BBTourney2009

JACQUELYNN YOUNG SCHOLARSHIP for HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Friends of Columbus Park is a not for profit 501(c)3 organization based in NY Chinatown, Manhattan.

We are one of the few organizations that recruit organizational and individual membership based on support of

our mission and goals. We represent a coalition of 39 community based organizations, that include individual supporters and friends. we are all volunteers with no paid staff.

Advocating for safe & clean Columbus Park is just the first of our missions. In 2002, Columbus

Park because of its location & status in our community needed to be addressed because of the

deplorable decaying conditions of the Pavilion, ball field and park facilities.

In 2004, money was raised to restore the Columbus Park Pavilion. In 2005, thanks to Joseph Temeczko’s

($1.1 Million) donation the Columbus Park ball-field has been upgraded with basketball, volleyball courts

and a synthetic grass field.

These projects are just the first steps in revitalizing Columbus Park.

Parks in NY Chinatown have been ignored by the City

of NY for a very long time. We cannot rely on the City of

NY, nor our elected officials to maintain our open

spaces.

Budget cuts will continue to affect our parks. In most cases, money for parks will go to the richer neighborhoods of

NYC and as always inner city parks will be neglected.

It is up to you to get involved and help make a difference in the quality of life here in NY Chinatown

starting with our parks & open spaces.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN?

Community Groups & Councilman Elect Alan J. Gerson Hold a Press in front of the Columbus Park Pavilion

Protesting the Deplorable conditions of the Pavilion

September 5^th, 2001: led by City Councilman elect Alan J. Gerson and concerned community groups. This conference was held in front of the Columbus Park Pavilion, NY Chinatown on September 5th, 2001. The conference was held to bring public awareness of the horrible conditions of the pavilion. The pavilion, neglected by the City of New York and community leaders of NY Chinatown has been closed to the general public & has become the nesting ground for many of the hundreds of pigeons in Columbus Park, NY Chinatown.

January of 2002: We receive our 501 ©3 status and operate as an all volunteer not for profit community based organization in NY Chinatown.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

May of 2002: Help organize the NY Chinatown community in support of NYC Parks & Recreation Department’s proposal & eventual award of the UPARR grant ($1,000,000) for the restoration of the Columbus Park Pavilion.

Oct. 30, 2002: We organize members of the community to visit the Columbus Park Pavilion to see the overall conditions of the lower level and upper levels of the Pavilion.

May 15. 2003: Organize community to meet with Manhattan Parks Commissioner, Bill Castro & Staff to discuss changes & restoration plans for the Columbus Park Pavilion & landscaping ideas for Columbus Park in NY Chinatown.

June 29, 2003: Organized community kids to clean up Columbus Park.

July 20, 2003: Organized community to attend Community Board 3 meeting to protest the renaming of the Columbus Park Ball Field to “NYS Court House Memorial Field”.

August 13, 2003: Organize community meeting with Council Member Alan J. Gerson to discuss NYC Parks plan for the renovation of Columbus Park.

August 2003: Receive Mellon Grant to present Friday Night Film Festival in the Park. Films were previewed every Friday Night in front of the Pavilion during the month of August & September.

June 2004: NYC Parks invites FoCP & other community groups to meet at the park to discuss NYC Parks plans for the renovation of the ball field. NYC Parks plans to replace the asphalt with synthetic turf (fake grass) was met with skepticism and unanswered questions. After discussions, FoCP begins a campaign against the installation of synthetic turf and for the installation of an all purpose field that can serve everyone. Petition of 3505 names & 405 Chinatown/Asian businesses sign a petition in favor of a multi-purpose turf.

October 2004: Negotiated settlement with NYC Parks is reached. This settlement included dividing the field with approximately ½ being synthetic turf and ½ being all purpose asphalt. The asphalt section of the field will include installation of 3 ½ court basketball courts and 3 volleyball courts along with other promises.

June 2005: Adopt the Jacquelynn Young Scholarship Fund for High School seniors.

May 2006: Begin our "Sports for Kids in NY Chinatown" program (Basketball Clinics for kids) at PS 124, Yung Wing School.

May 2008: Helf our first KIDS Basketball Tourney at PS 124, Yung Wing School, nY Chinatown.

