On Saturday, April 21st, New York City celebrated Car-Free Earth Day by closing Broadway–the city’s “grid disruptor” and oldest travel route–to all vehicular traffic. People walked, rode bicycles, sat, relaxed, and chatted, enjoying the newfound space made available by banning automobiles for this brief moment in time.
Through our projects in vulnerable areas of the planet, we’ve witnessed the devastating effects of climate change. We’ve also observed firsthand the willingness—and even enthusiasm—achieved when communities come together around the same table, no matter their partisan divides, to develop creative solutions for protecting their cities, so that they too can find continued joy in their natural environments.
Since its founding in 1965 by Lyndon Johnson, no president has proposed eliminating all funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, and there is a good reason for it: Using a relatively tiny budget of approximately $142 million per year, the NEA has proven that the arts, culture, and design can be important tools in regenerating neighborhoods, increasing opportunity, and increasing levels of civic engagement.
As long-time advocates for the fundamental role of public space in cities, we are joining 12 New York City organizations to call Mayor Bill de Blasio’s attention to the importance of ensuring and expanding safe spaces for demonstration. Below is the letter that has been shared with the Mayor:
Every day in neighborhoods around the country, we see the impact of short-term fixes for long-term problems. The design professions must look further ahead, and work with other disciplines to envision a better and more sustainable future.
