The Alliance and a star cast of public officials rallied on the steps of City Hall last Friday to "Keep the Island Afloat!" - an appeal to Albany to kick in its share of funds for Island operations.
Sporting orange life jackets loaned by New York Water Taxi and the New York Yacht Club, standing inside a huge pink inner tube from FIGMENT, the demonstration was infinitely more colorful than most that take place on those steps. For most of an hour, speakers and sign-bearers deplored the absence of operating funding in Governor Paterson's proposed budget for the 2010 fiscal year. Absent those funds - for summer programs, upkeep, mundane housekeeping and, not least, the ferry - the Island might have to be closed to visitors.
"Governors Island has become a vital part of New York," said Manhattan
Borough President Scott Stringer. "We must keep that momentum going,
even in difficult fiscal times, because investing in public space and
infrastructure is necessary to keep our city afloat." Councilman Alan
Gerson noted the Island's particular importance for the lower Manhattan
area he represents. "The Island provides critical green space for our
growing family community, and an opportunity to attract education and
research facilities. Congressman Jerrold Nadler, whose efforts have
been key to getting federal support, said, "Governors Island is too
great a local treasure to neglect or underfund." The Island is part of
his west side Manhattan district. Speaker Sheldon Silver and State
Senator Daniel Squadron couldn't make it to the rally but sent similar
supporting messages.
In the six years since the City and State took control of the Island - all but the 22-acre National Monument - they have shared the approximately $15 million annual cost of operating it. This time the Alliance has asked that they each provide at least $7.4 million in operating funds and $7 million in capital funds for the coming year.
Concerts and art installations, historic tours, car-free biking, and shady green lawns attracted more than 128,000 visitors last summer, twice as many as 2007. With the opening of the 2.2-mile Island promenade for the first time, a newly cleared 8-acre waterfront picnic grounds, new artist studios and a beach café, attendance could redouble this year - if the Island can open.
According to former councilman Ken Fisher, chairman of the Alliance board, "Arts, recreational and concert producers are prepared to invest millions of dollars to bring the Island to life, but they won't be able to do it without some commitment from the state and city."
Board member Peg Breen, president of the New York Landmarks Conservancy, said that an "irreplaceable National Landmark and City Historic District" is threatened by the budget cuts in prospect. "The city and state have invested more than $140 million to rehabilitate these buildings," she said. "Not taking care of them jeopardizes that progress and sends the wrong signal to prospective tenants."
Murray Fisher, founder of the New York Harbor School - a public high school that is scheduled to move to the Island from Brooklyn next year - made the final plea: "Don't let New York City school kids down by closing."
You can do your part by sending a postcard to the Governor, asking him to Keep the Island Afloat.
The following Alliance members supported the cause by coming out and, many of them, donning a life jacket:
New York Landmarks Conservancy, New York Harbor School, Downtown Little League, Downtown Soccer League, PS 234, NY4P, EDF, River Keeper, S.S. Columbia, Water Taxi, NY Yacht Club, River Project, Waterkeeper Alliance, The Battery Conservancy, Creative Time, MAS, AIA-NY, Transportation Alternatives, FIGMENT and Anika Koenig, Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra, Liberty Event Management, The Liberty Show, Make Music New York, Angel Orensanz Foundation, Living Liberally
In the six years since the City and State took control of the Island - all but the 22-acre National Monument - they have shared the approximately $15 million annual cost of operating it. This time the Alliance has asked that they each provide at least $7.4 million in operating funds and $7 million in capital funds for the coming year.
Concerts and art installations, historic tours, car-free biking, and shady green lawns attracted more than 128,000 visitors last summer, twice as many as 2007. With the opening of the 2.2-mile Island promenade for the first time, a newly cleared 8-acre waterfront picnic grounds, new artist studios and a beach café, attendance could redouble this year - if the Island can open.
According to former councilman Ken Fisher, chairman of the Alliance board, "Arts, recreational and concert producers are prepared to invest millions of dollars to bring the Island to life, but they won't be able to do it without some commitment from the state and city."
Board member Peg Breen, president of the New York Landmarks Conservancy, said that an "irreplaceable National Landmark and City Historic District" is threatened by the budget cuts in prospect. "The city and state have invested more than $140 million to rehabilitate these buildings," she said. "Not taking care of them jeopardizes that progress and sends the wrong signal to prospective tenants."
Murray Fisher, founder of the New York Harbor School - a public high school that is scheduled to move to the Island from Brooklyn next year - made the final plea: "Don't let New York City school kids down by closing."
You can do your part by sending a postcard to the Governor, asking him to Keep the Island Afloat.
The following Alliance members supported the cause by coming out and, many of them, donning a life jacket:
New York Landmarks Conservancy, New York Harbor School, Downtown Little League, Downtown Soccer League, PS 234, NY4P, EDF, River Keeper, S.S. Columbia, Water Taxi, NY Yacht Club, River Project, Waterkeeper Alliance, The Battery Conservancy, Creative Time, MAS, AIA-NY, Transportation Alternatives, FIGMENT and Anika Koenig, Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra, Liberty Event Management, The Liberty Show, Make Music New York, Angel Orensanz Foundation, Living Liberally
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