East Village Board Delays Tompkins Square Park Overhaul Vote Amid Protests

The Community Board 3 of Manhattan's East Village postponed a scheduled vote on a multimillion dollar renovation plan for Tompkins Square Park on Tuesday night.

The delay followed a contentious public hearing where preservationists protested the proposed changes to the park's outdoor fitness area. The board had originally planned to review the $10 million project, which includes updates to the 1990s era gym, adjacent basketball courts, and a children's swimming pool.

The board's parks committee backed the New York City Parks Department plan earlier this month. The agency stated that the current amenities require improvements for accessibility, safety, and infrastructure. In response to community feedback, the department adjusted its initial proposal to maintain the renovated gym's original layout while introducing new materials.

Arnette Scott, the chair of Community Board 3, called for order as participants yelled during the parks department's presentation. "If this is what you want for the last word, this is what it will be," Scott said. She added, "Everyone will have another time to voice their opinion." Scott also noted, "The only vote I’m having is if I’m gonna call the cops. Calm it down."

Protesters held signs in the school auditorium reading "keep the bars," "repair don’t destroy," and "we like it DON'T TOUCH." These residents and urban planning experts argued for retaining the park's old style recreational equipment, specifically the pull-up bars, rather than replacing them with new designs.

Salo Coslovsky, an associate professor of urban planning at New York University, described the postponement as a victory for the opposition. "I don’t know who they are," Coslovsky said regarding the hecklers. "But someone thought it was worth their time and energy to show up and scream."

The community board has now scheduled the next opportunity to review and vote on the Tompkins Square Park overhaul for next month.