New Yorkers green up their reclaimed urban spaces

Anyone who's been to New York knows that negotiating Times Square at any time of day is a bit like dodging bulls at Pamplona. A second's missattention will find you smushed under a yellow cab, falling down a pothole and definitely spilling your Starbucks skinny mocha-choca latte all over your Bloomingdale's Little Brown Bag. Affectionately known as the "crossroads of the world", New York's movie-famous landmark is a traffic gomorrah, the seventh-circle of automobile hell.

Not so after last week when entire sections of Broadway and sections of 42nd and 47th street which cross the Square were pedestrianised, leaving cabbies fuming in the fumes and irrate delivery men nost-to-tail under the glare of the flashing red ticker tape screens. Deckchairs were set up along the five block car-free road space and tables were laid out with food, music played and the notoriously workaholic, frenzied-lifestyle New Yorkers chilled out in the mid-day sun. An initative of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the enterprise has had a warm reception from... well, pretty much anyone who doesn't rely on four wheels to earn their daily bread. I for one, relish the thought of being able to sunbathe on a hammock on the very street where two years ago I nearly lost my limbs in a split-second moment of "Oooh, look at the big skyscraper!" distraction.

Another project that has me all excited is the High Line park. A former elevated freight railroad from the 1930s, the gutted remains have been an eyesore dominating the city's trendy West Village since the 80s since when they have been in disuse. THis summer, the first section of the High Line is due to repone, as a park and gardens. Due to open in June 2009, the park willb e accessible by stairs and elevator and boast flower gardens, grassy areas to picnic on and park benches. Eventually the park will cover an area of a mile and a half, the whole thing being designed by uber-cool landscape designer James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio and Renfro. A number of works by local artists will also feature along the High Line park seeing as it runs through arguably the heart of artistic and creative New York.

THe project is an effort by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. So if you're heading stateside this summer, pack your sunhat, lotion and a good book and look out for these quirky alternatives to Central Park. Click on the link for a Green Map of New York to help you find all those eco-friendly locations. [web link]

Photo courtesy of www.treehugger.com