A PARK DESERT
If you define park space as a place that is open, accessible to all, not behind a barrier, fence or lock, then this is the map of park space in the immediate vicinity of the Brooklyn Bridge.
The east side of Lower Manhattan has very little outdoor recreation space, especially in comparison to the south side with Battery Park, and the west side’s Hudson River Park and Battery Park City. Our communities are growing at city-leading rates, and yet our civic infrastructure is shrinking.
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PUBLIC SPACE
Surrounded by communities of color, lower income households and the elderly, the lack of equitable access to public parks is an issue that must be addressed. This space under the Brooklyn Bridge is the only large parcel of land still available in our community, where we could envision sufficient space for both passive and active recreation.
UNEQUAL GROUNDS
The discrepancy between open space per resident on the Brooklyn side of the bridge versus the Manhattan side indicates a stark divide between socio-economic borders.
A PARK TO SAVE OUR SMALL BUSINESSES
Brooklyn Bridge Manhattan is a neighborhood revitalization strategy that will ripple into the surrounding neighborhoods of Manhattan, creating jobs and helping our small businesses in Lower Manhattan.