Winter 2021 ~ During the Fall, some treewells were beautifully planted!   Even mulch or Christmas tree branches can make a treewell look better and deter trash and doggies.  We just obtained more "Love Your Tree" signs and plan to clean and decorate neglected treewells with mulch and fresh signs. 

 Hello Friends!

Despite the current crisis, the West 71st Street Block Association remains active behind the scenes, working on issues of safety, beautification, rat control etc.  Soon we will clean out the treewells that are neglected and place fresh mulch and then Christmas tree branches after Thanksgiving. 

We continue to monitor conditions on our block and call 311 when appropriate for sanitation and safety issues as they arise. We are working with OneBlockUWS on keeping our neighborhood clean!  

Our members work to see that scaffolding, sidewalk sheds and dumpsters are removed as soon as work is finished. 

We will resume Zoom meetings shortly and will send out an invitation.

We welcome your ideas!

Kindly,

Katina and Friends

                                        Treewells at Blessed Sacrament, when beautifully planted;

                                     we have plans to spruce up all the treewells, as we do each year

        

Update - January 2018

Please join us for our next meeting Sunday January 28th at 4pm at Grace & St. Paul's Church at 123 West 71st Street, between Columbus and Broadway.

We took a hiatus from meetings in November and December but our work continues.  Here are some of the activities we have been engaged in:

1.  Treewells:  Cleaned out tree wells and replaced "Curb Your Dog" signs.   Please help us keep these treewells tidy and urge your super to do the same.

2.  Pedestrian safety:  Reporting dangerous conditions at the bowtie intersection (71 and Broadway),
     and working with elected officials to make this crossing safer.

3.  Cleanliness:  Working with managers and supers to keep front of buildings and sidewalks clean.
     Call 311 if you see a sanitation issue on ur block, and please urge your super and building management to keep the sidewalks clean at all times in front of the building including 18 inches into the curb and cleaning out tree wells.  This is the law in NYC.

4.  Homelessness:  The homeless couple and their dog that were sleeping at the church have found housing and have not been sleeping there.

5.  Police Meeting: We attend the Police Community Council Meeting  several times a year to bring our concerns to their attention. These concerns include homelessness, panhandling, and the dangerous bow-tie intersection.   We learned that panhandling is legal and that homeless people can only be arrested if they break a law such as threatening people.  We are in touch with many groups who help the homeless and hope that every homeless person on our block can be offered services and housing.

6.  Rats:  While the situation has gotten better, people continue to report seeing rats on our block.
     That is why it is imperative to keep trash contained, and to report sightings of rats to 311.
     Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal who has been working on this issue reported that the city plans
     to use dry ice to humanely eliminate the rats, and approval is forthcoming.

Hello Friends and  Neighbors,

On Saturday we had a very successful Block Spruce-Up Day!   Every treewell was cleaned of any debris (bottles, trash, weeds, etc.), and fresh mulch was placed in them along with "Clean up after your dog and remove litter" signs (see attached).   Special thanks to Mike and Debbie who did all the cleaning and mulching, along with help from some adorable youngsters!

We welcomed new members, chatted with neighbors, and enjoyed the Spring day together.   We also had visits from both Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal and City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, both great friends of our Block Association!

Now you can help keep the street and treewells clean by asking your super to be sure to sweep out front including 18 inches into the street and tidy the treewells.   The buildings are required by law to do this including cleaning bottles and litter from treewells.  The cleaner the sidewalk and treewells are, the less chance of dogs and litter creating a  mess.  Thanks to Carol for arranging for the city to deliver many bags of mulch!

The attached flyer from the Sanitation Department can be printed out and shared with your super (if you'd like) and posted in your building.

Help us spread the word that dogs must be curbed and stay out of the treewells.  Passersby must not litter on our block and dog owners must clean up after their dogs, as most do. 

Thanks to all who attended and donated time, effort and funds for this project.  Let's keep it clean!   

Cheers,

Katina

Katina Ellison

Coordinator

West 71st Street Block Association

140 West 71st Street
Apt. 2EF
New York, NY 10023

            From left:    Theo, City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, Katina, Pastor Martin, and Maria

Mike and Debbie clean out tree pits and add mulch and signs

Our youngest helper!

Our canine friends stopped by to learn about being "curbed"!

Next Block Association Meeting

Please join us for our next Block Association Meeting on Sunday, June 26, 2016 at 4 pm at Grace and St. Paul Church, located at 123 W. 71 St. Everyone is welcome!

We will discuss continuing our work to improve the tree wells and trash on the block.
Let us know of any items you want to add to the agenda.
We are also looking for someone who can help with updates to our blog!

Next meeting: Sunday, February 22 at 4 pm

After a wonderful holiday party on December 11th, where we were treated to the beautiful music of Broadway musician Bill Ellison and his band, and delicious treats by our neighbors, we are preparing for our next meeting.

Please join us on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 4 pm at Grace and St. Paul's Church at 123 W 71 St.

All are welcome!

Join us for our next meeting!

Please join us on Sunday, Sept. 28th at 4 pm!

Or, our next meeting on Sunday, October 26 at 4 pm.

Our meetings are open to all and are held at at 123 West 71st St, Grace and St. Paul Church.