Pier 40

August 30, 2008 – 2:11 am

We live in crowded NYC, so where do we go for space? I used to go a garden, until a park guard scolded me for stepping too close to a flower.

The search for space can be very frustrating here in the city. Then, one gloriously sunny afternoon, I turned a corner, and there it was—the largest outdoor space in the City of New York, the Hudson River.

I had discovered Pier 40. Pier 40 is home to a large playing field used by young soccer players. It houses both the free kayaking program and the free rowing program. Most importantly, Pier 40’s large, square structure provides a great space to walk in the sunshine and breathe the salt sea air. The benches all around the perimeter allow a fantastic view of river traffic — sailboats, cruise ships, barges, speedboats, water taxis, and sightseeing boats. Many people enjoy running, walking, and exercising there. One can also sit quietly indoors in the shade to read a book or have a meal at the picnic tables. Really, it is the perfect place to relax, just the way it is.

That must be why developers have plans to tear it down and build a recreation center there.

Open space is so hard to find in NYC that many people have installed private gardens on their rooftops. People can somehow install grass, trees, flowers, bushes, and climbing vines on the roofs of tall buildings without water rooftop-gardensdamage to the tenants below. People are building wooden decks in all available spaces and buying lounge chairs and barbecue equipment. The formal garden shown in the photo to the right is sitting on the roof of a six-story building. Needless to say, building a rooftop garden is not something the average person can afford.

I think dogs have a better deal. Owners can take their pets to one of the free neighborhood dog runs. I like to watch the dogs jumping, running after balls, splashing about in a small pool, wagging their tails, and having a great time.

Why don’t we have places like that for people?

I’m not trying to make trouble. I’m just asking.

Suggested Questions for Discussion:

  1. If you live in a crowded city, do you have a way of getting enough exercise?

  1. Apartments used to be larger. Landlords have now subdivided the large apartments into smaller apartments at many times the rent. Renters take on roommates. Perhaps nobody cares about having physical space anymore, since we can all access electronic spaces of various kinds: musical space or cyberspace, using a computer or cellphone. What do you think?

  1. Do you think the advantages of living in an urban environment compensate for the lack of physical space there?

Photos and Text © 2008 Barbara A. English. All rights reserved.

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