NYC-Historic-ship-docking-issues-City-Council-Waterfronts-Hearing-3/16/12
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NYC Historic Ships need greater and easier access to NYC piers!
Friday 3/16/12 the City Council Committee on Waterfronts held a hearing about the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) WAVES initiative. WAVES
includes this goal of the Mayor's office for 2012:
"Create
uniform landing protocol and application for City-owned properties to facilitate
docking of historic vessels."
If such a protocol were in place, PortSide would surely not be suffering our current real estate crisis.
At th3 3/16/12 hearing, a noteworthy number of people testified solely on the theme of historic ships.
Many people mentioned PortSide's real estate crisis - we became the theme du jour - and supported having the MARY A. WHALEN get a new home fast.
The value and struggles of historic ships in NYC was affirmed by several members of the newly formed coalition of historic ships (a formal name, mission statement and website for the group are in the works). Members of this coalition, which includes PortSide NewYork, testified in person or sent in written testimony.
Here are links to some of the testimony from that day (official City Council transcripts are not yet ready):
Carolina Salguero, Director, PortSide NewYork click
Capt. Maggie Flanagan, maritime educator & program developer click
Mary Habstritt, Museum Director, LILAC Preservation Project click
Capt. Pamela Hepburn, Director, Tug PEGASUS Preservation Project click
David Sharps, President, Waterfront Museum Barge click
Please support our getting a new home and all historic ships in NYC by signing our petition at http://chn.ge/PortSideSOS
For a quick summary of our programs see this video click