NYCkayaker Mayors Cup Spectator info

[Robert Huszar]

You have to ask yourself: why, in the process of hosting a "world class 
event," the city organizers missed the fact that the HRPT was closing down 
Pier 63 before the race, disenfranchising a significant portion of the 
paddling community as well as closing off a major river access point.

Was this poor planning, or just another example of one hand not knowing 
what the other hand was doing?

And it's just not the paddling community that's been affected by this lack 
of circumspection.  Take note that the recent River Project Event, LIVE 
FROM NEW YORK HARBOR, was canceled because the Trust suddenly upped the 
insurance requirements at the last moment.  And while, I believe, that 
issue has been resolved, it should not have happened in the first place.

You do not start major construction without first lining up your 
resources, so you know you can actually complete the job; and doing the 
necessary prep work.  Which, in this case, means finding temporary housing 
for the community you are about to displace.  Of course you can if you 
are Robert Moses.

Don't get me wrong, I love the park and the work that the HRPT is doing on 
the park, but I think if you are truly building a community park, you have 
to be careful that you don't shatter communities in the process.

Robert Huszar


On Fri, 22 Sep 2006, bob1may at optonline.net wrote:

> Where can one find info on the Mayor's cup?  The 
> http://www.nywaterfest.org/mayors_cup.html web site tells the world that 
> we are having the world class event.It doesn't tell you:Where it 
> starts/finishes.What time it starts.Where good spots to spectate might 
> be?Will it be a mass start?  Start by class?  Individual start every 
> minute?On Oct 9 the organizers will probably be wondering why nobody 
> noticed.
>