XPost: alt.activism, nyc.general, nyc.politics 
 From: adr5@columbia.edu 
  
 In article , 
 liberty@once.net says... 
  
 > 
 >Thanks for the sensible and serious response, Alex. 
 > 
 >I agree that the parks should be well kept. This is what the Parks Dept. is 
 >PAID to do; it's their JOB. It is NOT acceptable for them (or others through 
 >them) to attempt to deny the people their basic rights of freedom of 
 >assembly because this causes wear and tear on the parks. There is simply not 
 >enough paved-over space to handle such large demonstrations. 
  
 There may not be a large enough space in Central park, unless  you use 
 the park drives, but I'm sure you could find it else where. 
  
 >The cost of maintaining the grassy areas of the parks is far less than all 
 >the money annually put into UNNECESSARY and unnecessarily prolonged 
 >construction boondoggles by the Parks Dept. 
  
 You may be right, you need to keep in mind that CP is not really run by the 
 parks department.  CP is run by the central park conservancy.  That is 
 probably 
 why it is in better condition than most of the other parks in the city that 
 are 
 directly run by the parks department. 
  
 >and their favored contractors. 
 >Not far from where I live a park that only needed the repair of one wall had 
 >a large asphalt ballfield dug up to be repaved. This was in good condition, 
 >and the work was not necessary. Unnecessary fencing work was also done 
 >resulting in reduced access, an actual worsening of the park's convenience 
 >and useability by the public. This waste goes on all over the city every 
 >year, but they cry about the cost of some grass seed for the fields! 
 >Time for a corruption probe, I say! 
  
 You echo the sentiments of the washingston sqaure park users.  They too are 
 battling the parks department that wants to re-arrange the park and put up a 
 fence. 
 ------------- 
 Alex 
  
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  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)