As Pope Francis prepares for a procession on Friday through Central Park, some locals are grumbling about the security restrictions — from parking restrictions and towed cars to the large metal fence that was erected around Central Park’s border. The fence stretches from 59th street to 81st.
“It’s blocking the park. I understand the security the pope needs, but I think this fence was unnecessary,” Central Park West resident Zoe Boyd told the Times.
The fence is expected to be taken down immediately after the pope’s procession.
“The papal procession through the park is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. on Friday. The pope will enter the park at East 72nd Street and cross over to the West Side, with the viewing area running along the West Drive from 72nd Street to 60th Street. The pope will exit the park at Central Park South and Seventh Avenue.”
The scope of the setup for @Pontifex in @CentralParkNYC is breathtaking. pic.twitter.com/0YT4OU0Pdb
— Ann Rafalko Sublett (@annrafalko) September 25, 2015
Check out a map of the pope’s appearances below. More info on the papal visit here.
This whole thing is ridiculous. They don’t do this for Obama or the G7 heads of state, who are, imo, more important people. Where did they get these miles of fencing and where are they going back to? Makes we wonder about those conspiracy theories.
who is paying for the cost of the temporary fencing? cill it to the Vatican…… I am sick and tired of being soaked in this city
The wall did such a good job today of keeping unhhappy and grumpy Upper West Siders out of the Upper East Side that many East Side psychotherapists report that most of their patients are suddenly cured, while most West Side shrinks have seen a sharp uptick in business.
The only thing we should be erecting for the G7 leaders is a guillotine.
Some company from Amityville delivered it and set it up the other night.
According to the Times, the secret service is paying for it.
Just more security theater for the fearful masses who believe that there are terrorists and assassins hiding behind every light post.
It’s only for a few days; he is clearly at risk from many quarters. I’m glad he is coming, and not particularly distressed about the wall or the other security procedures – if it went on forever, I might feel different, but I think it is understandable under the circumstances.
Does he require or get this level of security arrangements when in Rome? I think law enforcement in the US goes overboard and inflates their importance by throwing every resource into such situations to justify their jobs.
That fence is depressingly hideous, but it is definitely NOT permanent and, hopefully, will be gone quickly.
MORE IMPORTANTLY: the mega-security is going to cost the city a fortune! DOES NYC HAVE TO SHELL OUT FOR THE WHOLE BILL OR WILL THE R.C. CHURCH CONTRIBUTE ??
Interesting concept, eh!
The RC Church like other churches is a nonprofit! It pays no taxes. I would be very surprised if it gets a bill for this.
Praise be, praise be.
I notice on Columbus and CPW in the 70s tbere are no garbage containers. A security measure, I presume.
We will foot the bill and the fence was up on CPW for the Macys day Parade last year. I think the fence will be the norm from now on. Reminds me of the Berlin Wall.
Security like this is a must, if something happened to the Pope on US soil, the world woul freak!
And with this being the 70th general assembly, NYC is considered a big target these days.
The awful wall will be gone in no time and our beautiful park will be ours.
Peace!
Exactly, no city wants to be known as “the city where something happened to the pope”.
The fences are temporary and they’ll go back to a warehouse in Brooklyn somewhere.
“Dallas” what event springs to mind?
Exactly. If anything happened to the pope here it would be disasterous for the city.
this wall is a beta test (materials, height, etc) for the walls the united states is going to build to keep out mexicans and canadians. you ain’t seen nothing, yet!
walls R US!
Surprised Trump didn’t build it and get China to pay for it.
Alas! Someone who can see through a minor inconvenience and add some levity.
🙂
May Peace be with you.
And with your spirit!:)
Part of me wonders if the fences are killing two birds with one stone for the Pope and the Global Citizen’s Concert tomorrow.
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/festival/2015/
There are so many Kvetzes – that Yiddish for complainers. If you really want to complain about something how about how dirty and filthy the streets are. It’s really disgusting. Never remember it this bad.
Lynn: you are so right-the streets are filthy
On the UWS. The trader jo block (bway 71-72)is unbearable. A guy selling clothes-a homeless kid w/huge dog, and tall man panhandling for woman in wheel chair complete the picture. There’s garbage all over the
street. Many say this was brought to us by Trader Jo’s. It draws these crowds…..just wait until Bloomingdale’s off-price gets here. With the book vendors, fruit stands, and the homeless—we might as well just walk in traffic–easier and safer. Oh, btw, thiS coverage of the Pope is too over the top. What ever happened to separation of Church &
State? And am I paying for this-when the church has billions?? Madness.
