Outdoors on #theother5th 2021
In 2020, the Park Slope Fifth Avenue BID jumped at the chance to participate in the Open Streets: Restaurants program every Saturday from July to December to work to save our small businesses on 5th Ave. The program came with a permit to close 19 blocks, some barricades and signs but the other costs were FUNDED by us! These costs include staff, more barricades, signage and insurance.
To support you in 2021 we want to extend this program from March through September in ways that benefit everyone; business owners, non-profits and the community. We want to fill the streets with outdoor seating for restaurants and shopping opportunities, and also manage a schedule of fitness classes, bands, demonstrations and performances when all these programs are finally permitted.
What’s the catch?
We need your help to raise funds for 2021!
The BID has an assessment but after paying for our cleaning crew, salaries, Christmas Lights, Christmas Tree, Menorah, merchants support, marketing and Insurance we don’t have enough funds to pay all the staff we need to ensure the program runs smoothly for 9 months out of the year. We were able to keep those costs down in 2020 because Mark and Joanna (the only BID staff) worked every Saturday for 13 hours a day for 6 months and Erika, our Board President, volunteered every Saturday too. However, this isn’t a long-term solution to make the program a success. We need a real, paid team to help run the program and keep the blocks safe.
Funds will be used to:
* pay staff from 11am – 10pm
* purchase additional barricades and signs as needed
* add Sunday closures from July-September (if we raise enough money)
* begin programming Open Streets as rules allow
We want to continue to provide safe, car free blocks for all to enjoy. Can you help us?
Donations from local businesses: https://donorbox.org/support-open-streets-on-5th-avenue
Donations from the community: https://donorbox.org/park-slope-support-open-streets-restaurants-on-5th-avenue
