Few people disagree that New York's Washington Square Parks needs a face-lift, but opinions are nearly unanimous that adding a perimeter fence and a lock would be antithetical to the park's history and character. "They're sanitizing the park, taking away a lot of its charm and freedom," said Carol Massa, president of the MacDougal Block North Association. "It's overkill." The redesign plan has already been approved by the local community board, and needs only a technical approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commisssion before work can begin. Local residents are upset that few of them were consulted in the redesign process and "want to ensure the design preserves the character of openness of the park."
Thanks to Zvi Leve
