We continue to voice the community’s outrage and disgust for derelict conditions under the scaffolding and inside the green barrier safety fence as well as the loss of public space. Orsid NY, the management company for 333 E. 46th Street, bears responsibility for the mess. 

Once again we pressed Park officials to provide a removal date for the scaffolding erected by 333 E. 46th Street for DOB ordered facade repairs, and once again, we were told that attorneys are close to an agreement for replacement scaffolding inside the garden.The building’s management company is required to submit plans for the replacement scaffolding to DOB. 

This year’s Annual Meeting will be VIRTUAL. Members/Donors of Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza will receive an email invitation to attend via ZOOM 24 hours in advance of the meeting set for Thursday, Dec. 9 at 6:00 PM.  At this meeting, members vote for the proposed slate of officers and directors. An annual review is presented, including financial statements and committee reports.

Even with  cuts to city services, the garden flourished and Dag Hammarskjold Plaza provided a welcoming public space. Summer concerts and Cafe Salon Talks brought us together, and the Annual Tree and Menorah Lighting closes out the year with Santa and holiday carolers.  Our cleanliness program includes the services of  a part-time custodian and the Doe Fund. We meet with city officials and agencies about public health and safety, and keep you informed through timely e-blasts. 

None of this would happen without the dedicated volunteers who serve as FDHP Officers and Directors. 

THIS MESSAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY 

FRIENDS OF DAG HAMMARSKJOLD PLAZA 

The staged reading presented by Teri Black, Break A Productions, will take place on Friday, 6 PM, at Pink Moose Cafe. Hopefully, the showers will run their course, leading to clear skies as we move into the weekend.

Arrive early on Friday to purchase “Grab & Go” sandwich/salad combo and take your seat. It’s gonna be a fun show with lively staged readings of Dog Park and Home.

DAG HAMMARSKJOLD PLAZA REMAINS OPEN with social distancing enforced. Visit the Wednesday Greenmarket and enjoy the spring parade of flowers.

For all updates on park service changes and closures, refer to the NYC Parks website: https://www.nycgovparks.org/about/health-and-safety-guide/coronavirus.
For more information and guidance about COVID-19, refer to the DOHMH website: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/coronavirus.page.

STUCK INDOORS? Explore the NYC’s diversity of parks with park rangers and tour guides, while sheltering from home. VIRTUAL TOURS AND INDOOR FITNESS AND ACTIVIIES: Get more information here: https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/parks-at-home.

DOG RUNS CLOSED: As part of the city’s ongoing effort to maintain social distancing in public spaces, as of 4/6/20, NYC Parks will be closing dog runs to the public until further notice.
ATHLETIC COURTS CLOSED. Additionally, the Mayor has directed NYC Parks to begin implementing closures of all Tennis Courts, Handball Courts, and Basketball Courts located outside of Playgrounds (which were previously closed to the public), until further notice. Any existing fences or gates around these park features will be locked, elements such as tennis nets and basketball rims will be removed, and advisory signage will be posted.
Soccer fields will continue to remain open, but will be carefully monitored. 

Earth Day, April 22, 2020, is more than a “feel good” celebration; the interconnections of all living things has come home to roost.  Remember the  Bee Exhibit in the park’s entrance dome and its  theme of colony collapse?  Now  global pandemics pose a threat to human survival. WE ARE THE HIVE! 

Enjoy  Earth Day with activities that raise awareness, stimulate dialogue and celebrate nature. Think global, act local. We are ALL stewards of Planet Earth. 

“Many sculpture exhibits in Hammarskjold Plaza draw on environmental themes,”  notes FDHP President Sherrill Kazan, who has sourced more than 20  sculpture artists. Working in collaboration with NYC Parks Art & Antiquities/Art in the Parks, she taps her global connections through World Council of Peoples for the United Nations (WCPUN).“I want to personally invite you to tune in at 11 am on YouTube to Art in the Time of Coronavirus for a panel discussion featuring NY Magazine Art Critic Jerry Salt, Brooklyn Museum Director Anne Pasternack and other experts, moderated by the cultural representative for World Health Organization (WHO.) This Earth Day program is the first in a series to engage the arts and culture sector in UN global policy discussions and implementation efforts to address an ecological emergency. The one-hour discussion will be followed by a public Q&A and conclude with an invitation to join a global reading of Letters to the Earth.”

FOR FULL STORY AND PANEL INFO: Click here. 

FOR DIRECT LINK TO PROGRAM: Click here

Gorilla sculpture: Dag Plaza will have its own 800 pound  gorilla to hug. Cast in bronze by Nora Bornstein, the artist and NYC Parks Department will coordinate installation.  Meanwhile, tune into National Geographic’s Earth Day with the premiere of Jane Goodall: The Hope, a two-hour documentary that covers the vast legacy of Dr. Goodall’s decades of research and advocacy work for chimpanzees.

