A Senior First For New York

To the Editor: The idea for a Senior Space in a public park (â??At John Jay Park, You Must Be This Old To Enter, July 15) came about as members of the East 79th Street Neighborhood Association lamented the fact that the small local park adjacent to their homes had no space for them to sit and relax. John Jay Park is not a park in the traditional sense of trees, flowers and open spaces. Rather, it"s comprised of different playground areas for pre-schoolers, ballfields for teens and a pool accommodating all ages. Seniors wanted their own quiet area safely away from ball-playing, rollerblading and skateboarding, where they could sit and read or socialize. Their concerns were brought to Community Board 8"s Parks committee, which has worked cooperatively in the past with the Parks Department to renovate a bath house, create a new Tot Lot, and is planning a new Children"s Playground in John Jay Park. Peggy Price, co-chair of CB8"s Parks Committee, was excited to see the possibility of Parks Department designing a senior area since she had seen a successful senior area with appropriate exercise equipment on her recent trip to Shanghai. To her knowledge, no such designated place existed in any of New York City"s parks. She and Co-Chair Barkare Rudder promptly asked for and received committee and public approval to go forward with the process of enlisting Parks Departments support for the proposal. The best ideas cannot materialize without adequate funding and City support, so the Neighborhood Association and Parks Co-Chairs requested a meeting with the District"s Council Memberˆ  Jessica Lappin, who has always been interested to hear new ideas from constituents. The senior space idea greatly appealed to Lappin, who coincidently was recently appointed Chair of the Council"s Senior Committee. She came to a Neighborhood Association"s meeting to hear the community"s concerns, ideas and suggestions for this park addition. Only one month later, Council Member Lappin reported to great applause that she had the beginning funding for the space. The Association has announced a community contest to name the senior area, and the Association is also selling raffles at its monthly meetings to raise funds for programs such as Tai-Chi and yoga, if desired, in the new area. Once we have achieved final funding and with the blessing and expertise of the Parks Department, New York will have its first Senior Space in a neighborhood public park. This is a good model of a successful partnership which we hope may be duplicated in other public parks. Betty Cooper Wallerstein President East 79 Street Neighborhood Association