Community Center for kids and gramps. That's all anyone has ever said that's made any sense to me. Indoor place to play, to create, to hang out w/supervision. Make it attractive, and make available the kinds of services that kids and gramps need, on-site. There are so many kids who need support, and I feel like we're failing them desperately. (And please send the older kids hanging out in front of 35 Clarkson over there as soon as it's built! They're basically using the scaffolding as their private community center AND employment center, as in it's a pretty useful cover for selling drugs, rain or shine.
The commander of the precinct has asked us to not engage them while they investigate. Which means, basically let them take over the street and cat-call and menace the block. Very frustrating.)But the Armory's gotta be done right. And that's going to take money, and the support of the whole community. As we ramp up the involvement from the community board, I hope to see you ALL out there cheering the cause. I know it's not very sexy, this community board stuff. But it really is our best chance to help guide the process, and hold the developers at bay. For once, a project that's not "mixed-use" or "public-private" could emerge? Whatever happened to "public-public?" Like, the Public-Public Library. Or the Public-Public Park? Or Public-Public Health Care? Or Public-Public Housing? Or...more on that last one in a bit.
2 comments:
when's the next community board mtg? ill put it on my calendar....
not til September, fourth Tuesday of the month, 7PM. Keep an eye out hear for agenda, and join a committee if you like. There's parks, environmental/sanitation, transportation, health, education, youth, public safety, economic development, housing and one more...oh yeah, 197-a, which is about long-term planning in the neighborhood. It's our official way of telling the City what we think our community should look like in, say, 10 years. If you think the City doesn't pay attention, you should see how many neighborhoods have used this as a launching pad for big changes. Maybe one day, we'll have that kind of involvement. Meanwhile, we keep chipping away, piece by piece.
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