Author’s note #1: 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.
Author’s note #2: Feel free to check out the Youtube recording of the meeting; note that not all the meeting made it to the recording due to technical difficulties.
Public comment
Seward Park Safety: A member of the Seward Park Conservancy called in noting drug markets and drug use in the park. They highlighted that it is now harder for parents to let their kids visit the park. The member asked for a visible presence from NYC Parks and the NYPD to discourage this behavior.
Parks Manager Report
Safety at Seward Park: At the 7th Precinct meeting the day prior, NYC Parks discussed Seward Park with the NYPD. New measures include two fixed-post NYPD officers who will be present all day. NYPD and Parks will enforce a strict 9:30 PM closing time.
Drug use at Tompkins Square Park: The department is investigating an increase in needles and homeless encampments, with a meeting scheduled with the 9th Precinct.
Sara D. Roosevelt Park: Continued heavy NYPD presence with 16 officers and leadership stationed overnight between 12:00 AM and 4:00 AM. Each crosswalk and transverse is closed off.
Upgrades to Tompkins Square Park: Next month Parks will present on options for the mini-pool and fitness area.
“Throne” Bathrooms: Arriving in October. It is a “fancy” bathroom that will require a card or smartphone to open. Will be installed at Cooper Square and on Delancey and Suffolk.
Seasonal Updates: Summer pools and beaches have successfully closed. Spray showers will remain operational through late September or early October, weather permitting.
Questions for the Parks Manager
Q: Could we have more officers at the crosswalks at SDR Park on weekdays?
Q: Lots of branches falling in the Lower East Side due to heavy rain. Could Forestry look into this?
A: Yes, we’ve seen broken branches. Will reach out to Joe at Forestry tomorrow to take another look at fallen branches.
Q: Could we do more outreach to the homeless in SDR Park so they know about available services?
A: The public should call 311 to report issues.
Q: There are more and more homeless at East River Park staying overnight (not sure where they are going to go).
A: There were not any issues about East River Park brought up at the 7th Precinct meeting by the staff.
Q: The lawns at East River Park are in a poor state.
A: Were there kids practicing a sport? We’ll take a look.
Q: How does East River Park handle permitting?
A: Yes, there is an online portal for permits. Groups must have their permit on them when using the fields.
Q: East River Park has no fences and does not close. It is supposed to close at 1 AM. There is no PEP or NYPD in the park at all. So now people are sleeping at the amphitheater in sleeping bags. Another does laundry at a children's spray pad near the fireboat house. We also have dogs cleaning themselves there. I see sports teams using the big lawn, but there are no signs stopping them and it is turning into a mud hole.
A: Yes, there are no fences leading into the park. I’ll reach out to the Urban Park Commissioner and the 7th Precinct to see if they can have any presence in the park.
Halloween Dog Parade
Parade founder Fern Watt spoke to the committee about the upcoming Halloween Dog Parade:
Logistics: Dog parade coming on Oct 17th. Parade will be down Ave B starting at 13th Street.
New for this year: More robust registration format to better track attendees. New festival activation block (probably 6th Street between B and C). Trying to provide activities for participants. Costume competition at Tompkins Square Park.
Costume competition popularity: Last year there were 500 people in the park. 30 dogs appeared in the park for the top prize.
How to help? Looking for volunteers and small businesses for the activation block. Also looking to have a livestream for bars to show during the parade. See newyorkdogparade.org.
Work with stakeholders: Parks Manager Eddie will make contact next week to go over logistics. Fern has been working closely with CB District Manager Susan to make sure logistics are in place, as well as the Street Activity Permit Office (SAPO) and Parks.
ESCR / BMCR Presentation
Ethan Kraft presented about the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) and Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resilience (BMCR) projects.
Safety Incident: DDC reported a serious injury involving a union laborer earlier in the week; an investigation is underway. They are coordinating with the NYPD on the investigation. There is no current risk to the public.
Infrastructure: Significant work is ongoing for the East 10th Street Bridge (pile installation expected to last 12–14 months) and ongoing parallel conveyance drainage work. The underground floodwall is complete.
Feedback from Jacob Riis Houses Community: Since the bridge is being built nearby, the team has met with the Riis community. The community voiced the need for more frequent air quality testing.
Compost Facility: Due to procurement challenges, the project will now undergo a competitive bidding process rather than a change order.
Questions about ESCR / BMCR presentation
Stewardship Concerns: The committee expressed disappointment regarding delays to the compost facility, noting that current parks lack the necessary storage and infrastructure for community stewardship programs.
Pedestrian Access: Residents highlighted safety issues at Rutgers Slip, where unplanned parking lot entrances have created dangerous conditions for pedestrians and unclear signage for tourists navigating to Pier 35.
The Halloween dog parades are the highlight of my year.