RING Reconstruction Project
In 1995 RING volunteers became aware that the wooden railroad ties, holding in the soil of our garden, were rotting. We had to have these replaced or the garden would literally fall apart.
| In 1996 we were successful in convincing then Manhattan Borough President, Ruth Messinger, to put aside almost $1/4 million for a capital reconstruction project, to be designed and managed by the Parks Department, with input from RING, and undertaken by Barron Organization. In summer 1999, the reconstruction began, and by summer 2000, the project was completed. The project not only replaced the railroad ties with concrete blocks and walls, inside and out, the chainlink fence was replaced with a "wrought iron" picket fence with butterfly art, two additional entrances, a new, cedar toolshed, and a new arbor. The garden was expanded on the Dyckman and Seaman sides to the outside of the tree pits. A new patio was built between the new entrances, as a performance space. Water hydrants were installed at the Seaman entrance. |  |
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Here are some photos of the reconstruction project:
First, the dove that held up our new arbor. This nest was in the wisteria vines that enveloped the old arbor. On the right is the former pond, lifted out of the ground while construction went on (some of the waterlillies survived).
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The first thing that did happen was this sign. It buried a number of perennials. We had asked that there be no front-end loaders and the like inside the garden. Next, the railroad ties were taken out. (The inside replacement walls were not installed for months, while we sought to keep the garden watered in one of the hottest, driest summers on record, in the middle of which was a Con Ed blackout!) Cement for the outer walls was laid in 100 degree heat as well as subfreezing cold. |
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