Organizational Thread

[BrooklynRider]

I think we need to keep working with NYRP and roll with their suggestions. Funding will determine scope. If our funding allows us to do something meaningful elsewhere, we discuss it with NYRP and report back to the team. I appreciate that you found a place that we can suggest to them. Can you give us exact location? We wouldn't want to execute our project in a lot that is not available for a community garden and find it demolished. NYRP is giving us permanent garden locations.

I am sure their our gardens that have this type of protection, however it is our request to stayt in Harlem. It does seem that those gardens have been retored by NYRP. The other option is to go where our work would make a bigger impact, but that could be outside of a meaningful radius from the site of the incident. Any ideas or thoughts on this?

[lofter1]

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but we should all realize the high cost of starting a garden from scratch. Hopefully we will raise a bucketful of cash for JB, but I think it's good to keep things in perspective -- if for no other reason than so we don't get ahead of ourselves and end up with disappointment on our end.

Community Garden spaces were under seige from the City / Developers a few years back and it was largely the efforts of Bette & NYRP that kept many of these lots from being taken away and developed. NYRP knows how to make things happen -- and they know how to raise big bucks -- so our partnership with NYRP is really important.

We can discuss this in more depth at the preliminary meeting on Monday.

You might want to look HERE to see some of the costs that NYRP lists -- including "Naming Rights" for a Community Garden @ $250,000.00!!

One of the first things that NYRP does when they renovate a garden space is to get water supply put in -- a project which can easily run into tens of thousands of dollars (tying into the City the water system, metering, plumbing within the garden, etc.).

Again I'm just doing the "reality check" thing -- and do NOT want to dissuade anyone from working to create something that will honor JB in the best way.

[Gulcrapek]

The lot in question is not a vacant lot (sorry for the mistake), it had a few plantings and is used for something. There's the problem of getting the owner to donate the lot.. which is kind of unfair to him/her as they could get a lot of money for it through sale to a developer. So yeah it's probably a bad idea.

These are not meant to be pretty pictures so please excuse the crappiness..

Walls - possible sites for the mural. I don't know the cross streets, I forgot to bring a pen (bleh). All of the 125th ones are between Amsterdam and Park.

On 125th heading east

1)


2)

3)

4)



Park @ 125th - there are a few of these between the columns of the building



This might be obscured by a new building



I'm not sure of the locations of these, they are all in between Park and St. Nicholas and between 126th and 135th.









There are afew more places, but they're too large for Imageshack, I'll resize them and post. I also have to rotate a few.

Maggie's Garden - in next post, hit image limit

Plus one I have to rotate, be back soon.

[Gulcrapek]

Another wall



I have a picture of an interesting garden/mystery place, but imageshack won't take it, maybe I could send it to someone?


Maggie's Garden



Imageshack won't give the thumbnail code for this one

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9273/img19498gu.jpg





I also have a little video of the place but I doubt I can put that on imageshack...

[lofter1]

Thanks for the pics.

It looks like the gate was locked for you, as well ...

[krulltime]

Thanks for those photos Gulcrapek!

[krulltime]

Thanks for those photos Gulcrapek!

[MidtownGuy]

From what I read, the gardens are only required to be open 5 hours per week. Seems like they should be open a bit more than that.

[lofter1]

Good to know that ^^

[ablarc]

So...to keep it nice, they have to keep folks out?

Could we get them to extend the hours, or would that lead to its destruction?

[lofter1]

This is something that needs to be discussed in the meeting w/ NYRP.

[BrooklynRider]

I agree with Lofter. These gardens need oversight when they are open. As you can see, this one is located between buildings and can be over run with precisely the types of people who attacked JB if left unattended. Let us report back to you all on Friday.

On another note...

No new contributions today. If you have further suggestions as to how we can reach into our community and other New York and online communities, please post here. Plan one was a pretty good success. We need plan two.

I also encourage members to contact members you be friendly with in the forums, whose names do not yet appear on the project team. I know our international members have their hands tied an will give us a good boost. A couple of other members and a new member have pledged their support - but the pledge period is over. I politely and diplomatically asked them to step up. Money buys us scope. Our vision is big. Big Vision = Big Money. The message must get out there.

[BrooklynRider]

This might be something we need to discuss and which I believe we will all agree is Edward's to decide, but...

Is it possible to have some sort of message in the "JB announcement" at the top of each forum page that asks members to help us reach our memorial fund raising goal? Perhaps, we can link back to a "how to contribute" post that includes asking them to email us and report.

Please add your voice to this discussion.

[ablarc]

FROM BRider "Please add your voice to this discussion." I did....and think it was deleted?

Was my message about the nabe being "unsafe" deleted. If yes, and you do not want to hear any negatives....let me know.

Are you sure? May be just mislaid. No one here is into censorship or suppressing information.

The dangers of the neighborhood (and the garden being often closed) needs to be addressed.

Indeed.

[Merry]

No new contributions today....I know our international members have their hands tied an will give us a good boost.

Please be reassured, BrooklynRider, that I'm champing at the bit to make my donation.

Peace, strength and love to you. You're doing wonderful things here, and you're doing them wonderfully well, and it WILL all come together.