Updated 9/19: You can find a recap of the plans for the space here.
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The fourth item of the agenda, "Proposed plan for renovation of the multi-purpose court in NW corner of Tompkins Square Park," has drawn much interest to date...
There isn't any official word yet on what this "proposed plan for renovation" entails.
As you may recall, from September 2019, the skateboarding community came together to show their support for keeping the multipurpose courts (aka TF) in the northwest corner of Tompkins Square Park free of synthetic turf.
As we reported in July 2019, the city had plans — apparently only known to residents who may have attended a Community Board 3 committee meeting in May — to cover the courts with synthetic turf, rendering the space useless for skateboarders and street hockey players, among other groups. (People have been skating at this spot since the 1980s, and it has been called "the last great meet-up spot for skateboarders and their friends in New York.")
However, less than 24 hours before a much-publicized rally was to take place, the city announced that it would no longer cover the space in turf, originally proposed to make up for the amenities lost during the years-long gutting of East River Park.
"Tompkins Square Park has served as the epicenter of NYC skateboard culture for decades. As such, we have decided to leave the area previously proposed for synthetic in the park as is and will not move forward with creating a synthetic turf area there," Parks Department spokesperson Crystal Howard said in a statement to Patch at the time.
There have been plans in the works titled "Tompkins Square Park Pavement Reconstruction." This project would, as the name suggests, "reconstruct pavement surfaces at Tompkins Square Park."
While areas of the Park could stand for some resurfacing, doing so on the site that skaters use could potentially render the TF useless.
As one regular told us: "When they put new asphalt in, it can take years to set ... it's the smooth ground that's great to skate on that we love. Or they could fuck it up and ruin it as a skate spot."
Another resident we talked with wishes the Parks Department would focus on other areas needing attention in the Park, such as the restrooms, which some people think are the worst in North America. (Relief is on the way there with the expected reconstruction of the Tompkins Square Park field house next year. Or so.)
According to the Parks Department website, the design for the "Pavement Reconstruction" phase is 30% finished, with an anticipated February 2023 completion date — just for the design. (The project is also still in the procurement phase.)
Here is the link to the Zoom registration for tomorrow night's (Sept. 15) meeting... which starts at 6:30.
I’m not a skater. So I’d vote for a skate park.
ReplyDeleteDuring a recent emergency visit to the horror that is that bathroom, one noticed it now serves also as a storage for stolen citi bike.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a zoomer, would prefer in-person community board meetings.
ReplyDeleteTake a look at the recent renovations to Maria Hernandez Park in Bushwick and you can probably get an idea of what will happen here. The nice thing about MHP is that they ADDED some ramps specifically for skaters.
ReplyDeleteHow about they spend the money on 1) cleaning, 2) preventing drug addicts congregating, 3) improving the bathroom, 4) or gardening. All are much more needed that whatever this is about
ReplyDeleteAlso not a skater (anymore) but Skate Park, Skate Park, Skate Park PLEASE
ReplyDeletealso dittox1000 to 8:43 statement
Skateboarders are annoying AF, but you have to give them places to skate that don't involve crashing into people or damaging public infrastructure.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn’t be a bad idea to turn it back into a baseball field. There are lots of kids ( and older people ) who would enjoy that. You could even have an organized situation.
ReplyDeleteSoftball is for the suburbs. This is inner city. Do not gentrify this. We help the kids fight the Man and we won. You can't reverse a win, ask Donald.
ReplyDeleteI attended the Community Board 3 Zoom meeting tonight and they did not discuss or present anything regarding the proposed renovation plans for the NW corner of Tompkins Square Park during the part of the Zoom meeting open to the public. So still in the dark about what is going on. I am a senior citizen/longtime E.V. resident and not a skater, but I support the current use of the NW paved corner area by the skateboarders and roller hockey players. If it is true that a resurfacing would ruin the hard surface they need, then I say don't do it. Use the money to help clean up the park, fix the bathrooms, double the amount of rat-proof trash cans, and hire more/better park maintenance to fight the out of control rat problem which is the worst I have seen in over 40 years here. At 4:00 am there are literally herds of big rats roaming the park and the streets bordering it. I loved the good old, bad old days but I can do without the rats.
