This fall we walked through of Sara Roosevelt with NYC Manhattan Parks Commissioner Anthony Perez and Council Member Chris Mart, Parks Deputy Chief of Operations Ralph Musolino, Park Manager Jamil Phillips, and Storehouse Manager Dennard Harris to gather information and survey problems and what is working.
Resulting in immediate solutions for the park:
Brighter lighting in the park (see previous posting), CM Marte brought up issues around Canal area and the need for better lighting and work to deal with encampments. The removal of derelict and ineffective (sometimes dangerous) fencing around the sprinkler at Stanton and bench areas there, and the Hua Mei Bird area. The neighborhood’s request to return the benches at the front of the Pit – done! (Jamil installed the benches the next day!).
We walked the entire park. There was strategizing on increasing the public’s use of the Pit, recreating the Hua Mei bird fencing and the possibility of using pieces of fencing elsewhere in the park. (and the Coalition mentioned the possibility of a shared site at the Broome Parkhouse).
The police have requested to fence off an area south of Delancey – the dramatic lighting installed there has already made the area safer.
AND both Park Commissioner Perez and CM Marte let us know that the Stanton building will be released to public use: a new site and funding are found!! A structured timeline is being created!
The Commissioner also promised to reinstitute Park Operations meetings for this park and he and CM Marte are committed to taking action about violence here.
Thanks to both Commissioner Perez and CM Marte for their support and partnership in re-centering our park to be for this community and the larger public!
