Seward Park: A Vision For Parks Without Borders

SEWARD PARK

A VISION FOR PARKS WITHOUT BORDERS

JANUARY 14, 2016

VISION

EDGE

The NYC Parks Department’s Parks Without Borders initiative dovetails perfectly with what the community wishes for Seward Park. The greening of Library Plaza, the revitalization of the Essex Street Promenade, the inclusion of Straus Square as a gateway to the park and the removal of internal fencing would greatly benefit the tens of thousands of people who use the park each year and better integrate it with the surrounding neighborhood—which is what Parks Without Borders is all about. This revitalization of our park would help to continue the rich tradition and philosophy upon which Seward Park was founded.

VOLLEYBALL COURT BASKETBALL COURT

SCHIFF FOUNTAIN VIEW

Y TOR 4 - S ARY LIBR

2 - STORY RECREATION BUILDING

Essex Street

OPEN PAVED AREA

Jacob Schiff Fountain

LIBRARY PLAZA VIEW

Canal Street

t

tree er S Rutg

STRAUS SQUARE VIEW

way

oad E Br

Legend: SHRUB / TREE

NEW GRASS LAWN

TALL TREE

TREE PLANTER

NEW GRASSY KNOLL

TALL FRENCE

PLAYGROUND

NEW STONE PAVED PATH

SHORT FRENCE

BUILDING

NEW OPEN SPACE

VIEW

VOLLEYBALL COURT

ENTRANCE

Library Plaza

ADJACENT SPACE

Straus Square

PAST

Seward Park is the oldest municipal playground in the United States. The park was established in 1899.The effort was spearheaded by Lillian Wald, founder of the Henry Street Settlement and Charles B. Stover, who later became New York City Parks Commissioner from 1910-13. Both believed strongly that immigrant families living in tenements needed fresh air and exercise. The land on which the Seward Park Library stands was purchased in 1890. In the same period, the German-Jewish philanthropist, Jacob Henry Schiff donated the Schiff Fountain. The extraordinary vision and care for an underserved community is built into the foundations of Seward Park. New York City took over the administration of the park in 1903.

PRESENT

While the immigrant population in this neighborhood has gone through many changes since the founding of Seward Park, it remains the playground and park for an extremely diverse, 40% foreign-born population. Our neighborhood is dense and lacking in park space. Seward Park is now 3.36 acres but we are sorely “underparked�.

There are 990 people per open space acre in CB3 as opposed to 215 people per open space acre in all of New York City. It is not surprising that Seward Park is packed all day long with people of all ages and backgrounds. The last significant improvement of Seward Park was 16 years ago, with the installation of new playground equipment.

The Seward Park Conservancy http://www.sewardparkconservancy.org/ info@sewardparkconservancy.org