February Parks Committee Report for Manhattan CB3
The committee grills Parks on helping the unhoused during the recent freezing weather. Also, updates on a new compost facility!
Author’s note: Tal and I serve on the Parks Committee of Manhattan Community Board 3 (CB3) together. I write the newsletter Friends of New York City Abundance. The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent those of Manhattan CB3.
Parks Manager Updates
Staff are still plowing, salting roads, but otherwise back to normal operations. Bathrooms open, garbage being collected.
A Lunar New Year event will be held at Sarah D. Roosevelt Park on Tuesday, 2/17.
Questions for the Parks Manager
Q: Are police checking in on unhoused people who stay overnight at Sarah D. Roosevelt Park? How about East River Park?
A: NYC Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers and NYPD officers are in the parks doing checks. Most unhoused people we see are at Tompkins Square Park and Sarah D. Roosevelt. Please call 311 if you see anyone unhoused in the cold — depending on the situation there is a new policy for them to respond within 45 minutes.
A (from Susan Stetzer, CB3 District Manager): If you see anyone unhoused in the park with the cold chill, you should call 311 immediately. They will re-route to 911 if needed.
Q: There are still no NYPD or PEP in East River Park. During the Code Blue, there was a man sleeping on the Delancey Street bridge. So I called 311, but the person who responded couldn’t locate the bridge. Then they transferred me to 911, but they still couldn’t locate the bridge. Finally, I got transferred to EMS, but they told me accessing the bridge is difficult since there are bollards that prevent vehicles from getting close to the bridge. Eventually I did see people go to the bridge with stretchers. They woke the person sleeping there, but then let him be. Also, there is someone sleeping overnight in the bathroom in East River Park.
A: Yes, I get the frustration. We have limited access to the Park. As someone from Parks, I can’t comment about NYPD not being able to get to the Park. I can ask about getting PEP at East River Park and speak to the 7th Precinct to see if we can get more NYPD presence at East River Park.
A (from Susan Stetzer, CB3 District Manager): We have interagency meetings once a month. We specifically talk about these issues. It’s not really even a Parks issue. I guarantee I will be all over this issue. It is true that responders are limited in what they can do. If the person is lucid and wearing warm clothing, they can’t force people to move. A clinician can also be called to verify the state of the person.
Q: Is the bathroom at East River Park locked?
A: My understanding is that it is locked. I have not received reports of someone staying there overnight.
East River Park Compost Facility and Education Building Update
The Department of Design and Construction (DDC) last visited the committee in October (Note: check out the October committee meeting summary for more details). Comments from that meeting have been addressed or incorporated into the design of the Compost Facility and Education Building.
The presenters gave details on the steps of the composting process. The process starts with compost collection and removing any contaminants. Then the compost is aerated, placed under a breathable cover to reduce odor, and eventually it gets used or given away.
Presenters acknowledged that there have been questions about adding solar panels, but there isn't budget for this. And it may not be an ideal spot for solar panels.
Questions about Compost Facility and Education Building
Q: There are concerns about odor mitigation from people who live nearby. I know in previous times, you could get serious odors from compost areas.
A: Having a semi-permeable cover over the compost pile helps reduce odor during active composting process. Adding of controlled oxygen into compost pile helps reduce odor. This methodology is known to be used in urban areas and is cutting-edge. It is not what was there before.
Q: I see there is an outdoor classroom. Will there be signage on how composting works and where the classroom is? I know there are strict Parks rules around signage.
A: Yes, the building name signs will be large and clear. We will work with Lower East Side Ecology Center (LESEC) on signage.
A (from NYC Parks): The signage hasn’t been scoped out yet, but we can return to the committee with more details.
Q: Where does the compost come from? How much is coming from city compost?
A (from NYC Parks): Parks will continue to source compost from clippings and branches from the park itself. The relationship with city composting is under development.
Q: Can the public go up on the green roof?
A: Parks and LESEC will maintain the green roof. You can see the green roof as you walk towards the building from Corlears Hook Bridge. The roof itself is not accessible to the public. If it was, you’d need an elevator, etc. to make it accessible.
Q: Could we incorporate Solar panels down the road after this project is complete?
A: We are trying to be cost effective. We want people to feel represented by the park. The artificial canopies are pretty lightweight, so solar panels would be a non-trivial change. Also, the Green roof helps with drainage and reduces heat island effects. So don’t discount those benefits.
Q: Are these classes just for school children or the general public?
A (from LESEC): The classrooms won’t be generally open since we don’t want random people entering the site and hurting themselves with the equipment laying around. There will be a food justice garden nearby, so it’s not just about the classroom, but education about food systems. The facility should be a place where school children can come in and learn how to cook a healthy meal.
Q: Will there be a public walkthrough or tour of the facilities?
A (from LESEC): Yes, good idea. We would have to work with Parks on this.
Q: The trees in the park are saplings (young, small trees). But the renderings show fully grown trees. Are we actually getting the latter?
A: The renderings are what the trees will look like many years from now. On Day 1, you will see umbrellas. Some trees will be larger than others.
Q: What kind of umbrellas will be added? We have had a lot of discussions about the lack of shade in East River Park.
A (from NYC Parks): they will be the same ones that already exist elsewhere in East River Park.