According to New York City officials and some elected representatives, we need artificial turf fields more than we need to protect the climate of NYC and the earth. NO. We need more real grass playing fields and other open, natural spaces for the health and joy of more New Yorkers and for the future of…
What’s wrong with the flood control plan for the Lower East Side? Let’s see the report and find out, says a new lawsuit. NYC may have to reveal the contents of a hidden study that supposedly justified the complete destruction of East River Park and the building of a giant levee at double the cost…
The Grand Street Democrats passed a resolution Jan. 27 decrying the destruction of East River Park despite the recently discovered lack of a Value Engineering report or study. Such a document is needed for large complicated projects such as the East Side Coastal Resiliency flood control plan. The Grand Street Dems are building a new…
What should the East Side Coastal Resiliency Plan look like? Earlier visioning renderings from ESCR planning sessions with the community show marshes and wetlands with bridges and salt-water-resistant plantings. These are accommodations to sea level rise and storm surges. The parkland becomes a sponge that absorbs flood waters. Where our bulkheads (the promenade along the…
How to Make a terrible situation far worse by Harriet Hirshorn, Lower East Side I’ve been thinking about the terrible timing of shutting down 60 percent of East River Park in September when schools will be open for in room classes only 1-3 times a week. I’m reading articles in the New York Times about…
Wrecking East River Park can wait, but the Lower East Side and East Village need storm surge barriers for the hurricane season coming up. The East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) plan that would demolish East River Park is likely to be delayed. “In New York City, which was crippled in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy, the…
Toothless agreement satisfies City Council Committee The City Council Land Use Committee passed the flood control plan that will demolish East River Park. The plan goes before the full City Council Nov. 14. It is expected to pass, and bulldozing will begin next year. Before the vote Nov. 12 (10 Yes, 1 abstention), City…
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…
boon·dog·gle \ ˈbün-ˌdä-gəl noun: a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft — Merriam-Webster Example: New York City’s flood control plan for East River Park is a boondoggle—a $1.45 billion unnecessary destruction of a wonderful, much-used park. Our park survived Hurricane Sandy. It won’t survive New York City’s flood control plan—unless…
We deserve a better plan People have been asking, “Why don’t you like the city’s flood control plan, and what do you want?” Here’s a summary of my take. What do you think? East River Park ACTION opposes the city’s destructive flood control plan. It is an environmental injustice to inflict the dire mental and physical…