News

From The Hort’s* Pam Ito:

“High school students from Emma Lazarus on Hester Street woke up early on their DOE day off to work in Sara Roosevelt Park yesterday.  With support from Council Member Margaret Chin and oversight from Park Department gardener Kaitilin, 18 English language learners planted four dozen perennials.  The students weeded in three areas along Forsyth, then planted in two. Please stop by and say hello to the lirope, vinca, echinaces, bee balm and hostas!

*The Horticultural Society of New York

Thanks to Gigi Li of Council Member Chin’s office and the MTA (and the diligence of Tessa Huxley) we have an update on the MTA projected work on Forsyth Street across from M’Finda Kalunga Garden. Click to open full PDF

By Christopher Werth May 16, 2019

WNYC Tested for Lead in 3 NYC Parks. See here for the results.

“Testing on a first order would be the most important thing, and then you can share that information,” said Landes. “You and I can make informed decisions about maybe where our children make mud pies and where they don’t make mud pies. But you don’t necessarily have to immediately close down a whole park just because there are a few samples that might be above a certain threshold….”

“…Cheng recommends covering contaminated areas in parks — either with clean soil, mulch or landscaping fabric — as opposed to removing it, which can cause its own set of problems. The city already operates what it calls a “Clean Soil Bank” that helps identify uncontaminated sources of soil. These originate from construction projects in Queens that are digging up largely untouched glacial deposits that then get distributed to sites that need it.

….That said, the lead levels WNYC found in parks are relatively low compared to many private yards. Cheng’s lab offers soil testing to the public for $10 a sample. It’s analyzed close to 3,000 of them from across the city, including community gardens. The highest tested at nearly 9,000 ppm. The average for many yards ranges from 400 to 1,200 ppm…

“In New York, I’ve just been very surprised at how high the levels are…”

“Update May 22, 2019: After this story ran, the office of Corey Johnson, Speaker of the New York City Council, responded to WNYC with the following statement: “The council is concerned about limiting childhood lead exposure from all sources, including soil. We are working on a second round of lead bills, including bills that address lead levels in soil. We expect to pass those bills before the end of the year.”

Borough President Brewer and the City  Council under the leadership of  Council Member Chin have filed a lawsuit against City Planning to have these projects properly brought before the community. You are invited to join the rally Wednesday morning to support the positions before the hearing.

COUNCIL MEMBER CHIN TO JOIN BOROUGH PRESIDENT BREWER TO RALLY SUPPORTERS BEFORE HEARING OF TWO BRIDGES LAWSUIT

What: Wednesday, June 5 at 9:00 am, Council Member Margaret S. Chin will join Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer to rally supporters before a hearing regarding the lawsuit Brewer and Chin filed against the City and the developers of the site.

The Department of City Planning contended in a 2016 ‘staff level determination’ that the proposed projects for the Two Bridges site, which would soar over the current low-rise neighborhood as tall as 80 stories–are merely “minor modifications” of the base-level zoning, and do not require a full public review process. The lawsuit brought by Brewer and the City Council contends that the “minor modification” analysis is simply nonsense and that these projects effectively rewrite the Special Permits granted in the area, and demands that these projects be placed before the community for a public review.

Who: Council Member Margaret Chin and Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer

When: Wednesday, June 5, 2019 9:00 AM

Where: 1 Centre Street, North Side (North of the kiosks)

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Haywood, NYC Parks Department Gardener:

Other help today from an anonymous worker, Bob, Prince, Tessa, and K

Thanks to Park’s Staff for quick removal of trash we hauled out!

Dedicated volunteers (some for 40 years!) work hard to create a safe, beautiful park. Respect!

Below: Thelma and Prince working on the side plots in the Stanton Street Area.

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The basketball courts and soccer fields were full all weekend.

Congratulations to a sister Park for all the efforts “Parks Without Borders” recipients!

Borough President Gale Brewer, Council Member Margaret Chin, Parks Commissioner Silver, Manhattan Parks Commissioner Castro, the Seward Park Conservancy and Community Board 3 Parks Chair Trevor Holland among others who spoke.

The Lo-Down