Submitted by jane, Aug 28, 2008 18:51

I am utterly amazed that this proposal has even made it this far. There are many of us who do not live in the area yet use that stretch of the hudson river park, with our children, daily. We have waited for years as the hudson river park has been in the works and when they finally are getting close to the end, after millions of dollars the city is going to ruin that? Why did they even bother to build a park. How on earth are we going to be able to take our children to an area that will have the worst air quality in the northeast, how will we feel safe with rats running rampant, how can we possibly be reassured that across the street, if by any chance, a fire was started we wouldn't be in jeopardy. This is not only a commercial zone, if it were why were permits approved to build parks, homes, cafe's and sporting areas? why put innocent bystanders and citizens in danger? It's a mystery to me. They should never have built the hudson river park if they didn't want us to enjoy it. how would we feel if the city decided to stick this same facility in central park? or across the street from carl shurtz park? they only thing that comes to mind would be an organized protest by each and every person who uses that stretch of highway. my husband trains every morning for the nyc marathon running across that area, that would have to stop with the air quality in the area bordering on third world levels. the soccer fields, the trapeze park and the kayaking would have to end, the air would not be safe enough for athelets to breath. for all of us who love this city and have worked so hard to make it a safer and cleaner place to live, this is a huge disappointment. it harkens back to the 1970's when those of us who lived in this city where watching it crumble piece by piece. what a shame, we have come so far and now we are ready to let it go. i'm so sad for us.

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