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Parks & Public Spaces
Central Park Conservancy Restoration of the East Side landscape from the East Meadow to the Harlem MEER in Central Park.
WHEREAS, The Central Park Conservancy has proposed specific alterations and restoration of the east side landscape from the East Meadow to the Harlem Meer in Central Park; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five has previously approved the overall renovation plan in 2002 calling for a three year phased renovation, scheduled to commence in Summer 2007 and the Board would urge the Parks Department to expedite construction; and
WHEREAS, In view of the passage of considerable time, the Central Park Conservancy seeks re-approval of the next stage of this renovation prior to resubmitting their plans to the Art Commission, whose original grant of approval has expired; and
WHEREAS, This proposal has two primary goals:
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Restoration of the balance of the parkland between the 96th Street transverse and the Meer, to realize the scenic potential of this area's rolling landscapes and variety of mature trees, through work including the rebuilding of paths and utility infrastructures and the replacement of site amenities, turf restoration, landscape plantings to provide visual interest along pedestrian routes, and the selective pruning of shrubs and ground cover to expose obscured rock out-croppings, and
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Streamlining of the existing path system, with an emphasis on historically and currently relevant paths, so as to improve pedestrian flow, remove the existing tangle of redundant and truncated paths that dead-end and circle upon themselves in the landscape south and west of the Mount and the Conservatory Garden, and to achieve the Olmsteadian ideal of a continuous and seamless park experience by removing the existing east/west path allowing for the reconnection of other north/south paths; and
WHEREAS, The budget for this project is projected at roughly $6 million, to be funded approximately 50% by the City and 50% by the Conservancy; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five was impressed with and appreciates the effort put forth by the Conservancy to work with the various constituencies that utilize this part of Central Park; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends approval of the application concerning the restoration of the east side landscapes from the East Meadow to the Harlem Meer in Central Park.
The above resolution passed with a vote of 35 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.