By Emily Baer
A quiet controversy was brewing this week on West 69th Street. Friends and colleagues of Matthew Sapolin, the city’s first commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, proposed renaming two blocks of West 69th Street between Broadway and Central Park West after him. But some residents and community leaders have objected, and the renaming is now being reconsidered.
Sapolin a long time resident of West 69th Street, passed away at the age of 41 in late December. He had been blind since the age of 5, and advocated for making the city sidewalks more accessible for those who couldn’t walk or couldn’t see. According to the New York Times, there is some confusion as to where the idea to rename the street in his honor originated.
On Tuesday night there was a Community Board 7 meeting where the street renaming was on the agenda. Apparently at the 11th hour it was canceled. There was just too much opposition from the community.
I went down to West 69th Street to talk with those who live on the street to find out more. I talked with one nice gentleman, Chad, who said that the while he and those who opposed the renaming had nothing against Mr. Sapolin, the residents of the street felt there were many more people who had lived there who were just as important to the community and that it just didn’t seem fair. I also asked a few local businesses (Telepan for example) about the proposed street renaming and most of them had no idea about it.
Along the street in the vestibules of the apartment buildings I found community notices with the announcement of the planned meeting for January 10, 2012, with CANCELED written in red pen across it.
As of now, community leaders are considering other ideas to honor his memory have been suggested, such as a plaque.
Photos by Emily Baer.
