It is an honor to unveil the inscriptions for the 2008 American Nobel Laureates on New York Citys only Nobel Monument, which is located in Theodore Roosevelt Park, said Commissioner Benepe. This park, like all parks, serves as an agora where New Yorkers come together, congregate, take inspiration from the beauty of nature, and share ideas. No country in the world boasts as many Nobel Laureates as the United States, and many Nobel Prize-winning ideas have come from New Yorkers. The Nobel Monument now bears inscriptions of the names of all 306 American Laureates, reinforcing its role as a monument to intellectual achievement.

The American Nobel Laureates of 2008, whose name inscriptions were unveiled on the monument, are:

Yoichiro Nambu, Physics
Martin Chalfie, Chemistry
Roger Y. Tsien, Chemistry
Paul R. Krugman, Economics

The Nobel Monument was raised in 2003 in a joint project initiated and overseen by the Consulate General of Sweden and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation with the purpose of honoring all American Nobel Laureates as well as the founder of the Nobel Prize, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. The monument, which now includes the names of all 306 American Nobel Laureates, was designed by renowned Swedish sculptor Sivert Lindblom and financed through the generous support of Merck Company Foundation; Skanska; Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation; Ambassador and Mrs. Lyndon L. Olson Jr. and NCR Corporation.

For more information, please visit http://nobelmonument.com or www.nyc.gov/parks.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

Life is a lot like jazz... it's best when you improvise.

George Gershwin
(1898 1937)

"Theodore Roosevelt Park serves as a place of rest and recreation for local residents, dog walkers, and museum visitors alike," said Commissioner Benepe. "Among its many features is the citys Nobel Monument, which honors the accomplishments of Alfred Nobel and lists the names of Nobel Prize winners from the United States. The parks winding paths, lawn, and benches provide visitors a serene setting to reflect upon the accomplishments of some of our nations greatest inventors, scientists, writers, and diplomats."

In 2003, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg joined the Consulate General of Sweden in New York to unveil the Nobel Monument. The site was chosen based on Theodore Roosevelts distinction as the first United States President to win a Nobel Prize (for peace). The Nobel Monument is a monolith with four sides of rough-hewn red Swedish granite. Beginning on the west face, a chronological list of the 296 American recipients of the Nobel Prize to date is inscribed. Space has been reserved to inscribe the names of future American Nobel Prize winners.

Thanks to the neighborhood group Friends of Museum Park, as well as local elected officials, Theodore Roosevelt Park has enjoyed many recent upgrades. Currently a $2.5 million project to rebuild the parks perimeter walks and add more benches is underway, funded primarily by City Council Member Gale Brewer.

In 1807, the City of New York mapped the land now known as Theodore Roosevelt Park as a public park, but did not officially own it until it was acquired by condemnation in 1839. It was later assigned to the Board of Commissioners of Central Park (which served as a precursor to the Department of Parks, established in 1870) who controlled it as an annex of Central Park. In 1940 the State added a bronze statue of Theodore Roosevelt by sculptor James Earle Fraser. The park was known as Manhattan Square until 1958, when it was renamed Theodore Roosevelt Park.

"The only thing I like about rich people is their money."

(1879 1964)

"Theodore Roosevelt Park serves as a place of rest and recreation for local residents, dog walkers, and museum visitors alike," said Commissioner Benepe. "Among its many features is the citys Nobel Monument, which honors the accomplishments of Alfred Nobel and lists the names of Nobel Prize winners from the United States. The parks winding paths, lawn, and benches provide visitors a serene setting to reflect upon the accomplishments of some of our nations greatest inventors, scientists, writers, and diplomats."

In 2003, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg joined the Consulate General of Sweden in New York to unveil the Nobel Monument. The site was chosen based on Theodore Roosevelts distinction as the first United States President to win a Nobel Prize (for peace). The Nobel Monument is a monolith with four sides of rough-hewn red Swedish granite. Beginning on the west face, a chronological list of the 296 American recipients of the Nobel Prize to date is inscribed. Space has been reserved to inscribe the names of future American Nobel Prize winners.

Thanks to the neighborhood group Friends of Museum Park, as well as local elected officials, Theodore Roosevelt Park has enjoyed many recent upgrades. Currently a $2.5 million project to rebuild the parks perimeter walks and add more benches is underway, funded primarily by City Council Member Gale Brewer.

In 1807, the City of New York mapped the land now known as Theodore Roosevelt Park as a public park, but did not officially own it until it was acquired by condemnation in 1839. It was later assigned to the Board of Commissioners of Central Park (which served as a precursor to the Department of Parks, established in 1870) who controlled it as an annex of Central Park. In 1940 the State added a bronze statue of Theodore Roosevelt by sculptor James Earle Fraser. The park was known as Manhattan Square until 1958, when it was renamed Theodore Roosevelt Park.

The winners, all New York City high school juniors, are Mingzhu Li of the High School of American Studies at Lehman College, for her essay, Niels Bohr and His Model of the Atom, Melanie Plaza of Bronx High School of Science, for her essay, Linus Pauling: Changing Chemistry and the World, and William Rifkin of Horace Mann School for his essay, Andrew Fire and the Discovery of RNA Interference Silence is Golden.

The grand prize awarded the three winners is an all-expenses paid trip to Stockholm, Sweden to attend the Nobel Week Festivities in December. The contest winners were also joined at the ceremony by the American Nobel Laureates of 2006, who witnessed the unveiling of their names newly inspirited on the Nobel Monument, located within the park.

The Nobel Monument was unveiled in 2003 in a joint project initiated and overseen by the Consulate General of Sweden and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation with the purpose of honoring all American Nobel Laureates, as well as the founder of the Nobel Prize, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. The monument, now displaying the names of 296 Nobel Laureates, was designed by renowned Swedish sculptor Sivert Lindblom and financed through the generous support of Merck Company Foundation; Skanska; Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation; Ambassador and Mrs. Lyndon L. Olson Jr. and NCR Corporation.

Not only is the Nobel Monument a symbol of the close ties between Sweden and this great city of New York, but it also serves as an inspiration for the students participating in this essay contest, said Ambassador Hjertonsson. In the Consulate General, we will not be at all surprised if we, in 30 or 40 years time, will see these students names inscribed onto this monument.

Speaking about the monument and its place within Theodore Roosevelt Park, Commissioner Benepe noted, Parks serve as agoras as open, public spaces where people, and where great minds, can congregate, take inspiration from the beauty of nature, and share ideas. It is in these parks that people develop a relationship with nature and come to understand how humans fit into the larger environment.

The ceremony also included remarks from 2006 Nobel Laureate in Medicine, Dr. Craig C. Mello, and a performance by the Swedish Womens Choir, SALT, who sang Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer, a traditional Swedish childrens folk song.

Contest winner, Mingzhu Li, thrilled about the upcoming trip, said, I have always dreamed of attending the Nobel Banquet. Winning this prize is a dream come true to me. I am excited that I'm actually going to meet the Nobel Laureates in person, and am looking forward to visiting the beautiful city of Stockholm.

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

Youre a grand old flag,
Youre a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.

George M. Cohan
(1878 1942)

This evocative memorial, Memory, was sculpted by Augustus Lukeman and dedicated on April 15, 1915. It honors Isadore and Ida Straus, who perished together on the Titanic when it sank on its maiden voyage from England to America. The ship hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank three hours later. More than 1,500 passengers and crew died in the disaster.

The following biblical quotation is inscribed on the rear exedra of the Straus Monument, paying tribute to Idas decision to remain aboard with her husband rather than save herself by boarding a lifeboat with the women and children.

Lovely and pleasant were they in their lives
And in their death they were not divided
II Samuel 1:23

In 1912, the City named this park after the Strauses, who had lived in a frame house at 27-47 Broadway, near 105th Street. Public subscriptions of $20,000 were raised to commission this monument. The work consists of a granite curved exedra, a central bronze reclining female figure of Memory (for which the celebrated model Audrey Munson posed), and a reflecting pool. The monument was dedicated three years to the day after the Titanic sank. Augustus Lukeman also sculpted the World War I Memorial statuary in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

The History Channel is the lead sponsor of Parks & Recreations Citywide Monuments Conservation Program. This program, founded in 1997, conserves and maintains more than 1,000 monuments in New York City's parks.

COMMISSIONER BENEPE AWARDED ROYAL SWEDISH ORDER

On April 9, the insignia of Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star was bestowed upon Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe by Ambassador Ulf Hjertonsson, Consul General of Sweden in New York, at a ceremony at the Consul Generals residence. His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden appointed Commissioner Benepe to this distinction.

With this distinction, Commissioner Benepe is recognized for his service beyond the call of duty to promote Swedish-American relations, and in particular for his work with the Nobel Monument in Theodore Roosevelt Park, which was raised in 2003 and honors all American Nobel Laureates and Alfred Nobel.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do,
and that is to contradict other philosophers.

