A Hazy Afternoon in Battery Park, NY

Often times we tend to take for granted those things immediately around us.  Life becomes so hectic, we really don’t have time to notice.  And then when we do take the time to slow down, we go somewhere else, a place different then where we are every day.  And thus, it is not surprising that even those who live in this great New York City, often walk around the streets knowing “of” places but not really knowing much about them.

NYCity Mama was one of those New Yorkers.  She knew a lot more than she realized, but not as much as one would expect from a native New Yorker.  New Yorkers tend to get set in their neighborhoods, rarely venturing out past certain streets or borderlines they set for themselves due to insecurities or misinformation or preconceived notions and stereotypical generalizations, or just plain laziness to travel.

Once Mama returned she wanted to make sure that her children would not be one of those New Yorkers.  No neighborhood would be too scary or too far, and she knows a lot of these so called areas and knows the hype is usually just that.  She has a lot of ground she hasn’t covered with her boys.  But for now, she’s starting out with the basics. What every New Yorker should know about.

And one of those places is Battery Park.  But not just the Battery Park that one rushes past to catch the Staten Island Ferry or subway.  Not just the Battery Park that you walk through to catch the Ferry to the Statue of Liberty.  But the Battery Park  that served as the introduction to the newly arriving immigrants to the USA.

And so while her oldest son was playing flag football, Mama and he husband decided to take the little ones to Battery Park, to begin introducing them to the place where it all started.

Despite it being a bit chilly during Mama’s visit, and not too many signs of Spring to be seen, walking along the promenade was enjoyable and very pretty.  The boys loved watching the tourists docking the ferry to Liberty Island and watching the Staten Island Ferry as it approached the NYC port.  From a distance they could see Lady Liberty as she stood proud and welcoming.

But by far, the monuments found all throughout the park are really what makes this place feel so historical. It was interesting seeing how the boys were drawn to gently touching them and getting close to them, almost as if they knew they meant something important.  Her youngest one could not stop looking at the New York Korean War Veterans Memorial, while the 3.5 year was fascinated, and rightly so, by the World War II Memorial.

Mama’s favorite monument is “The Immigrants”.  It’s such an awesome portrayal of the fear, insecurities, and hope of those who come into this country everyday in search of new beginnings, just like her family did years ago.

There is currently work being done to renovate Pier A, originally established in 1886,  into a ferry terminal and tourist hub.  Mama has faith that this incredibly old building will be turned into something great.  But she was glad to see it now, in it’s state of incompletion and wished she could walk through it before all the dusty history was cleaned away. Pier A was built in 1886 with its clock tower was erected in 1919 as one of the city’s first memorials to veterans of the First World War.

Walking around the park, killing time, was a nice adventure, of the quiet type.  It reminded Mama of the many people that don’t take this city for granted, like she once did, but also of the amazing promise and hope this city holds for all those who come here and are fortunate enough to live here, like her.

Next time, she promised the boys, they’ll stop at the playground in West Thames Park and have a picnic at Wagner Jr. Park, when the weather is nicer.  And it looks like that may be any day now.

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Tags: NY Parks
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