Shell shock! Lost turtles return to La Plaza Cultural

[Photo by Chris W. from June]

Back in May, Wilson and Gator, two of the resident turtles at La Plaza Cultural, went missing.

In a bit of welcome news (for once), the turtles have been found... new signage up notes that the two are awaiting reintroduction to the pond here on the southwest corner of Avenue C and Ninth Street...


[Photo via @decolorescommunityyard]

Moving forward, there will be a turtle barrier around the water in the community garden to allow for "safe basking."

No word on how far away Wilson and Gator got.

Winter Flowers looking radiant this summer

More Winter Flowers have arrived along the fence at La Plaza Cultural on Avenue C at Ninth Street...









Rolando Politi created these unique sculptures from discarded materials in 2000, and displayed them at the community garden. The Winter Flowers, numbering nearly 250, had to be removed when La Plaza received a new fence last year.

He started hanging them back here in May.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Winter Flowers return this spring at La Plaza Cultural

Wilson and Gator are missing from La Plaza Cultural

Wilson and Gator, two of the resident turtles at La Plaza Cultural, are missing.

EVG reader Chris W. shared this missing poster from outside the community garden on the southwest corner of Avenue C and Ninth Street. There's an undisclosed reward for their return. No word if they were stolen or made a getaway on their own...

Winter Flowers return this spring at La Plaza Cultural

[Photo Sunday by Dave on 7th]

Winter Flowers, the unique sculptures that adorned the fence at La Plaza Cultural for nearly 20 years, returned to part of the community garden/green space over the weekend.

Last spring-summer, La Plaza received a new fence here on Avenue C at Ninth Street. The previous chain-link fence was sagging in spots and in need of repair.

With that, the handmade sculptures from discarded materials that Rolando Politi started creating in 2000 had to be removed in the fall of 2018. The collection had grown to nearly 250.


[Photo from September 2018]

While GreenThumb community gardens operating on NYC Parks property are currently closed to the public (open to gardeners only for necessary maintenance) you can check out the Winter Flowers along the fence simply walking by... and we've already heard from several residents who said they were happy to see Rolando putting these colorful creations back along Avenue C...

A back-to-school BBQ at La Plaza on Saturday

La Plaza Cultural is hosting its annual back-to-school BBQ tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 7) at the community garden on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C.

Aside from the BBQ, there's a book bag/school supplies giveaway as well as other activities for kids.

The event is also in honor Ninth Street resident and fellow gardener Felicia Mahmood, who passed away on April 14. The La Plaza invite notes that Mahmood "pretty much singlehandedly organized, sponsored and ran this event for many years."

The new fence at La Plaza is officially complete

It's official: The new fence is complete at La Plaza Cultural on Avenue C and Ninth Street...





The community garden/green space has been closed to the public since the spring for the fence work.

An official grand reopening will be announced soon.

The previous chain-link fence was sagging in spots and in need of repair. Winter Flowers, handmade sculptures from discarded materials that Rolando Politi started creating in 2000, lined the top of the fence. The collection had grown to nearly 250. Not sure if any of those might return.


[Photo from September 2018]

Meanwhile, La Plaza volunteers will be holding onsite member registration, orientation and dues payment from 1-4 on Saturday and Sunday if you're interested in being part of the garden.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A fall day to remove the Winter Flowers from La Plaza Cultural

A wake for the last willow trees at La Plaza Cultural

[Updated] A look at La Plaza's new fence

Updated 2 p.m. See below!

La Plaza Cultural, the community garden/green space on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C, has been closed to the public since the spring for an installation of a new fence.

As you can see from these photos from the other day, the fence is up and around the garden, though work remains. (OK, there are technically two fences up ...)

Per the most recent La Plaza e-newsletter dated July 12: "Much of it’s in, but the work has not yet been completed. We’re waiting to hear what the hold-up is. Either way, it’s close! And it's a really beautiful, well-crafted fence that should stand a good long time."











No word just yet on an official reopening date for La Plaza, which local residents and activists founded in 1976.

Updated

The construction fence is gone... thanks to Eddie for the pic...



Previously on EV Grieve:
A fall day to remove the Winter Flowers from La Plaza Cultural

A wake for the last willow trees at La Plaza Cultural

At the Weeping Willow Wake

La Plaza Cultural closed until the summer for fence replacement; RIP Krusty

La Plaza Cultural, the community garden/green space on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C, is now closed for a new-fence installation. (Pushed back from earlier this year.)

Back on Friday, workers removed Krusty, La Plaza's last remaining full-grown willow tree ...



Krusty had rotted and needed to come down (Cher, another majestic willow, was removed in July 2017) ...



Krusty's mulch remains will be used for the garden beds ...



According to the La Plaza Instagram account, the fence work will likely keep the space closed through June. "We hope to have an official reopening at the summer solstice."

Local residents and activists founded La Plaza in 1976. It was renamed in honor of Armando Perez, a community activist who was murdered in 1999, in 2003.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A fall day to remove the Winter Flowers from La Plaza Cultural

A wake for the last willow trees at La Plaza Cultural

At the Weeping Willow Wake

At the 10th Annual Zoroastrian Fire Jumping event at La Plaza Cultural

A lot of people turned out last night to take part in the 10th Annual Zoroastrian Fire Jumping Event at La Plaza Cultural on Ninth Street at Avenue C.

As the invite noted: "Jumping over fire is a symbolic gesture to start a fresh new year. This tradition is celebrated for ringing in the Persian New Year and has been celebrated since at least 1700 BCE of the early Zoroastrian era."



The festive evening, choreographed again by Simin Farkhondeh, a community activist and professor at the School of Visual Arts, included music by the Rude Mechanical Orchestra and jumping courtesy of those who lined up to celebrate ... EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there for the action...
























[Simin Farkhondeh and daughter]


[Thanks to Ryan and Oona for the view!]

La Plaza's temporary closure for new fencing postponed; farewell to the Winter Flowers

La Plaza Cultural, the community garden/green space on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C, was expected to close to the public after this past Thursday.

However, word circulated yesterday that work on the installation of the new fence got pushed back by about a month due to a contract issue. For now, La Plaza will remain open to about Feb. 24.



As noted back in the fall, to accommodate the new fence, garden volunteers removed the Winter Flowers, the handmade sculptures that Rolando Politi created from recycled materials starting in 2000.

The sculptures, which numbered nearly 350, adorned the top of the fence along Ninth Street and Avenue C, and was one of the more unique public art installations in the neighborhood.

This photo is from the fall...



And back to the current state of La Plaza...





Politi published a book of his work titled "Winter Flowers" ... this flyer has more details...



You may email Politi here to order a copy.

Local residents and activists founded La Plaza in 1976. It was renamed in honor of Armando Perez, a community activist who was murdered in 1999, in 2003.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A fall day to remove the Winter Flowers from La Plaza Cultural

La Plaza hosting Haunted Adventure Garden and Rat Race Maze

This is happening tomorrow (Halloween!) from 2-8 p.m. at La Plaza Cultural on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C.

Via the EVG inbox...

For 365 days a year, rats are the stuff nightmares are made of for New Yorkers. The theme at this year's spooky Halloween adventure garden is Rats, because whether they rule or horrify, they're a part of living in NYC.

At this costume party, bring your whole family, as there'll be mystic fortune telling, face painting and thrilling coffin rides. At 5:30 pm there will be live music by the Rude Mechanical Orchestra.

Oh! And try not to get trapped in the Rat Race Maze, where we are trying to teach people to stay away from the corporate rat race.

... and I hope they leave this up year-round...