Prospect Park

The Daily Plant : Thursday, December 27, 2001

NEWS FROM CITY HALL PARK: A CONSERVANCY AND A STATUE TO PRESIDE

Deputy Mayor Rudy (Cobra) Washington, Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern, and Manhattan Borough Commissioner Adrian (A-Train) Benepe seek to preserve the work of an ambitious eleven-month restoration and promote the status of City Hall Park as an educational civic space. To that end, they have created the City Hall Park Conservancy, an act they announced at a press conference at 52 Chambers Street on Friday, December 21. Nonprofit park support organizations have been responsible for the outstanding transformations of Central and Prospect Parks and the development of active constituencies of park users and advocates in hundreds of parks around the city.

Mayor Rudolph (Eagle) Giuliani and Commissioner Stern also announced on Friday that Millennium Park, a new park adjacent to City Hall Park and born at the time of its restoration, will be distinguished with a statue of Theodore Roosevelt, a New York Police Commissioner who rose to the country’s highest office. The figure of Roosevelt, the world’s first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, will stand on a granite base within view of Broadway’s crowds of commuters and visitors, invoking peace in lower Manhattan. The City Hall Park Conservancy will oversee the installation of this statue in addition to the care of City Hall Park’s many monuments and historic tablets.

At 57.5 acres, East River Park is one of Manhattan’s best-used parks. With views of the East River and the Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges, it is also one of Manhattan’s most promising parks. This season, East River Park has been blessed with attention. Challenge America, an ABC pilot program, tells the true story of a resurrection of the park’s amphitheater and regulation soccer field. Sandwiched between the privately funded projects, is a $5.6 million reconstruction funded by Mayor Giuliani. In all, improvements in East River Park stretch more than a mile. At his State of the City address in January 2001, Mayor Rudolph (Eagle) Giuliani announced his intention to rename East River Park for Mayor John V. Lindsay. At a dedication ceremony on Friday, December 21, he made good on that promise. The public and privately funded improvements to the park ensure that Mayor Lindsay’s name will be associated with a beautiful place to play.

On Thursday, December 20, Charging Bull turned twelve. Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern; Art (Peppercorn) Piccolo, Chairman of the Bowling Green Association, students from P.S. 126, and passersby feted the bull with food, music, and candles. Dawn Rella carved ice sculptures. The Big Apple Circus performed. Windy Maples Farms donated wreaths and garlands. Baker and Sons brightened the day with candles, and Creative Cakes fashioned a bull-shaped cake. Bowling Green, Charging Bull’s abode, was decorated with evergreens and lights in anticipation of the next day, the winter solstice.

Yes, we know. Tucked between "Lose 15 pounds" and "Run the New York City Marathon" in your New Year’s resolutions, is your vow to take advantage of all those free self-improvement courses offered to employees by Parks.

To help you get on the ball before your spirit falters, the parks Training Academy has issued its fourth catalog listing a variety of courses offered by the Academy instructors and private consultants. The courses range from advanced writing for managers to getting and stay organized.

"If A is success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z.
Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut."

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)