In Defense of Bryant Park

I wish to rain on your parade. I think Bryant Park should not be a venue for commerce! Once again the green in Bryant Park is being traded for the green in money. In the spring and fall, the park is filled with the fashion shows and come winter there is the skating rink and the surrounding shops. I do not object to the skating rink and a small concession stand. What I do object to is Bryant Park being scheduled back to back with events throughout the year without any time alloted for it being a park.
There is so little green in the city. The beauty of Bryant Park is that it is a park, classical in style and rimmed with mature trees, beautiful plantings, and most importantly, a rectangle of green grass like no other in the city. Bryant Park is an oasis but it is never allowed to be the oasis it was designed to be. When the weather allows and the park is not blocked off to the public, people clamor to find any bit of space in the park to sit during their lunch hour and take in the wonderful setting of Bryant Park. I read in the NYTimes that even during the dark days of Bryant Park, when drug addicts and grifters were rampant, people would still converge on the park and enjoy the park despite its derelict condition.
The park is beautiful and obviously able to generate a lot of income. Certainly income needs to be made to help in the upkeep of the park but when I see the sod torn up and then replaced once, twice and thrice, money seems horribly wasted. Realistically I know that the money Bryant Park generates will always be a motivating factor to utilize the park in more money making ways.
I just find it really sad the merchandise in the shops that fill almost every spot in the park during this time of year is perceived as something special. What’s packed into those contrived little chalet-like booths can be had anywhere and better too.
My voice is a small one when it comes to defending Bryant Park. And unfortunately the sublime beauty of this well-designed park does not speak loud enough to override this terrible misuse of a grand park.