From Children’s Magical Garden:
Please join members of Children’s Magical Garden tomorrow, Tuesday, April 9th at 7:30 AM. Press Conference Show your support of this beloved community garden under dire threat. Your presence will help protect this children’s garden. Trees and plants destroyed! This is a call for Solidarity! The Gardens stand together. An attack on one is an attack on all. Location: 129 Stanton Street between Norfolk and Essex, NY NY Members of Children’s Magical Garden were heartbroken and outraged to discover as they came to the garden on Sunday that a trespasser had illegally broken into their property and senselessly destroyed many of their treasured plantings, including their mature and flowering nectarine tree, elderberry bushes, butterfly bushes (which attracted monarch butterflies to the garden each year), mature boxwoods, and perennial flowers. The Children’s Magical Garden is beloved and historic community garden founded in 1982 at the corner of Norfolk and Stanton Streets on the Lower East Side. More than three decades ago, the Garden’s founding members transformed the site of a burned down building that had become a dangerous dumping ground across the street from P.S. 20 elementary school into an enclosed garden sanctuary, where children could safely play and learn about nature. Recognized by the New York City Council as a “neighborhood treasure,” and for its “vital role in transforming the Lower East Side environment,” this non-profit community garden has given mentorship to thousands of children and inspired a connection to nature for generations of New York City residents…. Despite public protests and repeated calls and letters to the developers by members of the New York City Council, the principals of all four neighboring schools, a petition signed by 2,500 community members, and a resolution by Community Board 3 in support of the “beloved community garden”, the developers have refused to work towards a peaceful resolution that returns the property to the Children’s Magical Garden. .. Gardeners are asking the community to call their representatives and let them know what the Children’s Magical Garden means to them. CONTACT: Dave Currence, Children’s Magical Garden Board Member DaveCurrence@gmail.com Benjamin Burry, Sidley Austin bburry@sidley.com |