July 27, 2007
Washington Square Park Renovation Still on Hold
The NY Sun is reporting that the Parks Department received a lackluster response from community members and government representatives last night after agency officials released yet another design for a renovated Washington Square Park.
The presentation was an effort by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to move forward the public approval process. In 2005, a lawsuit was filed, alleging that the initial design to trim the fountain plaza area, among other plans, were not disclosed to the community board, the Landmarks Commission or the Arts Commission. In March, an appellate court ruled that the Parks Department had sufficiently disclosed its plans, paving the way for the renovation. Jonathan Greenberg, one of the plaintiffs in the case, at the time called the ruling a “political fix.”
It’s not clear whether the new sketches presented last night will change the initial renovation plan, which included, according to the Sun, “aligning the park's fountain with the Washington Arch, leveling the fountain plaza, constructing a 4-foot fence around the perimeter, and changing the pattern of several walkways.” The Community Board approved the first-phase design, but later rescinded.
Community members say they want the $6.8 million renovation to improve public restrooms, repair the paths and the central fountain, enlarge the northeast playground, rebuild the large dog run and expand the small one and restore the mounds as a play area for older kids.
Photograph by Jake Dobkin
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I don't understand why the Parks Department wanted to undertake such a huge overhaul of the park. The park definitely needs some work, and the suggestions by the community members are much more reasonable.
Here is a Photography Documentary of the park:
http://washingtonsquarepark.org/wsppp/
There is a video documentary up on Youtube:
http://youtube.com/washingtonsquarepark
(This was shown at Judson Memorial Church the other night)
I'm really glad they are finally installing that talking statue of a Rasta, holding a bag of grass clippings in one hand, that says, 'Hey NYU kid, you need weed?' over by the chess tables. They've gone too long without the proper tribute they deserve.
That's not a statue, that's just a dude who's there a lot.
It seems to me that NYU is the motivating force behind this renovation. All that money dumped into moving huge fixtures like the central fountain for aesthetic purposes is a horrible waste. What, really, is to be gained from aligning it to the arch?? The only ones to profit from it are the contractors hired to carry out the work which, like most city projects, will probably run over its projected budget and completion date. The ones to suffer will be the park's thousands of daily visitors.
In a city that can't afford to educate its children or shelter its growing homeless population, the last thing we should be spending money on is a major renovation for a park that only need a little touching-up.
I don't think NYU is the motivating force and most students are opposed to what the Parks Dep't is proposing. No NYU student wants to graduate at Shea Stadium like they would have had to do if the renovations started when they were supposed to.
That is one nice photograph.
I can think of a lot of good things to do with millions of dollars, but "moving this fountain from here to over there" would probably not be on the list.
Especially given that the people who actually live there and would use the park don't want it done.
wow.. a photo that's not in the "extra, extra" section gets a credit!
oh... its jake dobkin. nevermind.