New York City parks beckon
as pandemic spring awakens
Tulips in bloom at Jefferson Market Garden naturally attract children.
BY TEQUILA MINSKY
The numbers of those vaccinated are
increasing and warmish weather offers
safer outdoor social conditions,
so for New Yorkers who live in the confi nes
of apartments almost bear-like in their
caves, this spring brings an awakening.
Hunkered down, quarantined, socially
distanced, it’s been as if a long – a yearlong
– hibernation.
This past weekend city denizens eagerly
took to New York parks as early blossoms
beckon and with yet many plants soon to
bloom. The parks truly embody that spring
is here.
Spring Park Cleaning, an initiative from
Corey Johnson’s offi ce with support from
Parks and Sanitation, encouraged New
Yorkers to help with planting and sprucing
up local playgrounds and parks.
To this end, more than a dozen volunteers
showed up at Soho’s Vesuvio Playground
to dig in and feel a bit of nature.
On their knees, hands in the square lot
of dirt under the fl agpole, these weekend
PHOTOS BY TEQUILA MINSKY
gardeners planted fl ats of perennials: Anchillea
– “Summer Berries” and “Little Susie”,
Coreopsis – “Double Sun” and “Angelina”,
Jefferson Market’s pond – with fish and a turtle – is a magnet for children.
and the Sedum creeping ground cover.
Thompson Street neighbor Linda Gross
read about the volunteer afternoon effort in
the Nextdoor blog, others were informed by
Corey Johnson’s newsletter. An enthusiastic
mother/daughter team lives on Sullivan
Street and one woman came from East
Village to get her hands dirty.
Parks Department gardener Tyson Landers
who works out of Washington Square
Park and the neighborhood’s 12-15 satellite
gardens is forever grateful for the volunteers’
efforts. “I’d spend a whole day doing
(these plantings),” he says. “I wish there
were more of these volunteer days.”
Also, the playground’s picnic tables and
benches received new coats of Parks Department
green paint – a ubiquitous “wet
paint” sign warding off the public.
Meanwhile not too far away, at 6th Ave.
and Prince St., a smaller and more local
team tidied up the triangle beauty Father
Fagan Park.
Al Di Raffaele’s apartment across 6th
Ave. overlooks the Park. In a neighborhood
with a dearth of greenery, along with others
equally committed, he’s taken a very
personal involvement in this triangle of
vegetation.
“My love for Father Fagan Square Park
started years ago when I learned about
the man himself and had the sign created
stating his life story,” says Di Raffaele. “I
cleaned the park with my neighbors,” he
proudly says.
Across 6th Ave., more neighbors and
far-fl ung volunteers, one from Greenpoint,
another from Boerum Hill, raked, pruned
and spruced up, the sliver garden that is
Charleton Plaza.
Sunday also invited those who just
sought the diversion and pleasure of visiting
other local parks and gardens, including
Jefferson Market Garden.
Enjoying the colors, walking, reading,
painting, and even hearing music made up
the breadth of activities enjoyed as New
Yorkers emerge from the long dormancy.
For those seeking a larger venue, Brooklyn
Botanical Garden provides more roaming
spaces; their Spring program of outdoor
blossoms and performances attracts a
following. Be aware! To keep the numbers
in the Garden at a socially distanced limitation,
early advance tickets and reservations
are required to enjoy the great beauty of
what the Garden offers the public.
The time is now to still carefully come
out of our caves.
Not afraid to get into the dirt, Chris Marte – who happens to be running for
City Council – lends a weeding hand at Vesuvio Playground. Parks Gardener
Tyson Landers is hard at work, too.
6 April 22, 2021 Schneps Media