A plot of land under the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, which was closed for 15 years, has reopened to the public, offering a refreshing addition of greenspace to one of the city’s busiest areas. The 15,000-square-foot section, located in Lower Manhattan, is part of a larger project known as ‘The Arches.’
The newly opened section had previously been used as a staging site for construction and provides much-needed green space with shade from trees like oaks, elms and Japanese pagoda trees according to the New York Post. The area, which is part of the wider plan to revitalise the public space, features 16 park benches, a lot of which offer breathtaking views of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Meera Joshi, New York’s Deputy Mayor for Operations, said in a statement, “Public space in Manhattan is precious – every acre counts for the people who live, work in and visit our bustling metropolis. While we have miles to go to complete our whole vision for this area, we are also grateful to be able to celebrate the wins and welcome New York to an area too long cordoned off, a new refuge for fun and relaxation.”
While barricades still close off a section of the park, locals who visited it appreciated the development.
“I remember when this place was open before – before it was shut down, before 9/11 – it’s now an enormous barrier for people getting across this part of town. For it to be reopened and re-injected with life, for it to have the kind of vibrancy this neighbourhood used to have historically, for that to be restored… it’s huge for the community,” a man who works at an architecture firm near the location told the NY Post.
Another person, living just a few blocks away, also shared her excitement, saying, “It would be great for the community. It will bring unity. There are so many different cultures. It will bring togetherness.”
Rosa Chang, president and co-founder of the non-profit organisation Gotham Park, which has supported the project, said, “We’ve been advocating to open this space up – really hard. And the city agreed and moved shockingly fast.” Chang went on to describe the impact of the space, adding, “Now instead of going around and around, you’ll now be able to cut through (the park). The whole point is to stitch back our community which has been long separated.”
