One Week After Reopening, Nathan Straus Playground is Again Locked
Not so fast.
One week after the Parks Department unlocked Nathan Straus Playground to the public, it’s again gated. Readers report that the padlocks returned on Tuesday without any communication from the city.
As reported, the Lower East Side park, which abuts the Attorney Street cul-de-sac, had been closed without notice for nearly a month ending last week. An inquiry from Bowery Boogie led to the admission that the closure was simply an “oversight.”
“Consistent with the citywide policy for Jointly Operated Playgrounds, the schoolyard is locked for school use during school hours,” a Parks spokesperson tells us. “We are working with the school to ensure it is unlocked after the school day ends.”
“The play area, which is separate from the schoolyard, has been open to the public daily.”