The First Press Release from Friends of Fort Washington Park

Friends of Fort Washington Park
Press Release
For Immediate Release: April 16, 2009


COMMUNITY BOARD 12 PARKS COMMITTEE IGNORES PUBLIC OBJECTIONS, VOTES TO PAVE GREEN SPACES.


At the April 13 meeting of the Community Board 12 Parks and Cultural Affairs Committee, the Committee voted 3 to 1 to pass a resolution to support the Department of Parks and Recreation plan to reconstruct Fort Washington and Upper Riverside Parks. Committee chair Elizabeth Ritter was joined by Emilia Cardona and David Kach, the Committee's newest member in his first official vote, in voting for the resolution. George Nelson Preston abstained. Committee members Ninoska Uribe, Jennifer Araujo, Ariel Hart and Rafael Osoria were again absent.

The resolution had initially been presented at the March meeting of the Committee, and was sent back to the committee by the CB12 General Meeting due to the presentation by Friends of Fort Washington Park of an almost 1,200 signature petition opposed to certain aspects of the plan and the failure of the Committee to pass a resolution in the presence of a quorum of members.

After an introduction in which Committee Chair Elizabeth Ritter cautioned the public to remember that landscape and design professionals use jargon and technical language that at times differs from layman's definitions, citing the example that the professional definition of a building with an overhead door that is used to store motor vehicles is different than the public's idea of a "garage," Doug Nash of DPR presented the park plan.

DPR presented a plan that was identical to the plan presented at the February Committee meeting and stunning for both its failure to address why community opposition at the March CB12 General Meeting was ignored and its failure to mention community opposition at all. Committee members similarly ignored the fact that 1,200people had signed a petition opposing the construction of a second path across the grassy field and west of the ballfields between 158th and 162nd Streets and asphalt pavement on the path by the river south of Dyckman Street when the discussion was opened for comment.

During a raucous public discussion in which members of the committee hurled personal insults and swore at members of the public, causing people on both sides of the issue to leave, members of the public asked why opposition to the plan had been ignored. Committee members responded that "many changes had been made to the plan as a result of public input," which led to challenges of "Which ones?" and "Name one!" from the public. "Many changes," repeated some Committee members without further elaboration. DPR officials Mr. Nash, Jennifer Hoppa, and Steve Simon made no attempt to answer, either. Mr. Preston observed that "poor design" on the part of DPR was responsible for community opposition to the plan.

Members of the public voted against the resolution by a margin greater than 2 to 1.

Community Board 12 will vote on the resolution at its General meeting, Tuesday, April 28th, 7:00pm, Russ Berrie Pavilion, 1150 St. Nicholas Ave, between W. 167th St. and W. 168th St.