Back on Friday, workers removed the construction fences around the newly renovated Avenue B playgrounds in the southeast section of Tompkins Square Park, marking the end of the 12-month project.
In comments gleaned from EVG, social media and various conversations, residents were obviously happy to have the entrances back open on Seventh Street and Avenue B and Eighth Street and Avenue B.
There were also positive comments about the new (already tagged) state-of-the-art playground equipment, which is also accessible for kids with special needs. (We'll have more on that particular aspect in an upcoming post.)
There were also some questions and concerns. One resident wondered why the Parks Department didn't take the time to repave the walkways during the renovations ... with the resident calling attention to the rough patches that make it especially difficult for people with mobility issues to navigate...
The same resident wondered why the Parks Department only replaced some of the benches in the renovation zone...
Another resident shared these photos with a short comment: "Finally we have two new great playgrounds. As a new mom, I went to check them out [yesterday] morning only to find a stash of dirty needles and a bloody rag directly next to the playground. Sad. Let’s hope the Parks Dept. is more cautious with cleanup in this new area."
While not directly related to the new playgrounds, another resident pointed out that the encampments that have popped up in the Park's main lawn have now spread to the area along Avenue B between Eighth Street and Ninth Street...
The encampments and the needles are the park are rapidly getting worse than they have been in decades I imagine. I reported the one in the middle grassy area yesterday after I saw a naked person inside the box house. Sure seems like something the city should deal with given its adjacency to a new playground...
ReplyDeleteMinor issue but I've noticed the colored plastic chairs in the toddler's swings will absorb and give off serious scalding heat on sunny days. Can't figure who missed that! (maybe someone w/o children)
ReplyDeleteThe park has become an open air lunatic asylum. This is a direct result of Susan Stetzer and Community Board 3’s policy of designating the park a sanctuary for those dealing with mental health and alcohol/substance abuse issues. Ms. Stetzer has gone so far as to request removal of NYC Park staff and supervisors who have complained that park staff face daily assaults just trying to go their job. Staff did not sign up to work in a state psychiatric hospital — but that is the conditions they are asked to work in without the necessary security. It is almost as bad for residents seeking to enjoy the park. I’m addition to avoiding needles — residents have to avoid piles of human feces, dodge drug deals, and avoid a myriad of stressed out & agitated, emotionally disturbed individuals. It’s a shame — community leaders and elected officials have to step up and confront the issues in the park.
ReplyDeleteWalked through yesterday and dogs were running around in the grassy areas. I'm assuming the whole park is open to dogs now. The short fence does nothing except provide a place to sit if benches are full. I'm glad the kids are enjoying the new playgrounds but I really don't want dogs ruining the area as they have on the Ave A side.
ReplyDeleteThere is also an active criminal element in the park that's making it unsafe, especially behind the park offices. I've never seen any park enforcement.
ReplyDeleteCreate a crisis - its all the gubmint is capable of doing anymore -
ReplyDeleteStephen B, is there a good alternative to those swings that won't absorb heat? Just curious, from the perspective of someone who doesn't have kids but remembers over-hot playground equipment well from their own childhood, ha...I can't think of a solution that's not plain wooden bench swings (which aren't so accessible) but maybe there's one I don't know about!
ReplyDeleteClearly the Captain of the Ninth Precinct needs to detail a uniformed team in this park during its hours of operation. A occasional patrol car driving through Ave B to Ave A is not addressing the issue. There are social issues here (homeless) but there is also criminal behavior that needs to be addressed that is the function of law enforcement it is their wheelhouse.
ReplyDeleteDeBlasio doesn’t believe in utilizing police for such “minor” issues. Everyone keeps voting for his policies but its slowly destroying the city we love.
DeleteThis is the same path the park went down in the 1980s that resulted in a years-long homeless encampment of over 400 people, which essentially put it off-limits for neighborhood residents and kids to use. I still remember the summertime stench coming from it when I walked by on Aves A or B; it smelled like a stockyard. It took a two-pronged, multi-million dollar, multi-year renovation to clear it and make it habitable for all; now it seems no one in power wants to stand up and say, "This is not what we cleaned the park up for" and do something to address the rapidly worsening conditions.
ReplyDelete> The same resident wondered why the Parks Department only replaced some of the benches in the renovation zone...
