Cathryn Swan over at Washington Square Park sent word of this event, presented by the Sierra Club, which is free and open to the public. Cathryn’s blog is “a chronicle of a big park and a city government overcome by its own power.”
Discussion: The Selling of Brooklyn Bridge Park
Friday, May 30th; 6:30 p.m.
Judson Memorial Church (Washington Sq. Park South, entrance on Thompson
St.)Background information:
Urban parks are becoming our newest endangered species. It has been a
20-year effort by the surrounding community to secure the Brooklyn
Bridge Park in an 85-acre strip along 1.5 miles of Brooklyn’s East
River waterfront. It has become an example of the implementation of
“parks that pay for themselves,” leading to increased privatization and
the further demise of public parks.Requiring parks to pay their own way is an extension of the relentless
cutbacks in public funding for NYC parks in recent decades, from 1.5%
of the municipal budget in former years to only 0.4% currently.Unlike traditional New York City parks, which are administered by the
NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation, the Brooklyn Bridge Park is being
created by a subsidiary of the Empire State Development Corp., a state
agency whose primary mission is promotion of economic activity.Apart from $150 million committed by the city and state for
construction, the park will have to generate enough income to pay for
ongoing operation and upkeep. The main source, under the approved plan,
will be payments from owners of apartments in high-rise housing with
1,200 luxury units that private developers will be allowed to build
within the park – a massive intrusion into its narrow swath of green
space.Speakers:
Judi Francis, President, Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund
Roy Sloane, civic activist
Free and open to the public. Wine, cheese and snacks will be served.
Just saw this person’s ridiculous rant! Bravo to the Sierra Club, Francis and Sloane for decrying privatization of our public parks.
“Steve” is no doubt the Brooklyn Heights Conservancy/Association – an organization trying to stamp out the public in public parks.
We don’t need 1240 new private luxury condos to support our parks. We need recreation and lots of open space.
I’m really disappointed that you – the mother of all Brooklyn blogger and someone whom I respect – are falling for this “selling of brooklyn bridge park” nonsense. If you look closely at all of the anti-BBP rhetoric, you’ll notice that it’s always coming from 2 people who’ve figured out how to make a lot of noice, Ms. Francis and Mr. Sloane. But just because they’re good at P.R. doesn’t make them right. They are bitter people because they have their own vision of what this park should be, and rather than accept the fact that other people’s vision of the park could also be good, they have made it their mission to destroy the park. They would rather have no park at all than one that varies slightly from their ideal. It’s insane. Their argument about “privatizing the park” by having condos at the edge is one of the worst arguments I’ve ever heard. Does central park feel privatizing by all of those luxury condos and coops along CPW and Fifth ave? Does Prospect Park feel privatized by all of those Coops along Prospect Park West? Even Battery Park – a much smaller park still feels very public and I myself have enjoyed many wonderful events there. The fact is that the major parks in this city are managed by conservancies that have to spend alot of effort fundraising in the private sector to ensure that there is enough money to maintain this park. The development sites in BBP are ensuring that this park will have that same private funding source without having to get down on your knees with your hat in your hand. It’s clearly a win-win. All Judy Francis and the sierra club are doing with their yelling and screaming and lawsuits is getting their names in the paper and costing the park money to defend these lawsuits – money that should be going towards building a park. Please think long and hard before you give these people any more publicity or support.