We Rallied. The Subcommittee Voted for the ugly, unnecessary project that will Kill East River Park.

Posted on by Pat

We delivered 9,000 petitions from three grassroots groups. We have a letter signed by 34 groups. Most everyone in our Lower East Side/East Village opposes the East Side Coastal Resiliency Plan to demolish East River Park since there are better ways to gain flood control.

We lost the first critical vote Nov. 4 in the City Council. The Subcommittee on Landmarks, Sitings and Dispositions, at the request of our neighborhood Council members, voted to approve the $1.45 billion plan to demolish East River Park over five years and rebuild it for flood control.

We’ve been trying to tell our City Council members for a year–in overwhelming numbers–that we need a better, less destructive plan, but we are not heard. Are we blue? Hell yes. Are we giving up just because Carlina Rivera, Keith Powers and Margaret Chin support the plan? Hell no.

April Merlin
April Merlin described collecting petition signatures in NYCHA.
Yvette Mercedes
Yvette Mercedes said she began collecting signatures because NYCHA residents were being portrayed as supporting the flood plan. It isn’t true. Only Tenant Association leaders do, she said. The residents, when they hear about the plan, oppose it.
Curtis White
Curtis White collected some of the 2,000 NYCHA tenant signatures.
A NYCHA tenant describes the pain of losing the park.
Pat Arnow
Pat Arnow told of the great amount of opposition and begged the City Council to listen to what constituents had to say.

Here’s a good summary in Curbed, including this about Inez Barron, who ignored the City Council’s longstanding courtesy of voting the way requested by the Council member whose district the project is in. She defied a letter to the subcommittee from Carlina Rivera, Keith Powers and Margaret Chin. “The lone Council member who vote against the ESCR proposal, Brooklyn Councilmember Inez Barron, said October 3rd’s subcommittee hearing on the plan ‘exposed what was left undone, unsaid, unexplored, and unanswered’ by the city. Monday’s concessions did little to sway the Councilmember.” https://ny.curbed.com/2019/11/4/20948375/east-side-costal-resiliency-city-council-vote

Kendra Krueger
Kendra Krueger described true resiliency. And she recommended sitting under a tree.
Amy Berkov
Amy Berkov spoke for East River Alliance and delivered 4,000 petitions
Howard Brandstein proposes that the FDR be turned into a transit corridor for light rail and electric buses.
Howard Brandstein proposed that the FDR be turned into a transit corridor for light rail and electric buses.
Lauren Vasquez personified The Mayor's Plan
Lauren Vasquez played in a skit. Her role was The Mayor’s Plan. Stakeholders tried to drive stakes through the plan to kill it, but, Lauren said, “You punk stakeholders have no power here at City Hall!.”

Photos by Steve Giles. If you have photos, send them in, and I’ll be happy to add them. See you in the park.

More photos from Earth Celebrations who turned out looking fabulous and making a strong statement for our earth and our park. Thank you Felicia.

    • 3 thoughts on “We Rallied. The Subcommittee Voted for the ugly, unnecessary project that will Kill East River Park.”

    1. The DeBlasio administration was determined to squash the initial plan and go forward with the exorbitantly costly “bury the park plan.” Somebody is going to make millions off this tawdry deal and it makes me angry! I personally will campaign against Margaret Chin. She betrayed the trust of people on the LES.

      Reply

    2. According to Ballotpedia, Carlina Rivera won the Democratic primary with 8,354 votes. On Tuesday, ERPA, ERA, and NYCHA delivered petitions with >8,500 signatures. Just food for thought…

      Reply

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