ReplyDeleteI second all of this
DeleteI am all for keeping the skating park . I think it is a nice meeting spot for teens and keeps kids out of trouble.
DeleteThe park is in DESPERATE need of more cleaning people as well as security for the influx of drug addicts/ drug dealing. You cannot even sit on beaches in there bc every other bench has someone sleeping or shooting up. I have lived on ave B for 25 years and have never seen the park so filthy. We need 2-3 more full time cleaning people . The park is used by thousands of people and whatever is being done now is not enough by any means. I know Epstein organized neighbors cleaning up but that is just a band aid.
I have a baby and would love more green space for him to crawl/toddle around. The very meager patch of grass that does exist in Tompkins is frequently crowded (and has poorly maintained grass). The astroturf field at PS19 is great but not always open to the public.
ReplyDeleteParks dept. is almost as much of a joke as DOT right now with trying to do mad shit that doesn't fix problems. DOT, you're not the new entertainment czars, we don't need all these cutesy street things, and Parks, we need parks and grass and trash cleanup, not resurfaced areas that are fine.
ReplyDelete@7:43
ReplyDeleteThanks for attending, As the post states twice, the Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee virtual meeting is Thursday, Sept. 15.
“…risks associated with antimicrobial treatments used on artificial grass. These antimicrobial treatments can be toxic to the environment.“ “contractors should not breathe in the sand used to install artificial grass due to the risk of delayed lung injury.”
ReplyDeletehttps://thegrassoutlet.com/natural-grass-vs-artificial-turf/
I agree with 7:43
Fix what needs fixing and invest in park maintenance.
@ 8:30
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Park's Department's website there's plenty of greenspace along the river at East River Park!
"One of New York City's finest places to play can be found along the waterfront of Manhattan's Lower East Side, in view of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges. With a track, a tennis complex, eight baseball and softball fields, and fields and courts dedicated to soccer, football, and basketball, as well as its dramatic views of New York's harbor, John V. Lindsay East River Park is a popular place for your next game. The park is also a vital link on Manhattan's Waterfront Greenway, and offers beautiful waterfront pathways for bicyclists and pedestrians to enjoy."
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/east-river-park/
Addendum to my Anonymous 9-14-22 7:43 PM post: My mistake, the CB3 topic regarding the NW corner of Tompkins Square Park will be on the agenda for discussion TONIGHT, Sept. 15th. I was mistaken when I wrote that it was not discussed in the CB3 Zoom meeting on Sept. 14th since it was not on the agenda for that night's meeting. Sorry about that! I am unable to attend tonight's CB3 Zoom meeting because I am going to Henry Jones' memorial service tonight. So I hope that lots of skaters and neighbors participate. I have already voiced my thoughts to Susan at CB3.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone was able to attend the meeting, would love a recap on Hamilton fish & Tompkins Sq parks that were on the agenda.
ReplyDeleteThey uploaded a video of the full meeting from last night, details of Hamilton and Tompkins changes are in there https://youtu.be/1zR6a_UBPXU
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, tylergaw — putting together a post about it.
ReplyDeleteThe Community Board 3 Zoom meeting with TSP NW corner plan is available online since CB3 records and posts live and Zoom meetings on its website. The plan for the skaters NW corner does include resurfacing it, plus a running track painted on it which doesn't seem like a usable idea given that pedestrians keep well clear of the skaters due to skateboards flying past after wipeouts, which is OK and understood by the neighborhood. The question is what will the new surface be made of and will it be exactly what the skateboard/roller hockey users need? And the planners said the project would involve scraping off the existing top surface and would take 3 months, including "curing" of the colored new surfaces for the running track and half-ball courts.
ReplyDeleteGo to www1.nyc.gov/site/manhattancb3/index.page. Then click on CB 3 Meeting Video Archive. Select CB 3's Committee Meeting Videos. Click on "September" and then select the 9-15-2022 Zoom meeting. The Parks Dept. plan for the skater's NW corner of TSP is in the second half of the video.
A skate park is all we need so, my vote is for this.
ReplyDelete