Park Avenue Malls Traditional Cache
New York Admin: Its been far to long and maintenance does not seem to be forthcoming. I'm archiving today opening the area up to others that geocachers may once again enjoy visiting this area.
Should the cache owner repair/replace this cache within a reasonable period of time and it meets the current guidelines it may be unarchived.
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Park Avenue Malls
I walk by this small park about once a week and noticed that there was not a cache nearby.
The container can be located from outside of the fenced area.
The difficulty is based on the large number of people who walk by this area. Please replace as found.
Park Avenue Malls History
Park Avenue was not always the prestigious address that it is today. In fact, trains ran up and down the avenue at street level prior to 1900. The conversion from steam to electric train power ultimately made it possible for the tracks to be moved underground and wide center medians (now referred to as the malls) were created above them. Over the years, the width of the malls was reduced in order to accommodate more traffic lanes.
Early photographs show fencing, grass and simple plantings. In the 1950s, Mrs. Albert D. Lasker, an early advocate of urban beautification, began planting begonias, tulips and flowering trees on some of the malls to demonstrate to the City that plants could survive amidst all the traffic and pollution. She later convinced the Parks Department to take responsibility for their on-going planting and maintenance.
In 1970, the Parks Department hired landscape architect, Clara Coffey, to redesign the malls. She removed the fences and tall hedges, supplemented existing trees and created planting beds at the end of each mall.
By 1980, the malls had fallen into disrepair. The city was no longer able to continue their maintenance without support from the community. Ronald D. Spencer, then the President of Carnegie Hill Neighbors, conceived of an arrangement between the Park Avenue buildings north of 86th Street, whereby they would each contribute a set amount, based upon the number of shareholders, to pay for the annual planting and maintenance of the malls.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Qb abg Srrq gur Cvtrbaf (Zntargvp)
Treasures
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