When I went into the city a couple of weeks ago, I was pleased to have found the parks I was looking for, but absolutely delighted to find a few new parks and plazas! That is the benefit of going into the city and searching on foot rather than driving through the streets, for example. 

Some people have asked about my process for this book since it is so very different from writing a novel. I tell them I look at it as a journalism project. I’m simply reporting what I see and digging up the history to go along with it. For the purpose of this website, the word “parks” actually refers to pocket parks, urban plazas and community gardens. It may even include indoor public atriums as this project moves forward.

 I initially find the parks by scouring various online and print sources. Since the parks, plazas and gardens are not listed in one place, this is what will probably take me the most time. If I am looking at Google Maps, for example, I look for green spaces in the satellite portion of the maps. Many time, the location is not a location listed anywhere, so after comparing it with the lists I have, I jot down the location to be explored later. When I go into the city, I map a route and take off to find the parks, making note of those I discover in my travels. I take a few photos as placeholders and for  my photographer during the photography phase, and check them off on my map while making notes about them in my notebook.

It is time-consuming, but on a day with beautiful weather, it can be a lot of fun. 


Copyright © 2011 by Rosemary O’Brien     All Rights Reserved

COLUMBUS PARK (Baxter, Mulberry, Worth and Bayard Streets)

Columbus Park, June 2011

(You may want to lower your volume. There is a lot going on in this video.)

This is one of the coolest parks I’ve come across so far. Columbus Park is located down in Chinatown and is full of activity. From the Asian Karaoke, complete with the pick-up orchestra and singers whograb the sheet music and jump in, to the people practicing martial arts in the recreational center, to the skateboarders working on their jumps by Baxter St., this park is full of activity. The day I was there, they even had one of those community pianos set up around the city being played by various passersby.

Originally built in 1897 by one of the original co-designers of Central Park, Calvert Vaux, Columbus Park began life as Mulberry Bend Park. In 1911, the Park was named Columbus Park after Christopher Columbus, obviously. Bordered by Baxter, Mulberry, Worth and Bayard Streets, today’s Columbus Park is a neighborhood hangout and, in my opinion, one of the quintessential New York City pocket parks.

If you go:

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, 65 Bayard St. It's very small, and the line may stretch out the door, but it's worth it. Where else can you get green tea ice cream or my new favorite, toasted almond?

Jing Fong Restaurant, 20 Elizabeth St. I am told this is very authentic as dim sum restaurants go. When your number is called, you go up a long escalator to find yourself in dim sum Heaven. Ladies with steam trollies go by and you choose your dumplings. Very affordable lunch.

SOURCES:

New Yorkled http://www.newyorkled.com/columbuspk.htm

NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/M015/