Central Park

The Daily Plant : Monday, May 14, 2001

ATHLETES STRETCH HAMSTRINGS, PULL HEARTSTRINGS IN CENTRAL PARK

Competitors in the annual Spring Couples Relay lined up at the starting line and held onto their hearts in a race famous for surprise engagements. In the 13 years of its existence, the relay has seen three marriage proposals. This year, couples 18 to over 60 ran two and a half miles, biked twelve and paddled rowboats around a ¾ mile course. Lucky for them, the boathouse's 100 new boats made for a smoother, speedier ride than ever. Reportedly, they enjoyed the state-of-the-art equipment. Congratulations to the participants and to Nancy (Wheeler) Cliffner who organized the successful race.

...AND MANY MORE CONCERTS TO COME

MayFest, an annual celebration of Turkish culture, held its signature concert in Central Park's Naumberg Bandshell on Sunday, May 13. Omar Faruk Tekbilek, a virtuoso on the zurna, the baglama, and several percussion instruments performed Sufi folk music for a packed audience. He was supported by the MayFest organization, a nonprofit dedicated to uniting Turkish American communities and all New Yorkers in appreciation of the arts of Turkey. Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern welcomed the group and remarked that "New York City's parks are popular and suitable places for cultural celebration. Many of our best parks, including Central Park, were created as democratic public spaces where all New Yorkers could claim their right to interact with nature and express themselves. The parks of New York City also represent our shared heritage. As public spaces, they belong to all of us. I am pleased to celebrate Turkish culture in a park that tells a piece of the history that, as New Yorkers, we share." New Yorkers can look forward to many more concerts at the bandshell this summer.

WHERE GREEN MACHINES ARE YEARLY SEEN: PARKS' THIRTEENTH ANNUAL VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT SHOW

On Thursday, May 31st from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parks will hold its 13th Annual Vehicle and Equipment Show on Randall's Island, Manhattan. This event is a unique opportunity for us to showcase the biggest and the best in our fleet of more than 2,000 vehicles and pieces of heavy equipment. In the past, Parks has hosted up to 70 vendors, and this year's guests will range in scope from major trucking companies to alternative fuel providers. The variety of participants ensures that the most impressive and exciting innovations in fleet technology will be on display.

Invitations have been extended to hundreds of visitors, including municipal and government agencies, local colleges and universities, business improvement districts and public officials, providing them with an opportunity to learn more about how Parks operates, and discover their own vehicle and equipment options.

Please contact Dan (Frolic) Froehlich at (212) 360-8223 to learn more about this free, public event. We hope to see you there.

By Sara (Cria) Coleman, Operations Management Analyst

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Monday, May 16, 1988)

DIANE ENGLANDER NAMED PARKS COMPTROLLER

Diane Englander has been named Comptroller of Parks & Recreation, Commissioner Stern announced today. Englander will now oversee Recruitment and the Engineering, Fiscal, and Concession Audit units, seeing that parks complies with both outside and agency regulations and policies. She will also retain some responsibilities of her former post as Special Counsel, including research and development projects and participation on the Blue Ribbon Panel on Parks and the Constitution.

As Comptroller, Englander will report to John F. Ciaffone, Assistant Commissioner for Audit & Control.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"As I sit looking out of a window of the building
I wish I did not have to write the instruction manual
on the uses of a new metal."

John Ashberry (b. 1927)

Know Before You Go

Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)

Harlem Meer Center