family camping program — and it's a hot ticket.
More than 400 families competed for the 30 available individual slots when last year's 24-hour lottery hit the Internet.
Families across the city should pencil in these dates in: June 1 for the lottery for the June 10 night of camping and June 22, for the July 2 campout. (The Parks Department has not yet scheduled its August dates.)
The Central Park camping night is part of a free family program including tents and food that went citywide in 2008 and spans 30 nights across the boroughs, including in Manhattan's Inwood Hill Park. The opportunity is limited to groups of four that must include a kid.
Inwood's night of camping will be July 22 with lottery registration on July 11.
"You have a lot of people who really like to camp and seek out the opportunity to people who have never camped and are terrified of bugs," said Richard Simon, deputy director of the Urban Park Rangers.
Regardless of their experience levels, the general sentiment is one of "glee," Simon said. "They're happy to be outdoors and experience nature and, hopefully, having a good time with their family."
Campers go out for a night hike in the North Woods, and if it's clear enough, the rangers will bring out a telescope for some stargazing.
"Before it gets too dark, you can see the bats flying around. They're very fast," Simon said. "If you're lucky, you'll see other wildlife."
Last season, parks that allow barbecuing fired up their grills for the campouts. The nature lovers in Central Park — which does not allow BBQs — were treated to meals from Whole Foods, like true urban campers.
Participants this year will get what's called "Meals, Ready-to-Eat," vacuum-packed meals developed by the military.
"It's easy for us to purchase these items and store them," Simon explained. "Unfortunately, we're more and more short staffed, so to send someone to the supermarket takes away from running the program."
There won't be s'mores, but Simon said, "Those Rangers are adaptable. There definitely will be elements of s'mores."
The 30 campers aren't likely to spot other humans spending the night in the park, but according to the census, more than two-dozen people live there year round.
While the Census Bureau was not able to say whether these residents were homeless, an agency media specialist, Veronica Lavarro, explained that they have a "'targeted non-sheltered outdoor location" program that seeks out places where homeless people are known to sleep. Lavarro said that while the Bureau notes the locations of these people for the census, "We don't make a determination of whether someone is homeless."
Visit the Parks Department's website to learn more about the lotteries and dates for its family camping program.