William James
(1842 1910)

Last winter, Parks & Recreation set a goal to plant one million new flowers this year throughout New York City and on November 24, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined the Parks Department's Master Gardeners and neighbors of Theodore Roosevelt Park to celebrate this achievement. The lucky one millionth flower of 2003, an Anemone with purple petals and a yellow center, was successfully transplanted into her new home Monday morning. This flower, and her Anemone sisters, shared the bright sunlight with a cluster of Coral Bells, a flower that has bronze-purple foliage and small white flowers that bloom in late spring.

"This year, parks all over the City saw a bumper crop of colorful annuals and perennials as volunteers, non-profit partners and our own designers and gardeners banded together to usher in a horticultural renaissance," said Commissioner Benepe.

Manhattan's Master Gardeners designed the new garden in Theodore Roosevelt Park as a "class project" to showcase their new skills. Master Gardeners John Tweedle and Peter McWhinney joined Master Gardener students Bryon Holt and George Grateron to plant close to 300 plants and flowers in the park. In addition to the Japanese Anemone and Coral Bells, Astilbe, Fern, Redtwig Dogwood, Lentin Rose, Plantain Lily, Lungwort and Meadow Sage spread their roots in the park. Ronnit Bendavid Val, Horticulture Manager of Theodore Roosevelt Park, lent her expertise to the project.

The Master Gardener initiative is a Parks & Recreation training program for horticultural staff to learn advanced botany, urban garden design, turf maintenance, and other subjects to help keep New York City's parks green and healthy. Thirty-five employees have graduated from the program since its inception two years ago and another twenty students will graduate in the spring.

Over the past two years, Parks & Recreation has added 28 Greenstreets, installed 100 new playground gardens, 22 greeting gardens, added a blooming calendar to the Parks' website, and expanded the "Daffodil Project," a citywide initiative to create a living memorial for September 11, 2001. Parks Landscape Architects and Construction Managers have also developed numerous gardens and green spaces as they reconstruct and enhance playgrounds and parks across the City.

Among the community members who helped celebrate the end of the 2003 planting season in Theodore Roosevelt Park were: Barbara Adler, Executive Director of the Columbus Avenue Bid, Monica Blum, Executive Director of the Lincoln Square Bid, James Bourdaghs from the Broadway Mall Association and Lisa Guggenheim from Community & Government Relations of the American Museum of Natural History.

Parks & Recreation First Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh, Manhattan Borough Commissioner William Castro, Manhattan Chief of Operations Nam Yoon, Manhattan Deputy Chief of Operations Margaret Peeler, Chief of Forestry and Horticulture Fiona Watt, Deputy Chief of Forestry and Horticulture Bram Gunther and Outreach Coordinator for Partnerships for Parks Tony Killeen also lent their support at the event.

Flowers bring natural beauty to our urban metropolis, but they can also improve our health. According to scientific studies, horticultural vistas have calming properties. Scientists have found that simply viewing a garden can quickly reduce blood pressure and pulse rate and can even increase the brain activity that controls our positive moods. Hopefully, the new garden in Theodore Park and the one million new flowers that have been planted this year will bring smiles to the faces of New Yorkers and tourists across the city.

Written by Jocelyn Aframe

The Daily Plant will take a needed vacation this week, observing a day of rest after Thanksgiving and returning on Monday, December 1. Happy Thanksgiving!

"Loveliest of lovely things are they,
On earth, that soonest pass away.
The rose that lives its little hour
Is prized beyond the sculptured flower."

(1794-1878)

"New York City is a fitting home for the Nobel Monument which recognizes the efforts Americans have made towards creating a more peaceful, safe, and healthy world," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Last week, Nobel Prizes were awarded to six Americans two of which were New Yorkers. And I am especially proud to say that of the 271 Americans that have received the Nobel Prize, 24 have been graduates of New York Citys public schools. We are honored to be joining our Swedish friends in marking this historic moment in New York City history and in the history of the Nobel Prize."

"The New York City area is home to dozens of Nobel Laureates," said Commissioner Benepe. "This handsome stone obelisk is the Citys newest permanent work of art and its first tribute to intellectual and artistic achievementa shrine to the mind that will inspire the next generation of Laureates."

Theodore Roosevelt Park, home to the American Museum of Natural History since 1869, is named for the U.S. President who in 1906 was the first American to win a Nobel Prize (for Peace). The $400,000 installation and long-term maintenance endowment for the monument was funded primarily by Merck Company Foundation, with additional support from Skanska, Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, Ambassador and Mrs. Lyndon L. Olson, and NCR Corporation.

