Re: "The Economic Benefits of Open Space"

[Tony Chenhansa <tonyc@cpeo.org>]

Emery, Peter

This isn't really a response to your recent posting but I think it was
fate that I came across this 5/14/99 Associated Press article today.
I'll see if Bette Midler wants to chime in on the "Open Space"
discussion.  ;-)

Tony C.


For the complete article go to:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/269420.asp

And for other similar articles
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ap/ap_us/story.html?s=v/ap/19990515/us/gardens_grow_1.html

"NY Gardens saved by Singer"

(Summary)

"NEW YORK, May 14 —  For two decades, 78-year-old Olean For has toiled
in a vacant lot in her neighborhood, turning the once garbage-strewn
area into a lush garden in the midst of New York City’s concrete. For’s
little lot became one of 115 community gardens located in mostly
low-income neighborhoods, former eyesores that had become eye-catchers
with explosions of pansies, roses and vegetables…"

The gardens, which are highly sought after by developers, were almost
"extinct" when the City held an auction last Wednesday. Fortunately, the
winning bid came from Bette Midler and the Trust for Public Land.
Midler's group New York Restoration Project and TPL raised $4 million to
buy all the gardens.

The community gardens were established 25 years ago by residents who
were tired of the "trash strewn lots and illegal dumping grounds." The
city wanted to cash in on the real estate boom and get the property back
on the "tax rolls" One of the gardens in Queens was photographed in
National Geographic and another Harlem garden hopes to provide summer
vegetables for soup kitchens.



--

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Tony Chenhansa,  Program Coordinator
Center for Public Environmental Oversight (CPEO)
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ph: 415-405-7751 fx: 415-904-7765
e-mail: tonyc@cpeo.org
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