ReplyDeleteSorry, but why replace all the benches if some of the benches are still in good condition. Just because it's a renovation? If anything the new benches should be painted green to match the old benches, so people shut up about matching colors. This isn't HGTV.
Yes, dog owners seem to be migrating out of the dog run. There was a big dust cloud from dogs running around in the SW area of the park. It pisses me off as the dogs tear up all the grass and pee on the trees, and they've already got a perfectly big and nice dog run. Do they want the entire park to be bare sand for dogs?
ReplyDelete> Yes, dog owners seem to be migrating out of the dog run. There was a big dust cloud from dogs running around in the SW area of the park. It pisses me off as the dogs tear up all the grass and pee on the trees, and they've already got a perfectly big and nice dog run. Do they want the entire park to be bare sand for dogs?
ReplyDeleteYes. Dog owners are selfish about their pets. With nearly half the park as playground equipment there are very few grassy areas that aren't locked down or taken over by dog owners. The western area needs to be reclaimed and dogs and their owners can stay in their own area.
And here on 12 Street we are fighting to keep our perfectly good 8' fence from being replaced by same Parks initiative that brought the fences down in Tompkins. While "Open Parks" seem nice, we still live in NYC and we need to keep our children safe while playing and an 8' fence is what is needed to prevent those who want to use the playground for other than play, out. If NYPD cannot police Tompkins at night, they certainly will not be here on leafy 12 Street between A and B where Sauer Playground is scheduled to be renovated. CB3 and our local officials are against taking down our fence, it it a rogue Parks department that needs to be stopped from pushing a one-size-fits-all fence initiative where it does not belong.
ReplyDeletePlease sign our petition to save Sauer Park Playground from meeting a similar fate as the newly reopened playground in TSP. http://chng.it/JZKgTLC64t. Protect Our Park, Save the 8 foot fence!
ReplyDeleteI can't help but think the city wants the park to become unbearable so they'll have an excuse to shut it all down for a luxury makeover just like Washington Square. They're arresting artists over there now who do not comply to the new luxe asthetics.
ReplyDeleteThe condition of TSP is a case of PARK INEQUALITY. TSP is being marginalized because the EV is considered "poor". And I might add poorly represented. Ruin-the EV- Rivera is at it again - I mean not representing her community. TSP has turned into an open air free-for-all. From arrogant dog owners to the homeless and druggies we are under assault. And who is there to protect us? Certainly not Parks! Certainly not Rivera! And certainly not Death-of-the-City de Blasio! I would include the police... but they are probably under orders not to move the homeless and druggies. IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE TO HELP US?! Maybe we should call the Dept. of Homeland Security - this is domestic terrorism! We as a society are afraid of the bottom. We can't/won't deal with those in need. This has to change.
ReplyDeleteCome on we are being upgraded and out too!
ReplyDeleteThe increasingly milder weather we are enjoying will just lead to more and more homeless people living on the streets and in the parks. LA and San Francisco have always been magnets for homeless people for that reason, among others. The Crusties are sure to stay here even longer now that they can camp outside for all but a few of the coldest months. Remember when people thought the police tower on 2nd Avenue would drive them away? They were camped out near Gem Spa all summer, and all along St. Marks Place too.
ReplyDeleteSince crime is down to a record low, we should retrain the police to do more homeless outreach, and developers should be building way more affordable housing and renovating the projects in exchange for building all those $5 million condos. But no matter who the Mayor is, big real estate gets away with murder, pushing tens of thousands of people out of affordable housing and never replacing it.
TSP and the EV are now the dumping grounds for garbage trucks, heroin addicts, the mentally ill and homeless people, not to mention drunk Bros and their annual SantaCon bar crawl pogroms. We are overrun with special events and bars which attract tourists and transients who leave trash stacked on top of overflowing garbage cans and don't care about the mess they leave behind.
At least we still have East River Park to escape to, but once it closes down this area will become even more crowded and unbearable. Why the hell does everyone want to come to this part of this tiny little island when there is so much more room, clean air and open space in the other four boroughs, not to mention all the empty space available upstate, and in every state between here and LA?
Much like the previous commenters, I too hate having to be reminded of inequality on a daily basis. Much better to keep anything that is uncomfortable far away so I can enjoy my leafy park and not think that the city is killing people. Why is the police not providing this service?! It makes it so much easier to dehumanize people who are homeless and/or mentally ill and/or have substance use problems.
ReplyDeleteGiant. Eye. Roll.