Episode 2 "Early Years"

Episode 2 "Early Years"

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Sunday April 2nd @ 11 pm Channel 56 in Manhattan streamed online at http://www.mnn.org/ a 13 part weekly series March 19 - June 11 2006. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: This segment is a collage featuring LPVs early years: the formation of the garden and its programs. Peter describes the struggles gardeners face as then Mayor Guilliani auctioned off public gardens. A segment featuring Shelly Marlow reading reflects a glimmer of hope. We have a glimpse of yoga classes held at LPV against a montage of florals in a garden walk through. We then flash back to an early hearing at City Hall as gardeners from all boroughs petition to save urban gardens. Ingo AKA Grrrr (http://www.grrrr.net) painting the mural in front of the building that flanks the garden. This mural is a view looking west from the Houston side of LPV. A dinner to benefit the garden with friends, neighbors, supporters Philli, Raj Roy, Patrice Lorens, Susan Salinger, Fred Kahl, Mike Diana, Jim Hubbard, Carl George, The show concludes with Brandon Olsen as Lewis Carols Alice singing The Jefferson Airplanes White Rabbit BACKGROUND: In 1998, Mayor Guiliani cancelled all Green Thumb leases and removed all the Green Thumb community gardens from the Department of Parks and Recreation, and relocated them in Housing, Preservation and Development. Then in 1999, an auction was called to sell off 122 of those gardens. Needless to say it galvanized the entire garden community to take action to save the gardens from destruction. From civil disobedience to marches & hearings at City Hall, the issue became a rallying point for many other groups tired of the repellant policies of the Mayor. With the help of Attorney General Eliot Spitzer a lawsuit was filed to prevent the sale but not before Bette Midler , a longtime parks advocate stepped up, set up a land trust foundation and bought many of the gardens keeping this valuable land a public resource. Eventually the issue settled to give some gardens offer for preservation while others were put up for immediate development. This agreement is only valid until 2010 so the whole situation could become another struggle. For an excellent history on this subject go to More Gardens website http://www.moregardens.org We couldn't have started this project without the support of GreenThumb and all the gardeners so our thanks and appreciation to all.