Robert Moses Playground

Four workers receive words of praise for their helpful actions during the transit strike

The following letter—sent to Mayor Michael Bloomberg as the transit strike wound down—describes the exemplary actions of four Parks & Recreation employees. Though their efforts may seem noble, they are, in fact, just one example of Parkies who rise above and beyond the call of duty to help members of the public.

December 23, 2005
The Hon. Michael Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007

Dear Mayor Bloomberg:

I am writing you this letter to inform you of the exceptional service and help that I received during a recent holiday horror. The story begins with parking my car at the Robert Moses playground at the corner of 41^st Street and First Avenue due to no transit service because of the strike. When it came time to leave, I realized that I had lost my car keys.

This was a moment of sheer panic for me. I knew the parking lot closed at 10:00 p.m. and I had no way of moving my vehicle out of the lot. Upon arriving at the lot, I found NYC Parks Department employees John Bouknight and Tim Jacques, as well as a NYC Parks Department Enforcement officer whose name I do not know.

John and Tim were very understanding of my plight and offered to help in any way they could. They helped me put my car in neutral so it could be towed out of the facility. However, after waiting in the cold for over an hour for a tow truck to arrive, it was not to be. It was at that point that John, sensing my desperate situation, told me that he would open the lot the next day so I could get my car out.

I had my mother overnight a copy of the car key from New Jersey and the next day my fiancée went to the lot with the key and was met by NYC Parks Supervisor Mr. Kenneth J. Pragl, who was waiting for her. He waited for her to arrive and opened the gate so he could remove my car.

It is times like these that I am most proud to be a New Yorker. The employees of the NYC Parks Department went above and beyond to help a member of the public who was in dire need. In an age where some public employees choose to wage war against the public, the men that helped that night are a true asset to this city and you should be very proud of their performance. I wanted you to know how grateful I am of their help. Thank you and I wish you and yours the very best for the holidays.

Sincerely,

Michael S. DiScioarro, Esq.

"There’s no labor a man can do that’s undignified, if he does it right."

Bill Cosby
(born 1937)