Dear Friends and Neighbors,

 

Today we celebrate our 3rd annual Car Free Day in New York City!

By opening 39 blocks along Broadway and St. Nicholas Avenue to pedestrians and cyclist, and not allowing vehicular traffic, Car Free Day is an idea that we hope will spark a movement. It addresses critical issues facing our city, our country and our world that stem in part from having too many cars on our streets. It allows us to reimagine our streets as public spaces for pedestrians and cyclists to use freely, and bring arts and educational programming closer to our communities.

Programming along Broadway will include dance performances, fitness classes, music performances, children's activities, cycling events, sustainability and environmental educational programming, and more - all in partnership with the Times Square Alliance, Garment District Alliance, 34th Street Partnership, Flatiron Partnership and Union Square Partnership.

• Union Square will feature dance, yoga, and fitness classes all day provided by the NY Health and Racquet Club, as well as Historical and sustainability programming.
• At Flatiron, participants can find bike programming sponsored by Citi Bike, Bike NY, and WE Bike NYC along with other outdoor recreation and environmental programming. Performance stages will feature pop-up yoga, family fitness classes, dance workshops, and performances by the Department of Youth and Community Development Youth Dance Company, Artichoke Dance Company, and a Tahitian Polynesian Dance Performance and Class. Fitness activities include free rollerblade rentals, and activations from Movement Creative Parkour. A public art installation, Broadway Bouquet, designed by Terrain Work is a 36 foot bouquet of flowers that will provide a living, breathing garden in the middle of one of the busiest spaces in the world! The National Museum of Mathematics will be bringing their exhibit "Plant the Daisy," to 26th Street, challenging participants to use the natural modes of vibration to try and plant a giant daisy stem in its pot. City Agencies will have education and information tents set up in the area as well.
• Herald Square will feature a Double Dutch performance and class, a Hula Hoop class, a Sport Salsa dance class, and various fitness classes including cardio, dance fitness, boot camp, and Iron Strength. Columbia University's Earth Institute will be hosting an "Ice Detectives" workshop that uses snowflakes to better understand the planet and "Map My Emissions" to help people understand the climate impacts of their transportation choices. Music performances will also be featured every hour on the hour.
• The Mayor's Office of Sustainability, in partnership with DOT, the Garment District Alliance, Building Energy Exchange, NY Passive House and the Belgium Consulate will host an Ice Box Challenge in the Garment District - a public science demonstration that invites the public to discover the benefits of hyper efficient buildings. The Quebec Delegate General will hold Q&A sessions on clean energy, renewal hydropower, and climate change, and there will be also be an environmental public art installation by Isabelle Garbani - who will make knitted planters and sculptures from recycled objects
• In Times Square, Loudest Yeller will provide free bike tours, and Project Dance will hold an all-day dance festival. Various musical performances will also happen every hour, on the hour, in the Times Square Plaza.
• In partnership with Mastercard, Citi Bike will offer free day passes to all on Car Free Earth Day. Individuals can visit http://www.citibikenyc.com/carfreeday for more information on how to obtain their free rides, or they can download and visit the Citi Bike app on Car Free Earth Day, April 21st.  

 

St. Nicholas Avenue from 181st Street to 190th Street from 10 am to 4 pm: St. Nicholas Avenue will be similarly open for the public to enjoy activities provided by the Washington Heights Business Improvement District.

• FDNY will bring a fire truck to 181st Street that participants can takes turns going inside.
• The main performance stage in front of Lucky 7, between 182nd and 183rd Street, will feature local and international acts. Kicking off the day with Dance project Washington Heights, followed by Jazz Power and other culturally rich acts. From 2pm on, the stage will be filled with acts such as Roy Tavares, J Aguabuena, and closing out the day will be Dominican merengue singer, Rubby Perez.
• At 182nd Street, you can bring an outgrown children's bike and swap it for the correct size, while also receiving a brand new helmet, courtesy of DOT and Bike NY, who will also be offering free learn to ride bike lessons.
• Take part in physical activity, training with New York Road Runners, The Armory, Street Soccer USA, Row New York and other groups offering different sports throughout the day. Take a tour of Highbridge Park with New York Restoration Project. Dance the day away with La Mega and their zumba classes at 190th st.
• Join Children's Museum of Arts New York, Morris Jumel Mansion, Sugar Hill Children's Museum and other cultural institutions. Reimagine NYC streets, and relax in the pedestrian Plaza, while enjoying some of our dance or Brazilian Drumming workshops.
• Take a tour of the BioBus and let your inner scientist come out. Enjoy robotics shows by local schools, or follow the march of Brazilian Drum Band Fogo Azul as they parade through the day. Local elected officials and city agencies will also join to provide details on accessing opportunities.
• Enjoy a show by Carnegie Hall or a puppet show with Repertorio Español and Society of Educational Arts on the United Healthcare stage between 186th and 187th Streets.
• Uptown, will offer the culture and magic you have come to expect from Washington Heights. And for just one day, we will reimagine the community, as a car free community.

The overuse of cars has caused numerous urban problems that have mounting social and economic costs. Car Free Day NYC is about encouraging people to make more thoughtful decisions in their daily lives,  particularly related to transportation. Consider leaving your personal car at home, opting for carpooling or mass transit, working from home, making sure to spread the word about #CarFreeEarthDay on social media and following us on Facebook and Twitter.

See you out there today and let's start planning for Car Free Day 2019!

 

Sincerely,

Ydanis Rodriguez

NYC Council Member, District 10

Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill