Uh-oh. Apparently, I had not done sufficient due diligence before embarking on our visit to Washington Square Park, because when we approached the southwest corner, instead of seeing this:
…we discovered that the entire southern perimeter and northeastern side were fenced off due to capital improvements not scheduled to be completed until the Fall of 2010.
Where was the famed arch modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris? The Central Fountain where Robert Redford cavorted drunkenly in the 1967 movie, Barefoot in the Park? The kooky street performers and focused chess players?
Fortunately, when we finally made our way into the park, we were relieved to find that most of the above were still intact. We camped out temporarily at a small, shady playground on the northern side of the park better-suited to the three and under set than to older children before taking advantage of the famed fountain.
The playground that Charlie aptly described as "a little too little kiddish"
Although we were probably a little too early for the park’s prime people watching, I am happy to report that the magnificent Washington Arch was not swathed under layers of construction.
Books
- Bein’ With You This Way by Michael Bryant
- The Park Book by Charlotte Zolotow, H.A. Rey(Illustrator) (I had a hard time finding this, but it was worth the hunt. This delightful book from the 1940’s chronicles a day in the life of Washington Square Park)
Washington Square Park, Washington Square, bounded by Waverly Place, West 4th Street, University Place and MacDougal Street; Open daily, sunrise to 1:00 AM; *Free* http://nycgovparks.org/parks/washingtonsquarepark
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