Tompkins Square Park recreation redesign heads back to committee after contentious CB3 meeting

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The proposed $9.93 million renovation of the Tompkins Square Park recreation area is heading back to committee after a contentious Community Board 3 meeting Tuesday evening that drew dozens of residents opposed to replacing the park's longtime fitness equipment. 

Rather than voting on the proposal, the full board agreed to have the Parks Department return with new presentations at the Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee meeting on Nov. 12. The plan is then expected to come back before the full board on Nov. 24. 

The decision followed a spirited public showing by dozens of supporters of the existing pull-up bars and basketball courts, many of whom marched from Tompkins Square Park to the meeting at P.S. 20 on Essex Street between Houston and Stanton, carrying signs and chanting.

Inside, the meeting grew tense as attendees challenged aspects of the proposed redesign. 

At one point, police were called. Two officers from the 7th Precinct responded, although no apparent violations were taking place.

"No one is doing anything wrong," one officer told me. "Someone keeps calling the precinct, so we have to respond." 

Community Board 3 Chair Arnette Scott repeatedly asked attendees to remain respectful and suggested that anyone unable to do so should leave. No one did.

Despite the tensions, the board allowed considerable flexibility during the public comment period, letting some people who hadn’t registered in advance speak and accommodating others who used another person's speaking slot. 

Among those addressing the board was Jahmal Kirwan, one of the organizers of the recent Save Tompkins Square Park gatherings. 

Kirwan and other speakers described their personal connections to the outdoor fitness area and the community that has developed around it.

The proposal, which CB3's Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee endorsed on Oct. 15, calls for replacing the existing mini-pool with a new in-ground pool, renovating the basketball courts, replacing fitness equipment and resurfacing the recreation area. 

Parks officials say the work is needed to improve accessibility and safety, and they have revised portions of the fitness-area design in response to community concerns. 

However, longtime users continue to question the need to replace equipment they say remains functional and important to the neighborhood. They are also concerned about losing access during construction, which is currently projected to take about 18 months.

City Council Member Harvey Epstein also weighed in on the proposed redesign, calling for the city to preserve the existing fitness equipment while adding accessible equipment for people with disabilities. 

Epstein said his office had heard from hundreds of Lower East Side residents about the importance of the current equipment and the need for improved accessibility. 

He urged Parks to develop a modified version of its Option 3 proposal that would retain the existing equipment while expanding the fitness area to accommodate new ADA-accessible features.

Scott ultimately halted the anticipated vote amid interruptions during the Parks Department presentation.

The delay gives Parks officials and community members another opportunity to discuss the proposed changes before the full board considers the project again.