Protecting and improving the community for the people who live and work here

From Vassar College’s digital window:

Thanks to Jenifer and Bud and Ted (and others) for the lively Ladybug release day.

and to Jose for redesigning and re-bricking the turtle pond area. Lovely.

FYI:

With hard work, skills and resources (including a lunch from Katz’s Deli!) Temple Emanu-El volunteers showed up in force today. Citizens Committee for New York City with Lori and Emily provided strong hands and organizing skills.

Teens and parents worked along the sides of the park and in Elizabeth Hubbard Garden and M’Finda Kalunga Garden as well as in The BRC Senior Garden Patio. The young women and women’s group worked with Lori on the patio. They built three enormous garden tables and repotted the plantings! The young men went Tom (new volunteer and friend of Laura and Kevin) installed the hose stanchion, dug a trench for the new hose line and worked on tree pits. And a large group painted almost every bench in the garden (all in sore need of paint)! One group worked up front lining and widening the pathways in Elizabeth Hubbard and planting bulbs for the spring! The garden was swept and cleared areas of debris.

It was a good day. One family has pledged to help Bob Humber (Coordinator of Elizabeth Hubbard) maintain and continue to build that garden.

Bob, K, Chris, Kate, Carol, Lauren, Kevin, Tom, and Joe were the gardeners (and friends of gardeners) who helped out supervising and working.

Thanks to all. Enjoy the pictures!

Sent by Joyce Mendelsohn of Friends of the Lower East Side:

A history of housing proposals between 1930 and 1933, including a radically modern one made by architects Howe and Lescaze

Lower East Side Siedlung (settlement) – By Joanna Merwood–Salisbury

Merwood–Salisbury: “When Sara D. Roosevelt Park opened in September 1934 it …represented a decisive act on the part of new Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia to distance himself from his predecessor, Mayor James J. Walker, and to usher in a new era of civic responsibility in city planning….intended, not for a park, but for social housing.”

“…The land in question had been acquired by the city only a few months before the stock market crash of 1929, at greatly inflated cost. After the existing tenement buildings were demolished in 1930 the site became a barren wasteland of demolition rubble, a “Hooverville” of shanty houses and bread lines…”

With clarification from Joyce Mendelsohn:

Great turn out with too many to thank. Let me know if I missed you!

Jen Itzkowitz organized the donations and food (terrific job), food boss Kevin stepped in to lead the day in food. Penny led the pruning brigade with Oriol (who brought a very good friend who spent the day chopping down a tree in the garden), Jenifer organized the children’s shed, Chris, Kevin, Lauren (yes, who had a baby this week), George, Carol, Kate and Shel were all on tree pit renovation. Beautiful job with all the tree pits from Stanton to Delancey (we’ll finish up tomorrow). Turi pruned, Joe watched the gate and welcomed people, Ted was on turtle pond duty and helped with sandbox removal and fixed the wheelbarrow’s flat tire. Raisa planted tulips. Wendy Brawer of Green Map Systems planted tulips in honor of Adam Purple across from the site of the former “Garden of Eden” (thank you Wendy!). Carolina from Combo CoLab began installing rainwater harvesting (or repairing what has been here). Kirsti of Partnerships for Parks (who organized our tool and bulb drop off) stopped by to say hello. Turi also befriended a butterfly (look at the photo carefully) that resembled a leaf. Anyone know what kind it is? And what about those terrifying ‘crickets’ guarding the chain?

Bob and K did things too.

Morgenstern’s Ice Cream gave us LOTS of ice cream without standing in line for this sought after treat! -Rivington between Chrystie and Bowery.

Stanton CSA gave us fruit.

Our Partnership for Parks’ Capacity Grant funded meeting on Wednesday had left over: water, soda’s, table cloths, utensils – all donated.

Starbucks gave coffee and pastries and sandwiches- Allen and Delancey.

Pop-Karma gave bulk bags of popcorn – Orchard just south of Delancey.

The Pickle Guys -Essex near Grand.

There was home-baked bread, and other goodies from our excellent gardeners.

It was lovely to be working on the same day that women running for breast cancer awareness graced our park with their presence.

We worked! And at the end of the day we ate all the ice cream Bob would share! Thanks everyone. It was a great day.

Tomorrow Bob and I will be out there again from 1-4 with a crew from Temple E Manuel. Join us! Lots of leftovers!

WNYC’s Science Friday Ira Flatow talks with Cognitive neuroscientist Colin Ellard who studies how our streetscapes shape our bodies, brains and behavior.

Ira: I followed one of your tour routes…My first stop was a city green space. We are at a community garden at the Sara D Roosevelt Park in historic lower east side of NY. If you look into the garden it really makes you forget that you are in the lower east side. It is beautifully taken care of there are park benches, there is a place to play chess, sit and relax and plenty of greenery and when you look around you can clearly see that people have been gardening in this garden all summer. I would describe my physical state as being relaxed, “vacation- y”, and very much feeling at one with nature here…”

Colin: “…That spot where you were was such a treasured find on that walk. We really didn’t expect to find anything that tranquil, that kind of oasis of greenspace on the walk.”

Ira: “It’s really true you just walk in there and suddenly you’re in a different place.”

Ira near the Hua Mei Bird Sanctuary:

Can Science Help Build Happier Cities? OCT. 16, 2015 – with thanks to Ted Glass

From 1pm to 4pm

Sign in at M’Finda Kalunga Garden: Rivington between Chrystie and Forsyth

Refreshments served!