Inside the U.S. women’s soccer team ticker-tape parade preparations

Workers at Gourmet Apple hang plastic American flags on the front of their store on Broadway Tuesday in preparation for the ticker tape parade honoring the U.S. women’s soccer team. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Richard Heathcote

New York City is ready to throw the U.S. women’s soccer team the victory party it deserves.

About one ton of recycled, shredded paper is bagged and ready to shower down on the Women’s World Cup champions as they ride up the Canyon of Heroes on Broadway to City Hall on Wednesday morning in a ticker-tape parade.

Business owners along the lower Manhattan route on Tuesday were getting ready for the crowds, festooning their windows with American flags.

“Tomorrow is for the ladies,” said Alberto Torres, the deli manager of Apple Gourmet at 225 Broadway, which featured the message “One Nation One Team” on its windows.

The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. in Battery Park and heads north up Broadway to City Hall.

Mayor Bill de Blasio will welcome members of the team with a special ceremony where they will receive the keys to the city.

“The greatest city in the world can’t wait to celebrate the greatest team in the world,” he tweeted on Sunday after the team’s 2-0 win over the Netherlands.

All 1,900 tickets to the City Hall ceremony were snapped up quickly. City officials said 1,400 were distributed to the public online through the city and 500 via the U.S. Soccer fan program.

On Tuesday, the free tickets were being sold on Craigslist for $150 apiece.

The team is riding high after their fourth World Cup win. This is their second ride up the Canyon of Heroes. The city hosted a ticker-tape parade for the 2015 team.

“It’s a nice sight to see,” said Chris Benson, building manager of 25 Broadway, who was on hand for the 2015 parade.

Tenants in the 22-story office building were busy shredding paper to toss from windows onto the parade route below.

“The weather’s going to be nice,” Benson said. “I think it’s going to be a lot more families on the parade route … the women’s soccer team is going to attract a lot of families and young girls there.”

The Downtown Alliance was busy on Tuesday, distributing bags of shredded paper to 25 Broadway and other sites along the route. The paper is donated by Brooklyn-based Atlas Materials, according to the Downtown Alliance.

“It’s a real special moment to honor these inspiring women,” said Jessica Lappin, president of the Downtown Alliance. “It makes New York City feel like a small town.”

The first parade along the Canyon of Heroes was in 1886 to celebrate the dedication of the Statue of Liberty, according to city officials. And there have been over 200 more.

The tall buildings in the financial district and a plentiful supply of ticker tape, a ribbonlike paper used to record telegraphed stock quotes, made it a natural fit to welcome home victorious troops, champion athletes and other notable people.

World War I soldiers were feted with a ticker-tape parade, as was aviator Charles Lindbergh; Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz “ Aldrin and Michael Collins. New York’s sports teams The Mets, the Yankees and the Giants have also had multiple trips along the famous route.

The most recent ticker-tape parade was the 2015 one to honor the U.S. women’s soccer team.

“I was there last time and I will be there this time,” said city Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia. “It’s an incredibly wonderful vibe. I suspect we will see lots of young girls and teen girls there to celebrate their heroines.”

Garcia said 350 sanitation workers and 80 chiefs and officers will be at the parade to clean up every last piece of shredded paper.

They will employ 130 backpack blowers, 130 hand brooms and 35 mechanical brooms to help get the job done.

The DSNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drums is also participating in the parade to honor the beloved team.

At the Dark Horse bar, located at 17 Murray St. across from City Hall, workers prepared for a flood of parade attendees.

“We have to get here early just to be prepared,” said manager Anne O’Connor, who said staff would be arriving two hours before their usual opening time of 11 a.m. just in case they get hit earlier. She’s also brought on extra staff to handle the crowds.

“I’m excited, it’s a good day,” beamed O’Connor. “I’m proud of [the team].”