The monument is a monolith with four sides of rough-hewn red Swedish granite. Two steps lead to the monolith and each corner is framed by a rounded piece of polished black diabase (granite). At the top, each corner is punctuated by small bronze spheres. A bronze relief medallion, depicting a likeness of Alfred Nobel, is installed on the front face on the monolith. Below the medallion text reads "Founder of the Nobel Prize, Swedish Inventor, Industrialist, Philanthropist and Humanist" and above reads "Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, Peace, Economics." The remaining three sides bear the inscription "American Recipients of the Nobel Prize." Beginning on the west face, a chronological list of 271 American recipients of the Nobel prize is inscribed. Space has been reserved to inscribe the names of future American Nobel prizewinners. Parks & Recreation renovated the small plaza surrounding the Nobel Monument. Immediately around the monument there is a ring of red granite. Beyond that there are rings of belfast black granite pavers, octagonal bands of granite and asphalt paving blocks.

The Nobel Monument was first proposed by the Consulate General of Sweden in New York and American Nobel Laureates. Work began in late 2001 after it received approval from the Art Commission and Landmarks Preservation Commission. The monument was designed by Sivert Lindblom, one of Swedens foremost designers of urban spaces and who designed the Holocaust Monument in Stockholm. It was produced by Skska Granit in Sweden and the typography was designed by Lars Hall AB.

"The manner of giving is worth more than the gift."

(1606-1684)

Martin G. (Eagle Scout) Maher is Brooklyns Employee of the Month for January. Eagle Scout graduated from St. Johns University and joined Parks on August 12, 1985 as an Urban Park Ranger. For many years, Eagle Scout served in M&O until November of 1998 when he was promoted to his current position as Brooklyn Chief of Staff. Mirror has been heavily involved with many successful recent initiatives including the opening of Keyspan Stadium in Coney Island, and improvements to the Brooklyn Promenade. Eagle Scout also works extensively with non-profit partners, such as the Prospect Park Alliance, as well as elected officials, constituents, and neighborhood associations, to advance Parks causes and support our initiatives. A career Parkie with diverse experience and unquestioned commitment to Brooklyn, Eagle Scout was nominated by Mirror.

Katherine O. (Chama) Clark is Citywide Services Employee of the Month for January. Chama graduated from Clark University and joined Parks on June 29, 1999 as the first full time Parks Librarian. Chama has played a critical role in two innovative Parks projects: the creation of a public library in the Arsenal, and the successful posting of 2001 historic signs throughout the Parks system. In 1999, Chama helped organize and stock our new library, which was dedicated by Eagle. She and her impressive group of interns then took on the exhaustive and ambitious task of drafting the history of thousands of Parks sites. No stone was left unturned as Chama and her scribes made history - sign by sign. This unique and lasting contribution to New York life saw its culmination with the dedication of the 2001^st historic sign on December 26 at Maine Monument in Columbus Circle. Charismatic, fun, and dedicated, Chama was nominated by BC.

Julia B. (Ghostrider) Schaffer is Managements Employee of the Month for January. Ghostrider graduated from Brown University in 1999. For a year, she worked in theater in Germany before joining Parks on October 10, 2000. Ghostrider works in Public Information where she prepares and edits The Daily Plant - the only daily newsletter produced by a City agency. Ghostrider also prepares countless speeches, event programs, and letters relating to all aspects of the Emerald Empire As impressively, Ghostrider recently completed writing Parks 2000-2001 Biennial Report. Comprehensive and beautifully crafted, this report summarizes the myriad accomplishments of Parks & Recreation and is a lasting contribution to Parks history. A terrific writer and enthusiastic promoter of Parks, Ghostrider was nominated by Doe.

Laura E. (Lollipop) Gaul is Manhattans Employee of the Month for January. Lollipop graduated from Williams College in 1999 and joined Parks on February 3, 2000. Lollipop began as Management Analyst in Operations where she helped expand our recycling and vehicle acquisition programs and coordinated employee recognition. In January of 2001 Lollipop moved cross-park to Arsenal West to become A-Trains Chief of Staff. She has quickly learned the ropes, dealing extensively with Parks staff, elected officials, and the public; and coordinating key projects. She spearheaded the Junior Leagues successful spring clean-up at Thomas Jefferson Park. Lollipop also played a critical role in gaining approval for placing the Nobel Monument in Theodore Roosevelt Park. Focused and hardworking, Lollipop was nominated by A-Train.

Robert J. (Prayer Man) Knappenberger is Queens Employee of the Month for January. Robert joined Parks on July 17, 1992 and is a plumber working at Queens shops. As such, Robert repairs water fountains and comfort stations, and assists with the seasonal turn-on and turn-off of water systems. Robert handles all of Queens most difficult water problems, including underground pipe jobs, snake work, and building failures. He is a skilled and flexible tradesman, who works independently yet also helps train other staff. For his many years of professionalism and service to Queens, Robert was nominated by Ricardo.

