Community Corner
Bryant Park Lawn To Reopen In May Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
The Midtown park's lawn will be reopened for spring "in compliance" with social distancing measures.
MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — This year's Bryant Park lawn opening won't resemble years past. There will be no swarming of the park, no sewn-together picnic blankets for large groups and little fanfare as New Yorkers are forced to adhere to social distancing measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Bryant Park plans to reopen its lawn as it does every year in early May following another successful transformation of the park from a Winter Village into a lush green space, the Bryant Park Corporation announced this week. This year, the lawn will feature a special heart design mowed into the lawn to honor New York City healthcare workers and first responders on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis.
"It’s a message of love to all New Yorkers, especially essential workers, who are weathering the pandemic crisis in a heroic way," Bryant Park Corporation executive Director Dan Biederman said in a statement.
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The 300-by-215-foot lawn is a favorite spot for New Yorkers to take in the outdoors, often serving as a refuge from its bustling Midtown Manhattan neighborhood. This year, the area surrounding Bryant Park is mostly desolate as nonessential office workers are forced to stay at home. The Bryant Park Corporation did not say exactly when the lawn will reopen, but did emphasize that the space will "be in compliance with any social distancing regulations."
New Yorkers who violate social distancing guidelines are subject to fines as high as $1,000, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced this week. The NYPD and city Parks Department are partnering to ensue that New Yorkers remain at least six feet apart and refrain from group activities and contact sports while out in public.
Find out what's happening in Midtown-Hell's Kitchenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
More than 134,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for the new coronavirus, with 9,562 confirmed deaths and 4,865 probable deaths, according to city Health Department data released on April 21.
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