ECO PIONEERS
HIGH LINE HISTORY
The New York High Line was built in the 1930s, as part of a major public-private infrastructure project called the West Side Improvement. It lifted freight traffic 30 feet in the air, removing dangerous trains from the streets of Manhattan's largest industrial district.
1934
The High Line opens to trains. It runs from 34th Street to St. John’s Park Terminal, at Spring Street.
1950S
Growth of interstate trucking leads to a drop in rail traffic, nationally and on the High Line.
1960S
The southernmost section of the High Line is demolished.
1980
The last train runs on the High Line, pulling three carloads of frozen turkeys.
High Line. The City of New York pro- vides for security, while the rest of the park's operations budget is supported entirely by private donations.
What contribution do you get from the public? The park is free to the public. We raise funding to support more than 90 per cent of the operating budget of the park. The majority of the funding comes from generous grants and gifts made by individuals and foundations. We're building our membership pro- gramme, which starts at a pledge of $40 per year, and working on develop- ing other ways to generate revenue.
How did you set about creating an events schedule for the High Line? Public programmes draw inspiration from our community, the design of the park, and the industrial history of the High Line. Friends of the High Line director of public programs, educa- tion & community engagement, Danya Sherman, works with arts and commu- nity organisations, public schools, and other groups to curate the schedule.
What are some of the more unusual events/offerings on the High Line? A few notable programmes from this year include Step to the High Line, a step performance by area youth; the Halloween Parade where local schoolkids created “haunted” train cars in the classroom which were then paraded down the High Line; a Social Soup Experiment, a commu- nity meal organised by High Line Food;
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Two-thirds of the High Line is currently open to the public, with a third phase pending
the Ladybug Release as part of “Wild Wednesdays” for kids; Play with Your Food, a hands-on programme where kids learned to prepare simple healthy snacks; and public art installations by Sarah Sze and Darren Almond.
Can you describe a few of your main community outreach programmes? The High Line stands today because the community rallied to save it from demolition and transform it into pub- lic open space. It is important that the park continues to be a special place for New Yorkers. We have several pro- grammes to strengthen connections with our neighbours, including a youth corps from the local housing projects, a volunteer programme, and education partnerships with nearby schools.
What about environmental projects? The High Line is a mile-long green
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roof which is designed to retain as much water as possible. This year we also started our first compost- ing programme. We're sending our plant clippings to Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island to be recycled and turned into compost, and we're work- ing with High Line food vendors to minimise waste by using compostable cups, plates, and utensils, and also compost some of their food scraps.
How did you choose your vendors? We selected food vendors through an open, competitive process in March, and we're just wrapping up our first full season. When selecting, it was impor- tant their food and beverage offerings were unique, interesting, and made with sustainable local ingredients.
How have the public responded? It's been overwhelming and has far
ISSUE 1 2012 © cybertrek 2011
PHOTO: IWAN BAAN
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