Outdoor sports recreation space in the winter

While all of the grass fields of BPC are shut down for the winter, the unusually warm weather is causing kids and parents to seek out sport recreational spaces. The artificial turf fields on Murray are open and have ample space.

Three Cunard Oceanliners Together Again

January 13, 2011

Once again, a trio of flagships from the British Cunard cruise line (The Queen Mary 2, The Queen Victoria and The Queen Elizabeth) came together in New York Harbor. A similar gathering took place in 2008.

(Heat convection currents and the cold air by the buildings made the images a bit blurry)

(In full screen 1080iHD)

The Atlantic Cup Yacht Race

(Viewable in full screen 1080i HD)

The inaugural Atlantic Cup yacht race started today from the North Cove Marina. We interviewed Race Director Hugh Piggin about the types of yachts and goals of the race.

9/11 Memorial Tour hosted by Sheldon Silver

October 2, 2011

(In full screen 1080iHD)

View of New Year’s 2012 fireworks over New York Harbor

January 1, 2012  By Steven Greer, MD

(in full screen 1080i HD)

The Christmas Tree Lighting in Battery Park City of 2011

December 8, 2011

By Steven Greer, MD

(In full screen 1080iHD)

Toy donations can be made by contacting Stockings with Care or caroline@stockingswithcare.org

The parade of Santas

December 11, 2011

Local resident Fran Miller sent these to us

(Click images to enlarge)

By Fran Miller

Storm over New York Harbor June 17 2011

June 17, 2011

Figure al Fresco

May 11, 2011

The Figure al Fresco program convenes on Wednesday afternoons, starting at 2:30 PM,  on the esplanade by the South Cove. An art instructor helps guide residents as the sketch a standing model. For more information, call (212) 267-9700 or visit http://www.bpcparks.org/bpcp/home/

Go Fish

May 21, 2011

Liz Conner interviews the founders of the Go Fish program along the esplanade discuss how the program raises awareness of the importance to keep the Hudson River clean, and how the river has rebounded since it was proclaimed “Dead” by the New York Times in the 1960′s due to pollution.

(Viewable in full-screen 1080iHD)

A chat with Russell Simmons at OccupyWallStreet: by Steven Greer, MD

October 16, 2011

BatteryPark.TV had a chance to speak with Hip-Hop mogul Russell Simmons at the OccupyWallStreet protests today. He has been down there quite often. After a lengthy interview with Fox Business and Geraldo Rivera, he surprisingly was quite accessible as he walked around the crowd.

Russell Simmons with Fox Business and Geraldo Rivera

We asked, “(We) have not been able to hear your message as you were speaking (to Fox). Have you been trying to focus this group on more tangible goals?”

Mr. Simmons replied, “We have a focused message. It’s to get rid of Wall Street and lobbyists from Washington.” He went on to elaborate that point for approximately a minute. Unfortunately, we did not have our camera with us.

Overall, the crowd is more organized now than last week. The group “Anonymous” and others are clearly providing the agenda and support. For example, when the city announced that they group would be removed for cleaning, some organization provided push brushes for a photo-op of the protestors cleaning the area.

Also, more focused goals of the protests are appearing on professionally made signs, such as this one that says “End the Fed”.

The Zuccotti Park dos not feel like a chaotic unsafe area. Protestors are quite peaceful, when we were there at least. There was no evidence of marijuana smoke, drugs, or “open sex”.

So far, the protestors and the NYPD are doing a good job. The dangerous riots seen in Italy and the rest of Europe are not brewing in Zuccotti park, yet.

An effort calledConcreteIdeas trying to focus the OccupyWallStreet efforts

Monarch butterflies in Wagner Park

The people have spoken: No organized sports on the grass field

Update September 28, 2011

By Steven Greer, MD

The Parks Conservancy is now aerating the field and placing barrier fences to rest trampled areas of the lawn.

