How to Transform Civic Plaza

Bryant Park, NYC

November 2013

 

In the center of Downtown Albuquerque is the Harry E. Kinney Civic Plaza. It was constructed as a part of urban renewal to host outdoor events, with a capacity of 20,000 people and a large performance stage. For much of the Plaza’s history, however, it has been an empty and barren concrete wasteland devoid of people. Few venture to the Plaza, unless they happen to work in a next door office or are homeless sleeping on a bench.

Sadly, the city is spending millions of dollars to renovate the Convention Center on the east side of the Plaza, while ignoring the largest public space in the center of Downtown. Civic Plaza could be changed into an enjoyable public gathering spot for tourists, convention goers, office workers and the expanding residential population alike.

On a recent trip to New York City I visited Bryant Park in Manhattan. Despite the terrible November weather—a dark and steady rain with winter temperatures barely above freezing—the park was full of people enjoying the activities.

 

Bryant Park used to be worse than Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza. In the 1970s and 80s it was notorious for muggings and drug deals. The blight caused prime Manhattan property values to drop and become less desirable. Finally a non-profit corporation was formed to better manage the space.

 

 

 

 

 

The park has been transformed with a series of pop-ups, which change throughout the year. I visited the Winter Village. The centerpiece is a 170’ x 100’ ice skating rink, complete with heated tents for warming up, renting skates, and lockers. Overlooking the rink is Celsius, a pop-up restaurant with glass-enclosed lounges and a heated terrace.

 

 

 

During the winter holiday shopping season more than 125 temporary booths are erected to sell local food and goods. The glass stalls are reminiscent of the Crystal Palace, which stood in the park in the mid-1800s.

 

 

 

Other regular amenities include a carousel, games such as Petanque, chess and Ping Pong, and the revival of the public Reading Room, first popular during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Publishers donate periodicals, books and newspapers, which are available free without having to show an identification card.

 

 

In the summer visitors enjoy a public porch, complete with shade, outlets for recharging electronic devices and rockers, swings, and Adirondack chairs. Nearby is a putting green and Kubb, a Scandinavian game similar to lawn bowling. Gardens are planted throughout the park. 
 

It would only take a few of the ideas used in Bryant Park to transform Civic Plaza into a friendly public space which would attract people to Downtown.

 

 

 

Santa Fe, Nov 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABQ Bosque: Fall Drawings at Tingley Ponds

ABQ Bosque: Shades of Red

Fall in the Bosque

Illustration of the river Bosque and Tingley Ponds in Downtown Albuquerque in early November.

View the drawings.

Drawing: Santa Fe Window

Santa Fe

I attended the 2013 Tony Hillerman Writers Conference by WORDHARVEST in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

With beautiful sunny weather I was able to take some photo illustrations on break of the shop windows on the main plaza.

View the collection at Pinterest.

New Fountain Pen

My Pen

I used the same silver Cross fountain pen for more than a decade. For weeks now it has been lost. I suspect someone picked it up not realizing it was a fountain pen. Disposable ink pens are common property.

I'm old school. I hand write almost anything longer than a couple paragraphs on white paper. I am forever changing or adding notebooks and have the bad habit of losing track of what I've written where. Regardless, typing at a keyboard doesn't replace my ability to organize my thoughts with the flow of ink onto paper.

I stopped by the Pen & Pad store Downtown. After describing my desire for a thin barrel pen with a cartridge which can refilled from a bottle, rather than disposable cartridges, the clerk said she would have choices from their main store the following week. When I returned, she had just one--a black Cross pen. I generally think of myself as more of a silver then gold type, but decided to give it a try.

I considered getting a gold nib, which would double the price. She explained the nibs have improved greatly in the past decade and I might be happy without 18K gold. I can always upgrade later. She was right. I didn't need a dozen choices. I wanted simply the right pen for me.

I am slowly learning to take the advice of others who seem trustworthy to see where the path takes me.

Journal of Drawings, Fall Bosque Trail

 

Bosque Trail in the South Valley

Albuquerque, New Mexico

November 2013

Photo Illustrations

 

 

 

Sandhill Cranes have arrived for the winter.

 

 

 

Farms along the valley.

 

 

Fall Colors.