Governors Island Needs Our Help

[Rob Walker]

A few times per year we make the trip via ferry to Governors Island for Living History and other programs. Recently the Park released it's General Management Plan (GMP) and Environmental Statement. The NPS is asking for comments relating to the GMP up until March 18th of 2008. The document can be viewed and commented on by visitiing the NPS planning web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov or by visiting the Governors Island web site at www.nps.gov/gois.

There are a few groups attempting to take away for the current park by making Castle Williams and Fort Jay into outdoor Shakespearian Theaters and another group that wants to make Castle Williams into a stray cat sanctuary for all the stray cats found in NYC.

In addition to the comment period at the web sites listed above, there is be an open house to solicit comments on Wednesday February,27th from 2:00 - 4:00 PM and from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Federal Hall National Memorial at 26 Wall Street in NYC.

When making comments please let them know if you think the area the NPS now holds should be expanded to encompass more of the islands historical landmarks and areas in order to save them from future development.

Thank you in advance for looking at the GMP and for making comments.

[3alabama]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

BUMP!
Come on guys please write in, this would be a disaster if Castle William was turned into a Shakespearian Theater and all that history of a CS prison was lost. Please help us and the NPS out and write in why this shouldn't be done. Follow the link on the website Rob provided above.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

John/Rob-

Any way our living history there this year can raise money for this cause?

Also, I'm suprised to hear it isn't yet on the Nation Register- is it? If it is, then how can the mess with it?

:) Thanks! -Johnny Lloyd

[scanlonm]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

Governors Island is a beautiful place, rich in history. It would be a crime to see Catle Williams and Fort Jay reduced to a Shakespearian Theater and I can't even think about it becoming a cat sanctuary. Governors Island is part of our history and I can't see it become anything other than restored to its original form. PLEASE, reach out to the website provided by Rob and let them know how you feel.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

....................

[HangarFlying]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

I know G.I. is important, but I don't know all of the details pertaining to the site. Does any one have a letter they have written that we all can liberally borrow from? Thanks!

[3alabama]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

If you follow the link in the 1st post you can see what is proposed for GI. hey don't want form type letters they would prefer individual thoughts on the various proposals.

JOhnny- Monery isn't the issue it's the voice of those opposed to the plans that they need from us

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

If you follow the link in the 1st post you can see what is proposed for GI. hey don't want form type letters they would prefer individual thoughts on the various proposals.

JOhnny- Monery isn't the issue it's the voice of those opposed to the plans that they need from us

Roger that, John ... I'll be sure to click over there.

-Johnny

[Rob Weber]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

Hi,

John is right. They are not looking for a form letter to be sent, rather they want to hear what each individual thinks should happen to these historic places. Your personal take on how their General Management Plan should pan out is what they are after.

Basically they have three possible plans that they want us to comment on as well as embellish upon with any of our personal suggestions. What I would like to see happen out there is that they bring Castle Williams back to its early 20th century state. This would mean the removal of a facade that was built on its interior which modernized the structure to a degree. I think Fort Jays' interior could use some of the same kind of work but that would be minor in comparison to what needs to be done in the Castle. What also needs to be taken into consideration is the other historic buildings that are currently not within the boundaries of the park. The South Battery is one of those places and I think it needs to be enveloped into the plan. This is what I think, PLEASE tell them what you think.

What each of us needs to do here is go to the site and read through the propossed plans and post our comments. No one is being asked for money!!! They are asking us how the NPS should spend their resources in an effort to preserve this historic place. We have all given money to battlefield preservation, and a great number of us have participated in events that draw the publics attention to our just cause which is preserving our history. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID GOING THROUGH THAT FOR THIS UNIQUE PLACE! Be heard now so you don't have to scream in the future about how could something this rediculous happen! It can only happen if we do not chime in now.

Now is the time to invest 20-30 minutes of your time in an effort to save something that exudes over 200 years of our history.

Thanks,
Rob Weber

[Rob Weber]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

Hopefully this will give you all motivation to do something about this situation. This is very real! http://www.newglobe.org/

Rob weber

[Rob Walker]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

After reading the Global Theater's newsletter we can all see how desperate this really is. They have some very big names including that of the two Senators from NY on their side. We are all pretty familiar with the fact that the politicians and the hollywood types involved have zero reverance for historical buildings and land and even less reverance if that historical area has anything to do with the military. Please, Please, Please tell everyone you know to send in comments to the NPS. On that note, I sent an e-mail to the CWPT yesterday. Does anyone know how to make sure they know about this and to see if they can give their help to this cause? Also, if you can please send additonal comments to your U.S. Senators and your Congressman. Thanks in advance for everyones help on this.

[Rob Walker]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

If you really want to get your blood pressure up read this document sent to the NPS by politicians from NY.

http://www.newglobe.org/congress.html

[Rob Walker]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

Hello All,

We just received this information about a hearing that will be held in addition to the Open House. As everyone that has read the newsletter from the Global Theater and the NPS GMP proposal has seen the Global Theater has many big Hollywood names behind their proposal to make Castle Williams into a Theater and they also have the backing of many NY area poiliticians. This is a very serious threat to the National Monument and to historical preservation. Please help out by writing in to the NPS and to you Senators and Congress people.

In addition to our upcoming OPEN HOUSE, we are also holding a formal public
HEARING.

The Hearing will be March 10th at Federal Hall, between 5:00-7:00 p.m.

You are invited to come.
The Deputy Regional Director (Mike Reynolds) will be the NPS official and
Robin Lepore (NER Solicitor) will act as the Hearing Officer.
madisonnc@majazi.com
The format will go something like this:

As they arrive, members of the public can sign up to speak.
Robin will determine how much time each speaker gets.
Any speaker can turn over his/her time to another.
Speakers may supplement their oral testimony with written materials.
A court reporter will record and produce a verbatim account of the
hearing.
This will be incorporated into our overall stash of public comments
about the draft GMP.

The hearing's purpose is to listen to public comments about our GMP/EIS.
NPS will not be presenting anything (although we will probably have our
Open House graphics displayed) or responding to speakers' comments.

[Rob Walker]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

The open house for the GMP will be at Federal Hall from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM
today. If you can't make it, They have uploaded the informational boards to
their website so you can have a virtual open house at your desk. You can
reach it at "photos and multimedia" at www.nps.gov/gois. They have also posted the comment form, which you can download and FAX in if you haven't already commented on the planning website.

[Rob Walker]

Re: Governors Island Needs Our Help

Just a reminder. If anyone is available in the New York area on March 10th. There will be a hearing at Federal Hall at 26 Wall Street, New York for the proposed GMP for Governors Island. The Global Theater has notified it's membership to try to be there in numbers and they will have actors there to speak in their favor. The hearing will be held from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. Thanks again.