@Mark – I was here in the 70’s and 80’s – moved away for 20 years and moved back nearly a year ago. It pretty much looks the same to me! I came back here every year to bring the family and it had truly improved. But now? Not so much. Homeless sleeping everywhere. You have to step over them on the sidewalks. Trash in the streets, smells of garbage every other block… Subway falling apart, buses barely running on schedule. Face it the 70’s are back.
Well, I guess I would characterize that as a bit of an exaggeration.
You must have missed the 70s and 80s.
I think the problem is with so little rain this summer the dog pee and poop just bakes into the sidewalks and streets.
Wait till tonight. With no garbage cans and the crowds on the west side expect west 60s to look like Harlem in the 70’s. There were crowds forming when I left to work at 5am.
Re: “expect west 60s to look like Harlem in the 70’s.”
Your nonsense is both BLATANT and LATENT !!
First, it’s BLATANT B-S!
This writer was in that very area, B’dwy @ W. 64th, yesterday for a 5:05 film at Lincoln Plaza and saw ONLY:
1) a bunch of bored cops;
2) an ABC_TV News van;
3) a few vendors hawking Pope-visit souvenirs.
Otherwise, pedestrians were pedestering, outdoor diners were dining, buses were busing, etc. etc. By 7:30 the streets were there normal Friday evening scene.
As for LATENT, most normal folk would say that referencing JUST “Harlem in the 70’s” reveals a kind of LATENT RACISM, no?
I returned home at 6:30 pm, had to walk from York ave down 58th street in a filthy garbage filled sidewalk to Columbus circle which was also filled with garbage. had to walk in the street to west 63rd because sidewalks were to crowded. The city was cleaning the streets around 3am this morning so when I left to work this morning the streets were back to there somewhat clean condition. Why do all you liberals think everyone is Racist? I believe that comes from your own thoughts on race, you only imagine what race and religion this writer is.
Not sure why we need to put up so many barriers, protection and city funding and resources for the leader of the “never-evidenced” fantasy land?
Mayor de Blasio, tear down this wall!
Should people expect to be able to walk across Central Park on Saturday (tomorrow) without incident?
It’s nicer and more discrete than the hurricane fencing they’ve been putting up for the past few years along the west side of central park west for the Marathon. At least people can still walk up CPW with this one!
The walls were supposed to be taken down immediately after the Pope’s motorcade left the park. Anyone know if that’s happened? It is now approx. 9 p.m. Thanks!
Really? This is what fills your days, your thoughts, your life? I spent half the day In Central Park on Thursday. Yes, there was a fence, that was the extent of the attention it received. It did not ruin my day, nor did I give it another thought. I was in the park to enjoy the day, the trees, the people, to walk and relax. It was one gorgeous day in a week of gorgeous days! The fence did not take away from that one bit. Why? Because I didn’t let it. Because it is temporary! Because I love living in a city that can orchestrate an event like this–one that I have no connection to and won’t attend–and many others (New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving Day Parade, etc.) and within hours or a couple of days all is back as it was.
I honestly don’t understand the epic levels of whining. It makes me a lot more sad than any fence or a once every thirty or so years event ever could.
The Pope will leave, the fence will come down, but unfortunately the whining is probably not so temporary.
The Pope is just a man, and his protection from a potential crazy nut is not sufficent reason to waste millions of dollars and inconvinence to millions of NYers. Next time stay home Pappa. We dont want you in NYC
I want to tell all the heads of states, presidents or popes: STAY HOME. we don’t care what you say, what you speak, what you orate for half hour.. It is all bull, vanity, lies, and hot air. We dont need our life disrupted and our wallets raided for your BS. Stay in your own homes and get out of ours.
Then your living in the wrong City.
Everything happens here because this is the Capital of the World.
If you don’t like the spotlight and the constant events you should move.
Real NY’ers don’t whine. That’s for Jersey…
“real NY’ers don’t whine”? You don’t read the WSR comments very often, do you?
We have to be careful in drawing conclusions about NYC based on those who post.
The population of NYC is over 8.491 million.
Oy vey!
there seems to be an uptick lately in WSR using “LOcals” in its headlines. Can’t you think of a better word? it sounds like an Onion satire. “Area man.. “
“Neighbors”?