LSP 30th Birthday Friends’ Luncheon Speech- May 7, 2006 by Sam Pesin
Michel Cuillerier on "Rejuvenating the Soul"
Welcome everybody. As the president of the Friends and as the son of Morris Pesin, it’s an honor to share this day with my mother Ethel, my sister Judy, and with all of you who love this park. Today we celebrate this milestone birthday and also civic activism. It’s inspiring to be here, with such caring people who have advocated for Liberty State Park and for all the environmental and community causes that you are involved in.
This park is public green space that renews our spirits, enriches our hearts, and gives us strength. The park is the best neighbor that Lady Liberty and Ellis Island could have. This waterfront land, once owned by the railroads, is now a park for all People to enjoy. People of all cultures, colors, religions and ages come here to relax, to reflect, to play.
The park is a sacred public space because it is scarce and necessary urban open space and because it is next to the world’s greatest symbol of freedom. It was civic activism and vision that created Liberty Park in an 18 year campaign and it was civic activism and vigilance that guided and protected the park for its 30 years and it will be civic activism that will guarantee the park’s transference into the hands of deserving future generations.
This birthday is truly a milestone as it’s the first time since 1976 that we’re celebrating a birthday without a major commercialization plan threatening the park. This is, thanks to God and thanks to the People, a peaceful and positive time. The Friends, an 18 year old all-volunteer group, has a solid partnership with the park Superintendents Josh and Jenny. This is a time of progress: the Interior Nature Restoration planning and funding is moving forward, due in large part to the NY/NJ Baykeeper’s Greg Remaud and Sen. Menendez; the Friends Garden Volunteers are beautifying the park, and LSC is doubling in size.
The great universal message of park history after 1976, is that the People put democracy into action and fought with determination and passion for a free park behind Lady Liberty. It’s the story of LSP. People were not apathetic and knew what was at stake.
People knew deep in their souls that we were fighting for not only the green urban grass but for the park as a symbol of our democracy. We wanted a free park with full public access to ALL People, to represent America, and we couldn’t bear the thought of the park’s spirit and true purpose being subverted and our right to free access confiscated.
In the early 1990’s, grassroots work, Coalitions of organizations, especially the NY/NJ Baykeeper, and rare elected officials, such as Senator Robert Menendez and State Sen. Bernard Kenny, helped defeat the golf course plan. Before and after the long golf course fight, there were several major destructive plans pushed by well-connected developers.
The Power of the People has prevailed here, and has given real meaning to the name,
People’s Park. We have lived up to the challenge of ensuring that the open space vision of the founders, which became our vision, was kept alive. Our continuing support, advocacy, and vigilance will see to it that the park lives up to its great potential and destiny. Today we celebrate all citizens who kept this former railroad land on the right track. And today we honor outstanding champions who transformed the waterfront wasteland into LSP, and also those who are leading the way in shaping the park’s future.