White Plains NY has often been referred to as “the city in the park”. It has a long tradition of trying to maintain green spaces even when pressure from developers would turn the entire downtown into a solid block of concrete, brick, mortar, steel and glass. Thanks to activist citizens, the green “feel” has been maintained. Not without many a fight and not without a great deal of help from several organizations.
The White Plains Beautification Foundation was founded 46 years ago in 1965. Brian Wallach – was one of the founding members – and one of the leaders in making White Plains a “green” place to live. Mr. Wallach still resides in the city and can be seen to this day walking with his seeing-eye dog to work in the downtown area. Brian Wallach always had “vision” even though he couldn’t actually “see”. Back in a time when White Plains was not such a big place – a few visionaries like Brian and his wife Beth understood that green space would have to be protected, preserved and even developed and augmented in order for the city to avoid becoming a concrete jungle. Thanks the the White Plains Beautification Foundation – residents and visitors take for granted that their path through the downtown will be graced by many colorful plantings, gardens, fountains. Even the Schulmerich Carrilon that people downtown can hear daily is the result of their good offices.
Of course I was reminded of all this on Saturday and Sunday afternoon while showing condos at The Ritz Carlton and cooperatives at the Broadlawn. Those two days I happened to do a great deal of walking through the downtown area getting to and from appointments with clients looking in several walkable areas at different price points. Total truth: I was running like crazy chasing keys, appointments and my tail while trying to remain composed! At the tail end of the final set of showings I found myself in Tibbets Park which lies along the median of North Broadway. I was walking past the gardens and the fountains. I was hot and tired, but then I looked around and in the late afternoon sun I realized it was time to steal a few minutes to relax and enjoy. It took the three photos on this page with my iPhone. It dawned on me though – that without the White Plains Beautification Foundation – the scene in these photos would be much different.
To learn more – contribute or volunteer Click on this link for the White Plains Beautification Foundation.
© 2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewetchesterview.com – All rights reserved
The White Plains Beautification Foundation & the “city in the park”
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