Rule-breaking crowds could force Green-Wood Cemetery to close to public
Photo by Michela Simoncini on Flickr
Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery threatened to close its gates last week after some visitors ignored the 478-acre-site’s rules and regulations. In an email to supporters, the cemetery’s president Richard Moylan said people have biked, climbed trees, and even taken flowers that were placed on graves, all actions prohibited by the organization. “The conduct of a small percentage of our visitors has created an unacceptable situation,” Moylan wrote. “If things don’t change we may be left with no choice but to close our gates as many other cemeteries have done.”
To make it easier for Brooklynites (and even the mayor) to get fresh air during the pandemic, Green-Wood in March extended its hours and opened its Fort Hamilton Parkway and Prospect Park West entrances, typically closed to the public during the week, seven days a week.
“We recognize the role Green-Wood plays in so many lives, not just as a place of remembrance, but one of solace in an ever-uncertain world,” Moylan wrote in a March update. “Therefore we are dedicated to stay open and accessible during this time so you may continue to find peace in our landscape—as generations before us have.”
But those who are breaking the cemetery’s rules–which forbid any form of exercise besides walking and recreational activities, including picnicking, playing, and sunbathing– are putting the accessibility of the open space at risk. “Green-Wood is a cemetery. It is an arboretum, and a place of tranquility,” Moylan said in the email on Friday. “Families come to visit the graves of their loved ones. It is not a public park. It is not a place of recreation. Our rules are clear on what is allowed and what is not.”
Over the weekend, Green-Wood sent out “ambassadors” to enforce the cemetery’s rules and asked for more volunteers to help patrol the site. A spokesperson for Green-Wood told Gothamist that 120 people volunteered to ensure regulations and social distancing measures are followed. Familiarize yourself with Green-Wood’s rules here, before visiting the cemetery, which is home to some of New York’s most notable residents, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Horace Greeley, Susan Smith McKinney-Steward, and more.
[Via Gothamist]
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