20th Street Park-Staffed Parkhouse Proposal

20th Street Park

For 5 years the people of Chelsea have fought for a park  on 20th Street,the  20th Street Park. On Sunday November 8, 2015 , a $5.8 million dollar park was announced.

 It would be great if this park could have a staffed parkhouse offering recreation equipment for all ages and abilities. , but as I said before the parks department has no funds to create  staffed parkhouses. As it turns out this park is less then a 3 minute walk from the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library.

  Given the location of a special needs library, just down the street  from the new 20th Street Park, this is the perfect place to design from the ground up,  a  park as an inclusive playspace for all ages and abilities   utilizing the Library-Parks Recreation Model, with  the nearby Heiskill Library acting as both a parkhouse to lend recreation objects, and also the location to borrow keys to lockers in this park(or on the street in front of the park)  that would hold recreation objects for all ages and abilities.

 Funding for recreation objects to borrow from the library, could come from the NYPL, or city council district 3 council member Corey Johnson. I talked with council member Johnson's office, and this is eligible to be  funded out of his district expense budget.  Funding for the Lockers and recreation objects that can be borrowed from the lockers  could come from the NYC Parks department 5.8 million dollar budget for this park.

Signage at both locations will connect the  Heiskell Library with the 20th Street Park

Above, sign to hang on Library Facade, below sign to hang on Park Fence