The road by the Delancey Street overpass after one drizzly night After a day of real rain, this area (near 6th Street) will become a lake The tennis courts – is anyone at Parks familiar with the term Drainage? Give up any notion of using the running track this fall - the planned aluminum bleachers are nowhere to be found The gates to the demolished running track: No dogs or runners allowed

It was a drizzly morning in the LoHo district, perfect for a quick walk in the East River Park. I wished everyone in my shul “a good signature” – which vaguely means they should have a good year following the Yom Kippur session of the celestial court – and took off down Montgomery Street to the start point of the park road.

The Parks Department keeps telling g us that they’ll repave the road alongside the FDR Drive just as soon as all the work in the park is finished. It sounds rational, but in reality they’re decreeing the park out of commission for all intents and purposes for weeks at a time whenever it rains. Look at these images – they show the road after a drizzly night and morning, no hard rains so far. And yet parts of the road are already difficult to walk without getting your socks wet. Give it another rainy day and whole segments of the road will become puddles, then lakes.

Take a look at the tennis courts – is anyone at Parks familiar with the term Drainage?

Let’s face it, the paving work on this road a year plus ago was shabby beyond belief, basically done to get away with as small an investment as possible – after five years during which there was a permanent lake making passage impossible on foot for many days, roughly between 10th and 12th Streets. You think we’re getting substandard service here? Just look at the pictures.

Then I took a look at the running track at 6th Street. The Parks Department is representing major progress there, but, again, the pictures are worth several thousand words. Like No Bleachers in Sight, and New Track Under Water.

Runners, walkers, picnic lovers and all other park users, I urge you to come to the Community Board 3 Parks, Recreation, Cultural Affairs, Landmarks, & Waterfront Committee meeting Thursday, October 12, at 6:30 PM, at Village View, Community Room - 175 East 4th Street (between 1st Ave & Ave A). It’s a bit tricky to find – look for it close to Avenue A on E. 4th. They’ll be discussing, among other topics:

An update on East River Park reconstruction, from the Parks Dept., and an update on the Allen / Pike Street model mall. Come and pay attention. Our numbers there count.

Also, come to the Waterfront Task Force, Tuesday, October 17, 6:30 PM location to be announced on the CB3 website or call the office 212.533.5300. Their topic this month is:

A presentation by the Economic Development Corp: an update on the waterfront project including pavilion sites and park sites.

Remember, if you don’t attend Community Board meetings, you’ll have only yourself to blame when your most vital issues are decided against you.