Sara Roosevelt Park Community Coalition
Dear Council Member Chin, February 4, 2017
We gratefully appreciate and support the continued efforts of The Horticultural Society and Emma Lazarus High School on behalf of our beloved Sara Roosevelt Park.
We continue to believe that when our community ‘stakes their claim’ on this park anything is possible. It happened with the M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden, the Hua Mei Bird Sanctuary, the New Forsyth Conservancy, the Elizabeth Hubbard Memorial Garden and the BRC. And it is happening now with Emma Lazarus’ students.
These students have been learning the work of a steward under the guidance and expertise of “The Hort”. It has already made that section of the park a unique space. The kind you want to explore or just admire. They also work on projects that require more mundane upkeep of a well–used Park. All efforts are important here.
As you know, we received a “D” from New Yorkers for Parks – despite all the efforts that are being made here. We have a large homeless population who do unwitting damage, which requires a lot of vigilance, and a lot of clean up. We have chosen to live with that given the utter devastation this crisis brings to their lives. But we also want the public to love this park and enjoy its beauty.
The students and The Hort are making that a very real possibility.
We also believe that in times of such contempt for our countries immigration narrative that we make very clear our support in words and deeds for the newest members of our US family. We are proud to have poet Emma Lazarus’ namesake joining us in making this Park our Park.
Thank you again for all your support Council Member Chin.
Yours truly,
Sara Roosevelt Park Coalition