Update: September 16, 2011

Since our notes from September 14, a coach for the Downtown Soccer League, John Chow, said that the BPCA has been in talks with them and that they, “Will not be using the field after this week.”. The Principal from PS 276 was very responsive, and she informed her staff and after school programs partners about the tenuous status of the field. Also, the Parks Conservancy aerated the field on the 15th.

If you see organized soccer being played on the field, particularly by adults as we saw last year, the local PEPs should be called at once, (212) 417-3100, or email us info@batterypark.tv

Update September 14, 2011

By Steven Greer

Shortly after opening, the grass field is being allowed by the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy to be used in ways that the local residents do not want to see it used (see survey results below). Namely, the Downtown Soccer League organization is bringing groups of 30 or more children to play organized soccer and baseball. The parks staff is also failing to close the field as needed to allow for grass renewal.

As a result, portions of the grass field have already been trampled to death (see photos at bottom). The most recent community board meeting addressed these issues, but no conclusions or final rules were made. Moreover, at the meeting, The BPCA announced that they are still refusing to assign Battery Park PEP to patrol the area.

July 1, 2011

BatteryPark.TV recently conducted a survey of local residents asking thier opinion on how the newly sodded grass field in the West Thames Park should be used when it re-opens soon. Recall, the first attempt last year resulted in a mud field as soccer teams trampled the turf.

The survey will be discussed at an upcoming CB1 meeting. The results of the survey are as follows:

Question #1: Should organized soccer with 7 or more people be allowed on the new grass field of West Thames Park?

Yes: 22%
No : 78%

Question #2: Should organized baseball of more than 3 people be allowed on the grass field?

Yes: 39%
No: 61%

Question #3: Should the Parks Conservancy close the grass field as needed in order to protect the grass, in the same manner they do the other surrounding lawns?

Yes: 78%
No: 22%

Comments: How would you like to see the new grass field optimally used?

· Picnics, lounging, sleeping, resting, etc.
· like the great lawn in Central Park
· small family groups having picnics and playing games with their children…and no danger to passersby and people sitting at the tables on the southern edge from flying projectiles!!!
· As a tennis court or something that better fits the demographic of the area. Basketball is fine for men between 15 and 25: and we have so many courts, but it’s so obviously not the correct choice for BPC. CB1′s Battery Park City Committee was wrong on this choice for our community.
· picnics, sunbathing, decorative area
· Informally by local residents but without organized sports activity which will tend to destroy the grass
· while I would like the grass to look beautiful, I object to the conservancy’s attempt to take away traditional usage of the grass in order to create much finer manicured gardens. While we all want something beautiful to look at – - we all need somewhere to play with our children and our pets. It seems difficult for the conservancy to compromise their lovely plans in order to take into consideration the resident’s feelings that they need lawns downtown similar to Central Park where we can lounge, etc.
· Picnics, just sitting
· passive, low intensity recreation eg Frisbee, informal ball toss, etc
· For parents to spend time with their children teaching them to play ball or young kids playing together. I don’t have children and I play soccer but the grass cannot survive the traffic and the neighborhood would suffer. I would love to use the space but I can play soccer on either of the piers to the north. Everyone who walks from the trains walks by the field and if it were a mud hole like before that makes it unpleasant.
· They should invest in putting an artificial grass field instead of natural grass, like the one at Pier 25.
· Picnic type and enjoyment of the grass and park area for BPC residents.
· As a place for non-organized activities
· Full blown Recreational field. Astroturf and a track around it that could host events.

Photo prior to the field opening in 2011

Photo on September 14 of significant damage to field

Another “Authority” bungles a construction project in Battery Park City

September 24, 2011

By Steven Greer, MD

The much anticipated opening of the new artificial turf ball fields north of Goldman Sachs on Murray Street finally happened, more than two weeks behind schedule. Heavy rain was cited by the BPCA as the reason, even though “Hurricane” Irene was only a tropical storm when it hit Manhattan leaving only sprinkles.