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Why is the Pavilion SO IMPORTANT?

The Pavilion is so important because of WHAT IT CAN BECOME? Many of us can only imagine the Pavilion being used by the community. It’s been closed for so long. Our vision is to have the Pavilion available for community use. Allowing us to all share in the benefit of having a building in the park in the heart of NY Chinatown. Providing an open place for public town meetings, year round structured activity, a centralized place to gather and disperse community & public information and providing a cornerstone for tourist and visitors to come visit. The Pavilion will force NY Chinatown to work together. Encouraging community organizations to become partners in providing family members open space and recreational activity. Providing a great benefit to NY Chinatown.

Our kids & seniors have no place to go: There are just not enough youth/recreational facilities for our neighborhood kids & seniors. Because NY Chinatown does not have a “Youth/Community Center”, neighborhood parks and schools have long been used as places where kids and seniors congregate to meet, play, and organize. Our After School programs are constantly being cut, renting of school gyms for recreational sports are costly and our parks cannot be used during the Winter season and bad weather.

A VISION for the PAVILION

Columbus Park Pavilion: Can be transformed into a community center, which can serve youth, seniors and the general public. Can be used by social service agencies, neighborhood schools, youth & senior organizations, city agencies, cultural groups, etc.. Such a center will make a big difference in the quality of life in our community and our parks. It can become the headquarters for the public use of Columbus Park.

Activities such as:

Ø Movies, Shows and Performances

Ø Educational Workshops on such topics as:

1. Chinese in America

2. History of NY Chinatown, Columbus Park, Little Italy, our neighborhood

3. Chinese Medicine, Herbs

4. Cultural Dance, Art, Martial arts

5. Asian Myths & Stories, Holidays

6. Languages & Dialects

7. Religion

8. Business Development

9. Immigration, Housing, Vocational

10. Employment

11. Neighborhood Social issues

12. City & neighborhood Politics

Ø Information Center

1. Employment Opportunities

2. School Admissions (HS & College)

3. Small Business Tips

4. Neighborhood Activities

Ø Youth & Senior Activities

1. Chess/Ping Pong Recreation &Tournaments

2. Recreational Card Playing

3. Food/Social/Health/Business Fairs

4. Indoor Carnival activities

5. Educational Classes & Workshops

6. Indoor Exercise activities

7. Organized Neighborhood Team Sport Clinics & Tourneys

8. Organized Dance Classes and Shows

Ø Regular Town Hall Meetings on issues that effect our community

We need your help to Accomplish Our Vision for the Pavilion!

Our Success Depends on the following:

Ø Enclose the upper loggia of the Pavilion

Ø Provide Heating and Air-Conditioning to the upper loggia

Ø Have the pavilion accessible for community use day, evening and weekend hours

Ø Allow for co-management (Community & NYC Parks) of the Pavilion

Ø Have a Pavilion that is ACTIVE, CLEAN, MAINTAINED, & OPEN by making it available for community use.

Ø Get Funding to market Columbus Park as a valued community resource, run park activities and keeping the park maintained, healthy, active for all.

Columbus Park: Columbus Park is the number one park serving the NY Chinatown community. Activities range from seniors exercising, to kids playing basketball and soccer. Workers from around the neighborhood use the park to play football and baseball. Our churches use the park daily for outdoor activity. Social Service agencies use the park to hold events to distribute important information to our community. Groups use the park to have carnivals for kids, sporting tournaments and to promote better business. No one will dispute that Columbus Park is one of the most active parks in NYC.

Your support & involvement in Columbus Park is IMPORTANT:

Current NYC Parks personnel are not bi-lingual they cannot communicate properly with our neighborhood residents that use the park. Often there is miss-communication and sometimes confrontations, signage are only in English and our residents often do not understand the rules of the park. Friends of Columbus Park can provide the NYC Parks Department & the City of NY an organization that can bridge that communication gap and also provide the needed understanding necessary for a healthy park environment.

FoCP Contact Information:

Telephone Fax Postal Address: 917-414-3440 718-639-3259 (call first) 135 Grand Street, New York, NY 10013

Electronic mail: General Information: focp@focpny.org Contact: paulgong@focpny.org