Save Soccer Tacos
It's at once amazing and not all that surprising that the Red Hook ball fields in Brooklyn are getting so much attention from New York City food lovers. From bloggers to anonymous activists to chefs, everyone agrees: The place is a culinary treasure and needs to be preserved.
I love that Save Soccer Tacos sprang up, complete with a sample message that it suggests sending to New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and City Councilwoman Sara M. Gonzalez, whose 38th District includes the ball fields.
I hate that the Parks Department website makes you use a black hole of a form to email Commissioner Benepe, so with a little digging, we found direct email addresses to ping him at: adrian.benepe@parks.nyc.gov
Here's some body text, based on the Save Soccer Tacos message, that you can copy and paste into your email to Commissioner Benepe. (Add you name and send as-is, or for a more effective plea, personalize it with what the ball fields mean to you.)
Dear Commissioner Benepe,
Please extend the Temporary Use Agreement to the vendors at the Red Hook ball fields. They are a unique resource in the city, are one of the best things about summer in Brooklyn, and they are irreplaceable.
The vendors bring value to Red Hook by bringing people out to eat who might otherwise not visit the neighborhood, and they create an experience and a range of real, honest food that typical park vendors could not possibly replicate.
I'm asking you to please grant them an extension for this year and to look for a way to make the use agreement permanent.
This is a cultural institution worth saving!
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME HERE
Photograph from Peter Cunningham
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4 Comments:
I preferred this approach:
"Dear Councilwoman,
I am writing to let you know that if the vendors at the Red Hook Ballfields lose their license, or are forced out of business in any way (increase in fees, etc.), you can be certain the New York City Food Community will make it our mission to make sure that those who were responsible will not be re-elected to office.
Thanks for your time,
(Your Name Here)"
Feel free to cut and paste that one as well! :-)
Zach Brooks at 2:43PM on 06/07/07
Nice one, Zach!
Adam Kuban at 2:59PM on 06/07/07
A culinary treasure indeed!
Maybe all us foodie bloggers can make a difference!
JuicyBit at 3:25PM on 06/07/07
Dear Friends,
Thanks so much for your concern, care, love and support for our affair and attention to our current situation.
This is indeed a very difficult time for us. As we are about to wage an uphill battle with the system, all your comments and response to this situation makes us feel we are not alone- and also loved.
This show off affection will give us strenght to continue advocating for the rightful preservation of this unique & traditional affair.
Your letters and emails to Parks and city official will certainly go a long way in making a strong case for our appeal -which was officialy sent to Parks Commissioner Benepe yesterday.
Thanks again for your appreciation of our humble affair, which is now, more than ever, dedicated to all of you.
Best,
Cesar Fuentes
Executive Director
Food Vendors Committe of Red Hook Park Inc.
redhookfoodvendors at 3:33AM on 06/08/07