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July 1, 2014- By Steven E. Greer
As a direct result of the BatteryPark.TV investigative report that showed most of the budgeted infrastructure repair projects for 2014 have not yet begun, the BPCA went over a list of programs at the CB1 meeting tonight. Much of what Robin Forst of the BPCA said was intangible promises. There was one important update.
The waterless children’s playground on the north side of Gateway will supposedly get a water source “imminently”. The dog run, however, which is a festering foul dog sewer, will not get a hose anytime soon.
Jeff Galloway, the local dog activist who got the dog run built, was, once again, not present at the CB1 meeting (Mr. Galloway has not been seen for months). Glenn Plaskin from the Gateway Plaza Tenant’s Association was also not present, although he did have the time to get a photo-op with former NYPD Commissioner Kelly recently.
The West Thames fencing, that is supposed to go up, was left off of Ms. Forst’s list. When BP.TV asked about it, she claimed that it would be installed “later this year.”.
The $400,000 River Terrace crosswalk has been cancelled.
The $750,000 Wagner Park restrooms have been cancelled for this year.
The Irish Memorial is supposed to undergo a “study” to see what is needed. The $2.5 Million budgeted will not be spent.
The budgeted items that are underway, draining cash from the BPCA’s bank account, impact the local community the least. The various bridges that span the West Side Highway will be getting their pork payments. The pile remediation is underway, costing more than $14 Million.
None of the other budgeted items on the list were mentioned by the BPCA spokesperson, Ms. Forst. Therefore, in reality, of the $242 Million in tax revenue that the BPCA collects from people like you, only $9 Million was spent on the Parks Conservancy, and $14 Million was spent on invisible “pile remediation”. Almost all of the rest was diverted to city and state coffers.
Why does this happen? It is because no one cares. There is no outrage from BPC residents.
(Note: none of this would have been publicly known and discussed had it not been for BatteryPark.TV obtaining the information through FOIL)