NYC PARKS OFFERS EARTHDAY PROGRAMS AND MORE…

Enjoy fun activities and virtual tours at home brought to you by Partnerships for Parks.  https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/parks-at-home.

NYC Parks reports that all  events in parks are cancelled through June 30  and no permit applications are  being reviewed until further notice. 

ARE YOU SAFE OUTDOORS? The latest research reveals that the Cover-19  virus can be infectious for several days before producing symptoms and some infected people never experience symptoms. So to protect yourself and others, practice social distancing of at least 6 ft. and wear a face mask. Covid-19 can spread between two people who are just talking in close proximity. Outdoors, the viral load dilutes and disburses so it becomes LESS contagious than in enclosed spaces like elevators and lobbies, BUT group sports and games or co-mingling are prohibited for good reason. Steer clear of joggers and anyone who is creating an airstream by huffing and puffing. 

SHOP THE GREENMARKET: Health precautions are being enforced, and six vendors continue to  offer fresh, locally sourced produce and seafood  on Wednesdays in Dag Plaza.  HELP keep Dag Plaza’s market open by observing all health guidelines. Support regional farmers and fishermen! 

DOG OWNERS ALERT: NYC Parks Department has closed dog runs because people were co-mingling. We expect  more dog walkers in Dag Plaza. Please do your part to avoid spreading secondary bacterial infections. Scoop the poop. NO excuses! 

 We all have a role to play in public health and hygiene. 

Special thanks to our volunteer gardeners who plant thousands of flower bulbs in autumn which bloom in spring and warm our hearts on Earth Day. ENJOY!  Gazing  at flowers is guaranteed to  relieve stress. 

THIS MESSAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY 

FRIENDS OF DAG HAMMARSKJOLD PLAZA

 When we first learned of the Covid 19 pandemic, we delayed this year’s annual appeal for membership. Now City Council grant funding for 2020 is suspended, and we must rely on private funding to sustain our work to keep Hammarskjold Plaza clean, green and healthy. Please do what you can to support our park and its Katharine Hepburn Garden. You may choose to honor and/or remember a loved one by entering text in the box provided during the online process. 

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @friendsofdagplaza

WITH PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA CARVER

We celebrate the summer garden when the hydrangeas bloom. Take a garden tour and learn about the 5 diffferent varieties in our collection and how to use these popular shrubs and vines  in stunning  arrangements, patio plantings and shade gardens. 

On Thursday, July 25th, 6 PM to & PM, violinist Susan Kessler will play from her extensive repertoire. Sample the new cafe menu with a  picnic plate for purchase from the Peace Garden Cafe. Free ice tea for all! 

On Friday, July 26, the tours continue and a  giant inflatable unicorn that sprays water from its horn will keep the kids cool and happy.

SEE THE PARK BULLETIN BOARDS   AND CHECK WEBSITE FREQUENTLY FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SCHEDULES. 

CITY COUNCIL PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING: $1MILLION TO BE SPENT

Starting March 30 through Sunday, April 7, all NYC residents age 11 up, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, are eligible to vote online or at polling sites in support of community improvement projects totaling $1million in discretionary funding for each council district. The projects winning the most votes will be funded. 

Just click on the link pbnyc.org/vote and you will be directed to your Council District and a list of proposed projects. Dag Hammarskjold Plaza is located in Council District 4 under the jurisdiction of Councilman Keith Powers. You can preview the entire list at Councilman Powers’ website. https://council.nyc.gov/keith-powers/pb/8/ Click on each item to see a short description and the associated cost. as well as physical polling sites.

You may vote for 5 of the 13 items proposed by Councilman Powers office. Three items on the ballot directly benefit DAG HAMMARSKJOLD PLAZA for a total of $270,000. We need upwards of 700 votes to tip the scales in our favor.

ITEM: New tree plantings to replace missing trees and tree guards.
Throughout Council District 4, $150,000. Dag Plaza is missing 9 trees! Our neighborhood lost many street trees during the November snow storm. Trees are essential to health, providing beauty and shade as they breathe out oxygen and absorb toxic gases.

ITEM: Security Cameras in Turtle Bay, $80,000. This item is designated for Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. NYPD and Councilman Powers office will determine the best location(s) to provide surveillance of the woodland landscape known as the Katharine Hepburn Garden.

ITEM: Floor Repair at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. $40K. These funds would augment a shortfall in the projected budget for repairing sunken, uneven areas of the plaza “floor” (asphalt hex pavers) in the 2019/2020 park renovation under City Council /NYC Parks Capital Funding Project. We have witnessed several accidents and serious injuries caused by uneven pavers.

VOTE NOW BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK:  pbnyc.org/vote