Spring awakens just in time for Conservancy construction in Madison Square Park

So for the past two weeks we’ve had a combination of jackhammers and trucks. First it was the building of the foundation for the art installation. Next was the building of the tent for the Conservancy fundraiser. Here is a photo of how the lawn is left damaged.

More Conservancy Commercialism

In Response to community uproar over Madison Square Park Conservancies expansion into Worth Square, CB 5  has made the following recommendations .
1) Pedestrian Clearance and Public Safety
The food market as configured for Madison Square Eats allows no clearance for pedestrian traffic on the perimeter edges of Worth Square. During the event, pedestrians along the west side of Fifth Avenue are forced to walk in the street. NYPD and City agencies routinely work together to ensure several feet of pedestrian clearance at all times in analogous public spaces such as Father Duffy Square, and we do not see the justification for public safety being overlooked at Worth Square.
2) Design of Vendor Booths
The booths used presently are tall and opaque, blocking sight lines across Worth Square. In addition to our concerns about the aesthetics of the booths, the Board believes that the lack of sight lines also poses a danger to cyclists, vehicles and pedestrians who converge at Worth Square from Broadway, Fifth Avenue, 25th Street and 24th Street.
3) Use of Generators
Nearby residents, park users, and Community Board Five have objected to the use of generators in our public spaces, including Worth Square. Gasoline and diesel-fueled generators are a source of pollution, excessive noise and obnoxious odors. We encourage the Parks Department to establish an adequate power supply in Worth Square, in order to eliminate the need for generators.
4) Use of Worth Square

http://www.cb5.org office@cb5.org
Worth Square is public parkland that is home to the second oldest monument in New York City: a granite monument and subterranean mausoleum for General William Worth (c.1857). The Board is notified when military officers wish to perform a wreath-laying in the Square for General Worth, and we believe any RFP should include provisions for explaining how this public space will remain accessible and available to any person or group wishing to use it in this manner.
5) Financial Gain from Worth Square
While we appreciate that the Madison Square Park Conservancy has taken on the responsibility of maintaining Worth Square, we consider Worth Square public parkland separate and distinct from Madison Square Park. We believe that any funds generated by the use of Worth Square should be used only to maintain and improve Worth Square, not be absorbed by the general fund of the Madison Square Park Conservancy.
6) Duration of Occupation of Worth Square
Community Board Five has long had serious concerns about the increasing use of public spaces for commercial purposes. We recognize the need for the Conservancy to generate funds for continuing park maintenance. Over time, we have negotiated modifications to the food market, including its configuration that resulted in the Board’s support for it for the last two years. That support has been contingent on its current incarnation of 29 days or fewer (twice a year). Any increase in duration for any commercial use of the Square would require careful scrutiny, and would certainly require the resolution of the concerns outlined above. The scope of the proposed RFP should include proposals to address all of these concerns.

The Mission of Madison Square Park Conservancy As Cultural Institution or Park Caretaker?

TV Monitors in a tree disguised as art. Jacco Olivier
Mad. Sq. Art

The Madison Square Park Conservancy has announced the hiring of a permanent full time curator to head the parks art program. Since 2004 there have been over 23 art installations. This raises the question of what is the mission of the conservancy at all. Debbie Landau, president of the conservancy said “The Madison Square Park Conservancy is a cultural institution”.

This helps explain their growing budget and hunger for revenue generating events in the park. In 2011 just one installation, the Jaume Plensa sculpture, cost the park over $620,000.

In the ultimate case of Mission Creep Debbie landau has compromised her stewardship of the park. The increased activity of fundraising compromises the ability to enjoy the park. It would be hard to argue that Corporate Branding Events add in any positive way to the park visitors experience. Additionally  the installation and decomisioning of these large installations are often disruptive in themselves involving cranes, trucks, riggers  and construction.
Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20120312/murray-hill-gramercy/madison-square-park-get-permanent-art-curator#ixzz1rZ7eSs1d

Madison Square Parks Sells Out to Pimp Anything For Money. Park For Profit , Loud Sound Systems in Madison Square Park. Windows Phone Time Machine

Madison Sqaure Parks Sells Out to Pimp Anything For Money.
Park For Profit , Loud Sound Systems in Madison Square Park. Windows Phone Time Machine

Democratic Ideal of Park for All Gives Way to VIP Areas.

Elitist principles replace democratic ideals for park administrators.

VIP Areas in a Park?

This weekend yet another large event is to take place in Madison Square Park. The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. This is a big draw to the park bringing quite a large crowd. The well heeled can purchase special VIP tickets for 500.00. These tickets entitle one to a special VIP TENT where they do not have to wait online like the rest of the masses, comes complete with a special gift basket.

In a time where the divide between rich and poor is growing this flies in the face of the democratic ideal of  park as place for average New Yorker who does not own a house in the Hamptons.

A Facebook page has been created The Big Apple BBQ is too Damn Big for Madison Square Park

SOBE Marketing Event and Shake Shack, Perfect Storm of Pimping Out a Park for Profit

Sobe Event and Shake Shack, Perfect Storm of Pimping Out a Park for Profit

Today SOBE is building a stage and lights for a marketing event to take place tomorrow. Forklifts and equipment converge with the line of people waiting for the Shake Shake to make a very unpleasant experience for park goers.

Another Day Another Dollar

Forklifts and stage equipment crowd out park users, again

google-site-verification: googlefc237193f229055b.html

Delta Dugout Brings Trucks and Generators to the Park

Park like experience ,GONE. Corporate Branding is in.

Make no mistake about the scale of the corporate branding events, they are huge and completely dominate the park. Again the Madison Square Park Conservancy and Debbie Landau subjugate the role of park as a place to enjoy trees, quite and  clean air to the role of park as rental event space.

Delta Dugout to Park Users, Agree to Our Terms or GET OUT! Debbie Landau

Agree to our terms to use your park or GET OUT

Delta Dugout takes over the park and if you wish to use the park
 you must agree to grant permission for your likeness and voice
 to be included therin without compensation, credit or any other
 consideration (I SHOULD SAY SO!) for online and on_air promotion
 use by The Delta Dugout and it's partners. 
Here is the most outrageous part...
If you do not wish to be photographed, recorded, or appear under these conditions,
 you should leave immediately.

Delta Dugout at Madison Square Park, Beloved Park Sold to Corporate Schills

Corporate Branding Replaces Nature at Park this Weekend

JUMBOTRONS and Generators

Beloved Park sold to Corporate Schills

A shill or plant is a person who helps another person or organization to sell goods or services without disclosing that he or she has a close relationship with the seller. The shill pretends to have no association with the seller/group and gives onlookers the impression that he or she is an enthusiastic independent customer. The person or group that hires the shill is using crowd psychology, to encourage other onlookers or audience members (who are unaware of the set-up) to purchase the said goods or services.

Madison Square Park Flowers

The north end of the park smells like sweet flowers, the south end of the park still smells like cheesburgers.