Monday, October 27, 2008

My unedited letter to the NY Times about their inaccurate article on the grass in Fort Greene Park - specifically the lack of it.



WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO AN ARTICLE IN "THE CITY" SECTION OF THE SUNDAY NEW YORK TIMES ON SEPT. 28, 2008 ABOUT FORT GREENE PARK ENTITLED "WHERE THE GRASS IS DEFINITELY NOT GREENER" BY SARAH STODOLA.

To the editors of "The City":

I have been concerned about the overuse of the park for over seven years. The main field’s large dirt patch creates dust storms when dry, and is a mud pit when wet. The author Sarah Stodola suggests that reseeding is a solution. She should have known that a large portion of that main field has previously been fenced off and reseeded at least twice in the past eight years. In 2005 it was fenced for nine months. Unfortunately within days of the fences’ removal the new grass had been destroyed due to overuse. (see larger and additional images at http://www.southoxford.com/pages/mudpit.html).

Now the problem is much worse. The players are moving to adjacent spots. Those new areas are fast becoming a muddy/dust bowl as well. If no action is taken soon most of the usable flat areas of the park will be devoid of any grass. The soccer players are only half the problem; there are the organized football teams, and Brooklyn Technical School, who use the park as their own private sports facility.

There are at least three sports-specific fields within a half mile of Fort Greene Park: Commodore Barry Park at Park & Ashland, Brooklyn Technical High School's Charles B. Wang Athletic Field at Fulton & Vanderbilt, and the South Oxford Park at South Oxford & Atlantic. All of these three locations appear to be underutilized.

Reseeding is not the answer and will never work. IMHO we have two options: either enforce the prohibition of organized sports from that field and divide the space up by installing a hill, trees, rocks and fences; or install astroturf like the city has done on other athletic fields where natural grass cannot be maintained.

I support the great work being done by the youth sports leagues in the area and wish they continue their efforts. I also support the safe use of our historic community park for everyone’s peaceful and safe enjoyment. Olmsted & Vaux, the celebrated designers of our park (and Prospect and Central Park), never intended the area to be used as an athletic field.

Why should 20 or so people be able to ruin the enjoyment of a public park for hundreds of people? Just because it is a public “park” does not automatically make it an athletic field.

Sincerely,
Abby Weissman
Acting-President, The South Oxford Street Block Association,
www.southoxford.com
and volunteer member of the Fort Greene Park Conservancy and the Fort Greene Association.