The Downtown Soccer League (DSL) will be the first group to use the new field. On September 15, the delay was announced in a blast email by DSL President Bill Bialosky, “concerns over the quality of the installation and the weather sensitive process involved in adhering the turf to the foam underlayment triggered the BPCA decision given today’s rain…it is the BPCA’s desire to provide a lasting, state of the art turf field for the community that led to delaying our activities at the ball field until next week.” A parent of a DSL child told BatteryPark.TV that the scheduled games for the league will be pushed into December now.

Upon closer inspection of the fields, The installation clearly seems “out of spec”. Obvious open seams and creases protrude in the field creating tripping hazards and sources for the field to be torn up over time.

The fields are owned and operated by The Battery Park City Authority and the project was overseen by the CEO of the BPCA, Gayle Horwitz. The BPCA refused to reply to our emails and calls. It is unknown how much was paid to the construction company, how the contract was won, etc.

Other recent construction projects in or adjacent to Battery Park City that were bungled with major cost overruns include the Port Authority’s 9/11 Memorial that triggered near-100% increases in bridge and tunnel tolls, the West Thames Park and the re-sodding of the grass field, and the dog park by North Cove Marina.

(Click images to enlarge)

Diagonal folds and creases from improper installation

Wide creases between rolls of turf

BPCA CEO Gayle Horwitz

Survey: Your opinion of the 9/11 memorial ceremonies

September 11, 2011

Please take our survey on the 9/11 memorial ceremonies. We will post the results on Monday.

September 12, 2011

The results of our survey were:

76% of the responders were from Battery Park

100% liked the design of the 9/11 Memorial. 34% strongly approved.

76% thought that the tight security measures were appropriate

74% agreed with Mayor Bloomberg in not allowing various religious leaders to make speeches

However, 76% disagreed with the Mayor’s decision to not allow living firefighters and policemen to make official speeches.

Pictures of the Week

September 11, 2011

(click to enlarge image)

Photos by Steven Greer

NYPD 9/11 bagpipe parade 2007

Over 118,000 views and counting

(This is the file with the 100,00 views originally posted on YouTube at another location of ours)

NYPD 9/11 bagpipe parade 2009

The annual NYPD commemorative bagpipe parade honoring the police killed in the September 11th, 2001 attacks.

Traditional Irish music

October 26

BatteyrPark.TV is very pleased to feature The Craobh Naithí Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, which is an organization based in Dublin, Ireland that teaches and promotes traditional Irish music. The group is on a New York tour and stopped by the Irish Hunger Memorial in Battery Park City.

For more information, contact the CCE North American Public relations Officer, Paul Keating, at 201-965-6598

Bureaucrats shamed into a grass field deal

Update: August 15, 2011

The fence was removed and the field is now opened for public use.

August 12, 2011

By Steven Greer, MD

Well, after having our friends at Pix11 TV news and The NY Post begin stories on the West Thames grass field disgrace, the DOT announced today that the field would open on Monday, August 15th. Recall, it was delayed two weeks due to an absurd “crab grass” excuse. Prior to that, the field was out of use for almost two years due to bickering between the DOT and the BPCA.

In their brief release, Adam Levine of the DOT wrote, “The New York State Department of Transportation and the Battery Park City Authority are pleased to announce that the West Thames Park lawn is scheduled to open Monday, August 15, 2011.  The park will be maintained by Battery Park City Authority through the Battery Park City Parks Conservancy.”

This beautiful real grass field cost the tax payers more than $200,000, for the grass alone, yet was held hostage as part of this bureaucratic dispute. To express your outrage over having to view an unsightly chain link fence in your neighborhood for many months, and having your children deprived of an entire summer of recreation, contact:

BPCA CEO Gayle Horwitz at (212) 417-2000 gayle.horwitz@batteryparkcity.org

Battery Park City Parks Conservancy, Tess Huxley  thuxley@bpcparks.org

DOT’s Region 11 Director Phillip Eng at (718) 482-4526 peng@dot.state.ny.us