I just read an article about Central Park in New York kicking out a bunch of buskers. The news story features musicians, but I think it still relevant.

What are your thoughts on this?

New York's Central Park gives musicians the boot

The gentrification of NY continues. If the residents around Central Park want to hear classical music, they will have it piped into their limos and penthouse apartments. The unwashed tourists hoards should be spending their time and money on Times Square and leave the park to the yuppies. LOL!

Work available in Central Park!!
Wanted: Statues/crate slugs, mime artists ...
Shhh !!

You have something against $8 to $10 beers, $8 glasses of wine, and $7 to $9 sandwiches?

I think folks need to step up and contact NYC Park Authority and voice thier disgust with this illegal censoring.

Make your voice heard - even if you do not ever perform there, make a call, send a letter.

I send about a dozen letters this morning to various folks in thee NYC gub'ment saying I enjoy coming to the park to see the buskers, and they are ruining my appreciation of the park by chasing them away.

LOL! Musician statues! Air guitar bands! What else?

This might help;

http://www.nycgovparks.org/

You're welcome.

The irony is in the article they state they're not "anti-music," they're "pro-quiet." But the places they've chosen to be "quiet zones" just happen to be the best busking spots!

Wait, this might be better.

http://www.nycgovparks.org/contact_us/html/contact.html

...and I sent them my opinion, for what it's worth.

It's an attitude of privilege and entitlement. Never mind Central Park is a public space, maintained by tax dollars, for public use. Without public support, Central Park would quickly fall apart. The residents who live around Central Park could not afford to maintain the park out of their own money. However, because they live in the neighborhood, they feel they have a right to dictate how the park is used. They hold street performance in disdain, the performers and the audiences. They can try to spin it any way they want.

WOW. That is crazy. This is insane. This is terrifying. Last time I was in CP I could have sworn they already had a few select areas where people were asked nicely to not play loud music or anything like that. (I think Sheep meadow comes to mind.) But an actual ban on music in many places of the park is ridiculous. I also think there is a case like this before...I will have to dig around and see if I can find the name to court case. I think it might have involved Chicago. Does this ring a bell to anyone else? Honestly I do not seeing this ban lasting. And if it is still in effect when I get back to NYC I think I'll have to dust off one of my saxophones...

Well, I got an automated response. Let's see if it goes any further.

Haven't heard anything. Of course, the first thing that came to my mind was that this would be perfect if you do a silent act.

So has anyone heard anything new about these quiet zones? I will be back in NYC in little over a month and I was hoping to get out busking.

Yes, mime would work extremely well here - any sort of it. Afterall, it is the quiet they seek...

This also reminds me of what has happened on Key West where they have done something very similar to this in the town square area.

It is a real pitty. I need a bigger pitch then last time....I'll just have to find one that is not in CP.

Once prevention is put in place, there are those who are immediately figuring a way around it.
Although mime would work, a more popular variation today would be the human statue - or simply do a silent magic show.

Human statues are actually a form of mime.

I like the silent magic show idea! Nobody can say you are not following the quiet zone rules then!

I'd be interested in whether they are going to ticket folks listening to their boom boxes.

Call me a cynic, but is it about the quiet? Or is it about Uptown yuppies who want a private park? They just can't say that without sounding like liberal elitist. Once they shut down the musicians and speaking acts, they'll come after the silent acts.

Joe,
I wish you were wrong but unfortunately I think you are right. It is makes me so sad when people believe they are above other people due to how much money they make, where they went to school, what they wear, so on and so on. I just hope we can have our side heard and get these great pitches back to the general public.

Fredrick Olmstead must be spinning in his grave!