Washington Square Park and Union Square Park are two of the great public spaces in New York City – each with incredible historical references and ideals. Public space – our commons – is being continually minimized and distorted in the interest of privatization and the ‘shopping mall’-ification of the city. Real estate interests and Business improvement districts (BIDS) rule and communities lose out in Mayor Bloomberg’s New York.
Come learn about and reclaim these two great NYC spaces.
Two upcoming events:
Washington Square Park * Saturday, June 28th(tomorrow!), 12 noon
Come to the Walking Tour! WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE:
A Guide to New York City’s Redesign of a Perfect Public Space
(Raindate Saturday, July 12th, 12 noon)
Meet Up at Washington Square Arch, Washington Square North @ Fifth Avenue ; $5
“In the 1950s, Jane Jacobs helped keep cars out of Washington Square. But a new redesign – which will entail dismantling the fountain, removing the chess tables and cutting down decades-old trees – puts the beloved green space in jeopardy all over again. [WSP CID] leads this tour through WSP, which highlights some of the proposed ‘improvements.’” – Time Out NY 6/26/08
Trains: A,B,C,D,E,F to West 4th Street/Washington Square
Presented by Washington Square Park Blog and Washington Square Community Improvement District(CID)
Union Square Park * Wednesday, July 2nd, 6 p.m.
Celebrate this year’s national nativity party ye olde fashioned way…
PUSH BACK PICNIC !
Northern end of the Park, by the Abe Lincoln Statue
As the nation prepares to celebrate it’s 232nd Birthday, and the Union Square BID (Business Improvement District) prepares to privatize the LANDMARKED Pavilion building, come join the Community Improvement District (CID), along with your favorite radical heroes of Union Square for a radical auction action and more. Make a bid on your favorite national chain store franchise! Dance circles around stodgy, stogie-smoking, sell-out politicians! Marvel as the park pushes back against the greedy takeover artists!
Let’s push back the privatizers and keep Union Square a place for public gatherings, public rallies, and public play. PUSH BACK THE BID — UNION SQUARE IS NOT FOR SALE!
More info: Union Square Not For Sale
I’d love to see pictures of the walking tour. Can you post any??
hi Rebecca,
I have some photos that a kind attendee took and sent me but they are more of the Park (one of me end of tour looking like a tour guide by the Arch !) than of the tour itself. I don’t think they’d give you a true sense of what it was like. I did not think of doing that. I’ll try to write up a little recap perhaps. Hopefully I’ll see you at the next one.
Thanks for inquiring.
Hope you are well. See you soon!
Cathryn.