East River Day: The Launch Of The East River Agenda

This is going to be of interest to all Brooklynites, actually to all New Yorkers. I just got an email about an East River Day on June 21st. The schedule of events sounds pretty good. I don't know anything on the group organizing it, but I tend to applaud any effort that draws attention on our waterfront. Has anyone else heard about this East River Agenda?

From the Municipal Art Society and the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance are part of a coalition of over 40 group:

Dear New Yorker,

New York’s waterfront is being transformed. From Brooklyn Bridge Park to Throg’s Neck on the East River alone, over 1000 acres of redevelopment is slated to occur over the upcoming years. This scale of development is an enormous opportunity - and a risk. Too much waterfront development in recent years has created sterile, privatized places that don’t do justice to New York.

Now is the time to set an agenda to ensure we create an East River waterfront that reflects the diversity, vibrancy and future sustainability of New York. Responding to the Mayor’s bold plan to reclaim 90% of New York’s waterways for recreational use, the Municipal Art Society and the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance are part of a coalition of over 40 groups that is launching the East River Agenda on next Thursday, June 21st on East River Day.

The Agenda sets out a road map to ensure that we create a waterfront that is not only cleaner and more sustainable than ever before, but also creates more access and public space while addressing community needs. The Agenda contains a set of proven principles for redeveloping the waterfront, as well as site-specific recommendations for how to implement them along the East River shoreline.

Please join us in Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn on East River Day to launch the Agenda. There will be four presentations, four narrated boat tours, and the premiere of the new documentary City of Water about the future of New York City’s waterfront. The full schedule for the event is below. All events are free and, space permitting, open to the public. Please email :rsvp@mas.org, specifying which events you would like to attend.

We look forward to seeing you on East River Day!
Kent Barwick
President, Municipal Art Society
Roland Lewis
President, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance

East River Day Schedule:
Locations:
Manhattan
9:00 a.m. - Press conference at South Street Seaport, Pier 17
10:00 a.m. - Depart South Street Seaport for Water Taxi tour of Manhattan
Bronx
10:45 a.m. - Water Taxi tour of the Bronx waterfront
11:45 p.m. - Press event at Fort Schuyler, lunch
Queens
12:45 p.m. - Water Taxi tour of Queens waterfront
1.45 p.m. - Press event at Water Taxi Beach, Long Island City
Brooklyn
2:45 p.m. - Water Taxi tour of Brooklyn waterfront
3:30 p.m. - Press event at Barge Music, Fulton Ferry
6:30 p.m. - Film screening, Pier 2 at Furman Street, Brooklyn.