by Marie-Louise Handal
Peter Detmold Park Certified as Wildlife Habitat
Thanks to the efforts of a local Girl Scouts troop working in cooperation with the Turtle Bay Association Parks Committee, Peter Detmold Park has qualified to be officially designated as a Wildlife Habitat. Under the leadership of Troup Leader Joanna Stanberry, the members of Troop #3776 completed a specific set of wildflower plantings in Peter Detmold Park. They have also put in a bird bath.
These are all improvements which were needed to make Peter Detmold Park more inviting to birds and Monarch butterflies, among others. These improvements, while not immediately visible to park visitors, all make the space more inviting to potential wildlife “residents”. More details to follow. This park has been taking on increased popularity among the neighborhood’s youth, and we are pleased and grateful to this wonderful group of generous pre-teens.
Improvements on Footbridge above Peter Detmold Park
In other Peter Detmold Park News, thanks to the successful collaboration of the Beekman Place Neighborhood Association and CB-6, two new gates have been installed on the footbridge above Detmold Park, as pictured here. The renovation is expected to significantly improve security in the park.
Peace Garden Vegetarian Café Opens at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
The new restaurant will serve a variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes and will offer coffee, fruit drinks and ice cream for visitors to the park. Currently, installation of outdoor seating, bordered by greenery and colorful flower boxes, is being completed. Try it out. Let us know how you enjoyed it.
Update Regarding Adult Use of the Rest Rooms in MacArthur Playground
The debate continues on both adult presence in the Playground and taxis parking inappropriately in front of the Playground. The Parks Department has not taken an official stand, pending further fact-finding and a search for more appropriate rest-room options for taxi drivers. This issue is further complicated by the still unclear status of the Playground as an official playground (along with all the special rules that apply) or as a regular park, which was never its original status. It is possible that our Playground was at some point confused with another uptown park, named MacArthur Park. Some pages on the NYC Parks website mix information about the two parks on the same pages. We are in conversation with various City officials to clarify this.
Expanding Parks Committee Membership and Networking with Other Community Organizations & Parks Groups
As we begin the new season, we are reaching out to coordinate with various Friends groups, PDP-ARF, and other local parks groups, as well as NYC Parks & Recreation and our two community relations police officers in mutual support of 2019 parks efforts and projects. Several new members of TBA have opted to join the efforts of the Parks Committee. If you would like to become a member of the TBA Parks Committee, please contact the TBA office.
In Memoriam – Henry Stern
We are sad to note that one of our greatest supporters in the old days, former Parks Department Commissioner, Henry Stern, died on March 28, 2019, after a long battle with Parkinson’s. It is with the deepest gratitude that we recognize his lifelong service to NYC parks, as well as his exceptional support of our own efforts to preserve and improve green spaces here in Turtle Bay.
