WHAT’S GOING ON IN UNION SQUARE?

After letting the Pavilion building fall into disrepair for over a decade, the city government was finally ready to pony up the cash to repair it and return it to public use. Before the city could even complete their own plans, the Union Square Business Improvement District, or BID, (led by corporate chain stores such as Barnes and Noble and Whole Foods) got involved, dangling wads of extra, anonymously donated cash. The plans that emerged took on an appearance decidedly unfriendly towards the artists that sell their work in the park, the farmers who sell their food, and any citizen who might want to just sit down in the park without having to purchase a $5.00 latté. The BID plan will create two more lanes of traffic on 17th street, thereby reducing the space for the Farmer’s Market by half, forcing them to push into space previously occupied by artists (this is the divide and conquer strategy, as old as Machiavelli).

Meanhwhile, the Pavilion, an icon of free speech and free assembly, is slated to be turned into a swanky restaurant, about the last thing this particular neighborhood needs. Public money built this park in the first place. The city shouldn’t hand over OUR park to private businesses to make a profit.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Sign the petition at www.revbilly.com/petition/
2. Contact council person Rosie Mendez tell her NO RESTARAUNT 212 677 1077,rosie.mendez@council.nyc.gov
3. Contact the Union Square Partnership tell them NO RESTARAUNT 212 460 1200,Jfalk@unionsquarenyc.org
4. Ask Whole Food why they are pressuring the Greenmarket, their representative on Union Square Partnership board is angela.rakis@wholefoods.com
5. SPREAD THE WORD
6. Want to get involved? saveunionsquare2008@gmail.com

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