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The Elizabeth Hubbard Memorial Garden

Elizabeth’s dancing feet took her from her hometown’s Dance Theater of Harlem – to the corps de ballet at Radio City Music Hall – and to Ballet Hispanico. Along the way she danced herself into the waiting arms of her beloved husband Joe.

Later in life, her feet paused as she taught young ballerinas at Marie Wildey School of Dance. She also became the respected Co-Chair of the M’Finda Kalunga Garden and co-founder of the Roosevelt Park Community Coalition. And in this Park and Garden you would find those dancing feet walking her cherished Roo.

While we pay tribute to Elizabeth’s memory we also commit this garden to the sightless and seeing impaired in our community. We intend it to be a garden that will be truly accessible to everyone. Whether by touch or by scent or by sight: a welcoming oasis to everyone.

It is being created in the spirit that Elizabeth guided us with: she was soft-spoken but fierce in the face of wrong, she had unshakable integrity, frankness, humor, thoughtfulness, generosity and grit.

And it will take a lot of grit. It will need the care and advice of those who it seeks to serve, the sightless and their allies, as well as the steady labor of the already dedicated team of volunteers.

We dedicate The Elizabeth Hubbard Memorial Garden with love in her honor.

Beautiful day today.

Today we dedicated the front Garden to Elizabeth Hubbard. We thank everyone who came out to celebrate and honor her.

Afterwards we had a lovely Juneteenth organized and led by our very own Debra Glass. We had readings and Maya Angelou poetry and a history lesson.

We had guests from the LightHouse and VISIONS (Thank you Lee Brozgold).

We thank Gigi Li, Chair of CB3, for dedicating Elizabeth’s Memorial Garden and Bob Humber (Elizabeth Hubbard Memorial Garden Coordinator) and Kim Fong (Executive Director of the BRC Senior Center) for accepting the plaque that Parks Department generously created.

Terese Flores (Park Manager), Ismael Rivera, Helen Yanolatos, Steve Simon, Geraldine Riddick, and Commissioner Castro.

Bob Humber’s crew: James, Kate, Jose, Lanzo, Carol, Jenifer, Jin Xiu and AAFE volunteers, Citizen’s for NYC and their volunteers.

AND Ted Glass for all manner of help: Signage, Website….etc.

Jenifer did it again!

Deutsche Bank volunteers, Citizen’s Committee staff,  and Garden members planted, watered, and mulched trees for the empty tree pits in the park, weeded the park side areas, completely revamped the chicken coop flooring with fresh dirt and hay, dug out trenches behind the compost piles, picked up trash, moved tons of manure, mulch and dirt into the front scent garden for the blind, oiled sheers and other equipment AND had time to eat pizza and enjoy the beautiful day.

These crews worked hard and didn’t leave until the job was finished (shout out to the chicken crew, and the wheelbarrow brigade bringing manure and dirt to the gardens and the compost pile folks!)

...There is no clearly defined process for achieving consensus on design and reaching the ‘pencils down’ moment,” the report said, “nor serious ramifications for not sticking to scope, budget or timeline…”

The study was commissioned by New Yorkers for Parks and prepared by Public Works Partners.

“…Taken as a whole, they call for significant changes to the culture of capital project management within the agency.” – NYforParks study.

Since 1998 this community has worked for the return of the Stanton Street Park Building to its original use as a community center. We’ve been asked to be the park that stores equipment for all of Manhattan parks, houses the alarm system for all five boroughs and another building used for Parks Dept. engineering staff. This means that  3 out of the 4 buildings in this park are not available for this neighborhood. None of this makes sense for a park that serves a community badly in need of green space and with rising costs for space for organizations serving low income neighbors. The Parks Department usage brings cars and trucks parking in the park itself and now a large cargo container- taking up yet more park space.

There was  money awarded by our Council Member, and money in the pipeline possible from our Borough President to put bathrooms into the Stanton building for public use. The costs keep rising as we wait.

Thankfully, our new Commissioner Silver said that he too is concerned about the lengthy waits “…the issue [is] a priority for his first 100 days as parks chief, Mr. Silver said he was meeting with his staff to address the problem and would issue recommendations by late summer…” – New York Times.

M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden once again hosts its annual Juneteenth celebration! This year we will dedicate the Elizabeth Hubbard Memorial Garden to honor our beloved Garden mentor (and founding Sara Roosevelt Coalition member).

Community Board Chair Gigi Li will do the honors. Bob Humber and Kim Fong will accept the plaque. Music, poetry, and dance will ensue!

Come and check it out.

We are sad to see Annie go but thrilled that she is following her dreams. Good luck in Kaua’i!

Annie was our President for the astonishing renovation of the Sara Roosevelt Park at Hester Street. The IS 131 children’s tiles you see on the sides of the Playground are there because of her generosity, determination, diplomacy and artistic sensibilities.

We look forward to working with Dylan, her very able partner in HSC’s efforts these many years.