|
by Martin Tessler
Events involving commercial activity in public park property have exposed a trend that seems to be gathering speed over the past year. In the July 21st The Villager, Jerry Tallmer noted a New York Times Drama Section report detailing how 100 lawyers from a major firm reserved 100 tickets to what was supposed to be a free performance of the Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in The Park production of Much Ado About Nothing. The fact that they paid $10,000 for this so-called freebie begs the question — “what is going on here?”
Before we answer, we should take note of other shenanigans going on with our parks including an event in October 2003 that took place in Hudson River Park when the Hudson River Park Trust was paid $125,000 by the distributors of Red Bull — an Austrian energy drink — for an all day event called Flugtag. Flugtag attracted several thousand people who inadvertently trampled all over flower beds while having a good time. Is this what we battled for over many years in the Village and Chelsea — to allow commercial sponsors in parks who will pay to embed their corporate marketing and logos in the public’s mind by making payments to the agencies that control these spaces?
 The latest arrival on the Commercial-in-the-Parks scene was New York is Book Country (NYIBC) whose private sponsors included bastions of free enterprise — Target Stores, The New York Times, Verizon, and assorted book publishers. The public relations spin on this two day event was disguised as encouragement of children’s literacy. Who could be so crass to oppose kids reading books? Unknown to most of the public, this extravaganza of the October Washington Square Park takeover was aided and abetted by none other than our own neighborhood parks user and usurper, NYU. After 25 years of holding their one day event on 5th Avenue NYIBC and NYU hatched a takeover. The undertaking was amazing in its stealth; this scheme was hatched in October 2003 but did not surface before the Community Board until May 2004. NYIBC’s executive director claimed that she was inspired by the Village’s literary history and tradition to move it to Washington Square Park. It fell on deaf ears that this literary history took place in PRIVATE SALONS, not in public spaces.
The newest battle on parks commercialization is taking place in Union Square Park. The design scheme includes a restaurant at the north end of the park that is opposed by preservationists who believe that park renovation should not be driven by commercialization. How did we arrive at this situation? No doubt major blame lies with past and present city administrations which found the NYC Parks Department to be expendable during budget time. A series of budget Parks cutbacks through the years has starved the parks and fostered a policy of penury that mandates parks pay their way via commercial ventures and revenue-producing undertakings. Perhaps, the most egregious example the Hudson River Park Trust which was created by the State Legislature and is required to raise operating funds through the leasing of waterfront commercial space that should be pure park use. Just picture what Central Park would be today if the City fathers followed the same policy in the 1800’s. No doubt we would have Starbucks on every patch of grass and a gourmet restaurant dotting the landscape every two or three blocks.
Will this privatization end? It is unlikely that the city will turn its back on corporate largess as long as it continues to put the Parks Department on a “pay-as-you-go” basis. It is time for us to put our elective office candidates to the test and make them declare how they stand on this issue. If Mr. Bloomberg can find a way to come up with $600 million for a new Jets stadium that we do not need, he can certainly come up with at least 1% of that amount for annual park funding. Meanwhile, hang onto your hats while upcoming CB2 Parks Committee meetings on Washington Sq. Park unveil all the behind the scenes planning and design efforts that have already been going on |
(left) Commissioner William Castro presenting the design. (below) Councilmember Alan Gerson responding to questions from the audience.
|
 |
Jonathan Greenburg expressing his views about the Washington Square Park design. A view of the large crowd that turned out on Feb. 2 to see the gorgeous & costly plans. If the money runs out, will this serve as excuse for further privitization & commercialization? New York University will have a beautiful park to serve its needs. Does NYU care about preserving public access to Washington Square Park?
|
|
|
The Jefferson Market Library — the most beloved building in Greenwich Village.
|
|
|
