In case you were wondering… “What is up with those broken down sidewalks that line Washington Square Park? Weren’t they supposed to – at least – be completed by this summer 2013?”
Well, the answer is YES. However, you’ll have to wait another year – work is now not scheduled to begin until next Summer 2014, six and a half years after redesign construction began in late 2007. This information was revealed at Community Board 2’s Parks Committee meeting earlier this month by Park Administrator Sarah Neilson. It’s a bit strange how the things that were most important to park users (the sidewalks and the bathrooms — more on those next) are all being done last. Watch your step.
More on Phase III’s delayed construction and Park overall update next.
Photos: Cathryn
It’s an embarrassing and unsafe state of affairs.
Definitely! Why this was given such a low priority is beyond baffling.
Cathryn
I’m wondering why the parks department didn’t include the sidewalks in any of the previous three phases
Hi Wakefield,
They weren’t talked about much for some reason (so many other issues I guess!) but they were actually supposed to be completed during Phase II. They were moved out of Phase II — with the Mounds and the large Dog Run after that phase got so so behind schedule — and moved into Phase III. But no one ever thought that would be at the very end. In Phase III, they were projected to be completed by the end of Summer 2013, now it’s Summer 2014.
Cathryn