Monthly Archives: October 2017

One of our many reasons to restore the building back to public use!

BoweryBoogie Op-Ed from Wendy Brawer of Green Map:

“In an era where the most vulnerable have already been hardest hit by climate change, deportation threats and unemployment, the current vision of a community “green culture center” for the Stanton Building will support all of us in the movement toward social resiliency by building green jobs, ecological and climate stabilization skills, and include homeless peoples’ needs and emergency preparedness. Hurricanes Irma, Maria and Harvey are stark reminders of the need to address climate adaption from the bottom up.”

Park space in front restored for benches, planters, flowers…creating a safer more enjoyable space for everyone. What other possibilities can you imagine for this site?

Wendy Brawer of Green Map System and Stanton Building Task Force hosted several organizations on a tour of Sara Roosevelt Park this morning. Wendy’s commitment to sustainable practices and the environment puts her in contact with like-minded people all over the world.

Today was no exception.

Roadmap and Ecological Chart of Chinese Environmental Protection Agencies which includes Friends of Nature, Green Hunan, Heye Institute, Riverwatcher Action Network, and Ali Baba Foundation. 

They were joined by K Webster of Sara Roosevelt Park Community Coalition  and Kim Fong of the BRC Senior Center  who spoke of the seniors vital connection to the M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden 

The Gardens in SDR park and the communities that use the park building at Delancey Street show the strength of communities that share neighborhood resources bring. When park buildings are used by and for the community for needed actions/activities – the gardens and parks flourish around them.

Two issues that affect Sara Roosevelt Park:

• Bus depots: At least two more have now located on Chrystie near Canal across from 3 schools and a park.
• No pollution controls required for these buses.
• No legal way to restrict them due to bad driver/bus company track records.
• No legal means to locally protect bus riders, pedestrians and bicyclists. NY State and Federal Government are tasked with enforcing/monitoring bus companies.

Full coverage here from The Lo-Down.

“…Republican opposition forced former Sen. Daniel Squadron …to water down their intercity bus regulation law enacted several years ago….

…Squadron…led a task force that worked with local law enforcement agencies to go after rogue bus operators. Now State Assembly member Yuh-Line Niou … tells us she prepared to reactivate the task force…”

• Bike lane signage: We have (still) new two-way bike lanes that hug the west side of SDR Park. We’ve had reports of many many near collisions with pedestrians. We have blind folks here, we have deaf folks here we have elders, children, park goers who are needlessly endangered by the lack of awareness from bike riders. Signage to warn everyone of the pedestrian/bike areas are needed NOW. Before another tragedy happens. From BoweryBoogie here:

“Mr. Leung was crossing Essex Street from east to west in a marked crosswalk with the pedestrian signal in his favor when he was struck by the bicyclist. The bicyclist was traveling southbound on Essex Street in the left travel lane and disobeyed a steady red signal at Hester Street where he struck Mr. Leung.”

The Parks Commissioner has promised to work with DOT on this bike signage.