Julia M. (Sprout) McCarthy is the Commissioners Employee of the Month for January. Sprout graduated from Yale in 1999. After studying architecture in Italy for a year, Sprout joined Parks on August 22, 2000 as an Assistant to Northside where she is the liaison to Capital Projects. Sprout is working to increase accountability and performance at Capital. She attends design reviews, performs site visits, and tracks capital projects from blueprint to groundbreaking to ribbon cutting. She is improving coordination of construction projects through better tracking of site visit reports. Sprout also represents and advances Capital issues at the Chiefs meeting and during ParkStat Plus+. Involved in all areas at Capital, Sprout has played a key role in monitoring high profile projects and making personnel changes. Smart and serious, Sprout was nominated by Northside and Red Rock.

Mallard and Canard in the Parks

Life can only understood backwards;
but it must be lived forwards.

Sen Kierkegaard
1813-1855

Brooklyn Bridge Park Playground, a nautical-themed play space, is part of a City, State, and community-driven plan for 70 acres of waterfront park. On Thursday, December 27, in the company of State Assembly Member Joan (Waterfront) Millman; Julius (Mirror) Spiegel, Brooklyn Borough Commissioner; and Olanike Alabi, District Manager for Community Board 2, Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern welcomed children onto a giant ships hull, the central feature of the playground.

Designers Dennis (Phinsfan) Flynn, Hui Mei (Bamboo) Grove, Marcha Johnson, Nancy (Designing Woman) Prince, and Emmanuel Thingue created a replica of a ships hull for kids to climb in. They added tire swings and slides to wear them out and a spray shower shaped like a ferryboat to cool them off. A glance north reveals views of New York Harbor and the bridges that arch above it. A nautical flagpole towers overhead. The design will spark kids imagination as they step into New York Citys history of ferryboats and maritime trade. Already a group of community residents, Main Street Mothers, have organized to support the playground and help it thrive.

The Main Street portion of Brooklyn Bridge Park is one tangible result of a remarkable public process in which Parks worked with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Coalition, New York State Park, and Community Board 2. Parks identified the lot and then, in consultation with those groups, planned and designed a 1.5-acre park, a major piece of their 70-acre plan. Mayor Giuliani funded the $6 million of work. The project is one of his efforts to open New York Citys waterfront for public use.

Phase One of work, the playground, was completed on time and on budget in spite of exceptional circumstances. Congratulations to everyone who worked on it.

Watch a webcast from the Groundbreaking of Brooklyn Bridge Park

The experience of Theodore Roosevelt Park will be more powerful next summer when Parks installs a monument to Alfred Nobel and the American recipients of the award that is his legacy. There, in a park that recalls the first American laureate, adjacent to a distinguished institution of learning, New York City will honor some of our countrys greatest scholars as well as Nobel himself. Construction of the monument and surrounding site began at a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, December 17.

Three years ago at an annual Nobel dinner held at the Swedish Consulate, the idea for a monument celebrating the American recipients of the prize was conceived. The construction of the monument was widely supported as a way to honor the centennial anniversary of the prize. Parks and the Swedish Consulate of New York worked together since then to have this monument erected in New York City.

Sivert Lindblom, a renowned Swedish artist whose work includes the Stockholm Holocaust monument, has designed a monolith with four sides of rough-hewn red Swedish Granite resting on a round of black diabase. The monument will hone Alfred Nobel and list the names of all the American recipients of the Nobel. Prize.. Space has been left on the monument for future prize winners. Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern, Swedish Consul General Olle (Bulletin) Wterberg, Nobel Prize winner Eric (Synapse) Kandel, Bronx High School of Science Principal Valerie (Koala) Reidy, Senior Vice President and Provost of Natural History Museum Michael J. (Carnivore) Novacek, Phd, and Manhattan Borough Commissioner Adrian (A-Train) Benepe broke ground to herald the building of the monument in Theodore Roosevelt Park.

(Tuesday, January 17, 1989)

Tired of staying in on cold winter weekends? Bundle up and meet the Urban Park Rangers for a breath of fresh air on an upcoming weekend walk.

See how the Van Cortlandt family lived in the days before electricity when candles were made using native plants such as bayberry. Come learn the colonial craft of candlemaking in the newly-renovated Van Cortlandt Mansion. All materials will be provided. Meet on the front steps of the Van Cortlandt Mansion, near 242^nd Street and Broadway, at 1 P.M.