Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
The Save Tompkins Square Park Fitness organizers (from left):
Melody Knight-Brown, Jahmal Kirwan, Thea Rae and Rob Hollander.
A two-day community meetup supporting the future of the bars and courts in Tompkins Square Park continues today (Sunday) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Organized by Save Tompkins Square Park, the gathering invites people of all ages and abilities to stop by, work out, play basketball, dance or simply meet others who use the recreation area.
The event comes ahead of an important vote on the park's proposed $9.93 million renovation.
As we reported last week, Community Board 3's Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee voted on Oct. 15 to recommend the most extensive of three renovation options presented by the Parks Department.
The proposal calls for replacing the existing mini-pool with a new in-ground pool, renovating the basketball courts, replacing the fitness equipment and resurfacing the recreation area. Construction is expected to take approximately 18 months.
While Parks officials say they've revised the plans to address concerns about the replacement fitness equipment, some longtime users continue to push for repairs rather than a wholesale reconstruction.
They're also concerned about losing access to the popular recreation area during construction.
The committee's recommendation is not final.
The full Community Board 3 will consider the proposal on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 6:30 p.m. at P.S. 20, 166 Essex St. The meeting is open to the public, with a Zoom option available. Residents who wish to speak during the public session can register online by 3 p.m. Tuesday or sign up in person between 6 and 6:30 p.m. Speakers are limited to two minutes each, with four speakers permitted on each side of an issue, per CB3 officials.
Organizers of today's gathering encourage residents to attend and share their views.
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