High Line's hurrah: Wondrous park reflects New York's spirit, diversity

The High Line in New York is a wonderful place, born of a grassroots effort to save a derelict
elevated train track. It is now a much visited park with walking paths, art and lush landscaping.
 

NEW YORK'S HIGH LINE OFFERS RESTFUL OASIS IN A BUSTLING CITY

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie"
Meyers pose in one of the viewing
areas of the popular High Line. 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

IF YOU are ready to herald the arrival of autumn, there's no prettier place than New York's beautiful High Line.
Created out of the remains of an abandoned New York Central Railroad viaduct, the High Line is a happy example of a successful grassroots effort.

Nearly 30 years ago, the neglected tracks were slated for demolition, so neighbors on Manhattan's West Side organized to save them.  Thinking outside the box, they drew financial support to create a spectacular oasis in one of the world's busiest cities.
Today's High Line stretches nearly 1.5 miles, offering locals and tourists an artful stroll along scenic walkways and unique viewing platforms. We admired both changing and permanent art installations along with hundreds of attractive plants.

Strollers walk along what was once an elevated
train track used for shipping goods to factories.

THE HIGH Line has a colorful past.  It opened in 1934 as part of the New York Central Railroad's West Side Line, replacing street-level tracks known as "Death Avenue" because of frequent accidents involving pedestrians.

The "High Line" elevated freight trains above the streets to higher ground, transporting goods directly to factories and warehouses, many of them in the Meatpacking District.  

 

Pausing to admire the landscape of New York's stunning
High Line is Christene "Cookie" Meyers.

 FRIENDS OF THE High Line was founded in 1999 by neighborhood residents Joshua David and Robert Hammond who began the non-profit for the High Line’s preservation. The organization oversees maintenance, operations and public programming for the park, sponsoring nearly 500 diverse events and programs each year and generating essential private funding. An endowment enables the free park's success.

High Line art intrigues to draw the eye in.

THE PLANTINGS have a natural look, inspired by the landscape that grew on the High Line during the 25 years after trains stopped running. Grasses, perennials, trees, and bushes were chosen for their hardiness, sustainability, and variation, with a focus on native species. Intriguingly, in several places, the High Line’s railroad tracks were returned and are cleverly integrated into pathways and flower beds. For those who wish to sit, the park offers “peel-up” benches and sundeck chaise lounges overlooking Hudson River. We enjoyed lunch from our pick of ethnic food vendors, watched a dancing group perform and tagged on to a free docent-led tour.

There are plenty of places to stay, including a hotel named after the project. The High Line Hotel is a "repurposed" historic building in the city's West Chelsea neighborhood. It was built in 1895 as a dormitory for the General Theological Seminary.

The High Line's "Foot Fountain" is just that,
a functional work of art and one of many
eye-catching pieces strollers enjoy. 

CONVERTING the outdated freight corridor into a park cost $250 million and generated 8,000 construction jobs.

The redevelopment increased tax revenue by $1 billion and increased property values in the neighborhood. New businesses, including hotels and restaurants, have created 12,000 new jobs.

And since 2014, more than 20 million people have visited the High Line, which hosts in excess of 500 public programs and events annually.

Happily, the High Line has become a global inspiration for cities to transform unused industrial zones into dynamic public spaces.

It's a wonderful, free diversion if you're planning a visit to this remarkable city.
More info: A visit to the High Line is free.  The park can be accessed from several locations. For more on activities and visiting, go to: www.thehighline.org/visit/ 

 

The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone are a spectacular sight,
no prettier than in the last days of summer when crowds lessen.

ON TAP: Yellowstone National Park is a treasure enjoyed by millions from around the world.  It beckons visitors in these last days of summer to visit the park as it heralds the coming of autumn. As Labor Day approaches, there's no better time to visit Yellowstone, Teton, Glacier and other national parks.  The aspen are turning, wildlife are on the move and crowds are beginning to thin as schools resume.  Tips on making the best of a fall visit to our beloved national parks, up next. Meanwhile, explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on nature, travel, the arts, family and more. Please share our link with others: www.whereiscookie.com