The Friends of Liberty State Park
P.O. Box 3407 Jersey City, NJ 07302
pesinliberty@earthlink.net
ph. 201-341-7895 www.folsp.org
Dear Friends,
In this post-Development Corporation era, it’s great to have positive
projects going forward and to have excellent cooperation and communication
with Sup’t. Josh Osowski and Frank Gallagher, long-time DEP park specialist
and leader. Frank reports that US Army Corps of Engineers will have a Fall
public hearing on their recommendations for the Interior natural area,
which is the nation’s largest urban nature restoration project.The
Interior will have trails and a channel from the river.
CRRNJ Terminal is getting heating/AC, and offices built on upper
floors, which Liberty Science Center will use during museum’s 2 year
expansion.
The Dog Show Field(Sup’t. is looking for new name) at corner of
Freedom Way and Pesin Drive (across from South End parking lots) will be
getting 3 group picnic pavilions in phases, with first one expected
to be done in 2005.
The Friends Garden Program is blossoming with our spending over
$5000 again this year on flowers/shrubs. Help is welcomed on every other
Sat. or anytime; please leave message for LSP horticulturist Maria at
201-915-3409.
Sup’t. Josh asks that anyone wanting to start a community club
at the park (kites, chess, birdwatching, etc.; to volunteer in
Visitor Services or in any capacity; or to give your park suggestions,
to please call him at 201-915-3404.
Members barbecue is Sun. 7/25, 4-6pm,by Terminal. RSVP to
201-792-3767.
Biggest threat to LSP’s future: Summer weekend admission-fee
concerts:
The Friends will help work on a needed written park policy on admission-fee
events. There hasn’t been a written policy, just a 28 year tradition of not
booking summer weekend ticketed events. A dangerous precedent was narrowly
avoided when an influential performer with a music organization, and a promoter
tried to get a 3 day rock festival on Fri. –Sun. in Aug. with 40,000 people a
day. Because there hadn’t been a written policy, the proposal went forward. It
was finally stopped because the DEP wisely asked for $3 million(though would
have settled for less); because the Friends and Conservancy made it clear that
$3 million was necessary to prevent a very harmful precedent (they wanted to pay
few hundred thousand); and because the music organization showed rare integrity
by not pushing its political connections after hearing of LSP’s “sacred
battleground history” and our concerns about public access and opening doors
for greedy promoters in future. Now that the Development Corp. is in the trash
bin of history, and the public spoke out persistently and clearly to defeat the
golf course, waterpark, etc. the last bastion to protect is summer weekend
public access - from the commercialization and privatization threats of ticketed
concert events – whether with a privatized amphitheater or not.
Cultural events, mostly free, are a very positive park use, and a few middle of
the week summer concerts could raise revenue for LSP. A written policy can help
protect weekend access without traffic jams for people coming for many free
uses. If you want to express yourself on this issue, please see our contact
information above. Because wealthy promoters will always try backroom deals,
we’ll stay vigilant.