Bench Project

Bench Project

The little park between East 2nd Street and Houston, at Avenue C had been falling into disrepair for years. Then the last dilapidated bench was removed by the Parks Dept. Mark’s relaxation was interrupted!
There were conversations with NYC Parks Dept. Many assurances that the park was slated for renovation, arguments about benches in the meantime. Finally there was a disclosure that the park was to become a City GreenSpace. This meant it was to be a garden to look at but never enter...and NEVER to sit in and relax!
Mark thought it was time to take matters into his own hands and build a bench for the neighborhood to relax and enjoy the street. He scrounged materials, and took up most of the apartment for a day, while he designed, built and painted the bench. In a triumphant moment, Sarah and Mark carried the stylish bench out to the street, put it across from their building and SAT! It was beautiful!

The next morning, the bench was gone. A woman down the block said she saw a Parks truck haul it away. Sadness ensued, but Mark was undaunted. It took a few months, but he found more materials, including some cast-off folding chairs from a shelter which he incorporated into the design of Bench 2. This time he fastened the bench to the sidewalk by drilling holes and using lead anchors. Again, there was relaxation and momentary triumph.

The next day...Bench 2 went the way of Bench 1. Curses, foiled again! Bench 3 took several months, but when it was finished, Mark locked it to the new fence (the fence the Parks Department put up to lock the neighborhood out of the renovated park) with a big and expensive chain and lock formerly for Mark’s bicycle. This bench lasted a little over two weeks, was used frequently and even got tagged a couple times.
In time, however, it too disappeared. Bummer about the chain!

The project, or the larger struggle, is continuing on other fronts!