Some of our group met with the borough commissioner from NYC Parks and Recreation and a few of their designers (among others) last week. The response to our initial input gathered from you back in May 2010 was positive; so was the response to our current level of funding.
Design Workshop:
To follow up, we are facilitating a final design workshop on the evening of May 4th at The Abrons Art Center. This will be a smaller, more focused workshop that will develop what we’ve gathered so far and make it something even more usable by Parks Department designers. Our hope is that this will best ensure that Gulick Park and Playground is renovated to reflect the needs and desires of the community.
If you would like to participate, please rsvp to info@gulickpark.org by April 15th, as space is limited.
Official Designing to Begin:
Parks department designers will be in attendance and will work with our group in advance to make the workshop as productive as possible. They have indicated that their in-house design process will begin very shortly after May 4th, utilizing the results from that night. If all goes well, we could see a design schematic by December. The designers will develop a plan with a first phase that could be realized with our current level of funding (nearly $1.5 million) and include additional items, contingent on additional funding. This first phase will encompass renovating the ‘seating’ area along Willett Street by the handball courts, where our events have taken place. Other sections of the park will be addressed in other phases of the design.
Again, thank you to everyone for your support. It has been central to our securing funding and getting the attention of the Parks Department. And it will mean a more community-based design for Gulick Park.
In other good news, Henge will be installing a new table top and net for our ping pong table next month! We send our thanks to the good people at hengetable.com. They will be installing a few tables in Thompkins Sq Park this weekend, too!