08/23/04

This public plaza with a political history has experienced a dramatic renaissance.

by Contributor

Overview
Home of the first Labor Day parade on Sept. 5, 1882, Union Square has been a gathering place for New Yorkers to express their outrage about labor practices, war policies and other issues for more than a century. That communal element eventually secured the park landmark status in November 1997.

Features
This erstwhile tatty wasteland has risen from the ashes to become a vibrant center of urban activity. It was the site of round-the-clock vigils for peace, and filled with flowers and candles, in the days following 9/11. Three separate playgrounds, all more or less equal in size, are located at the northern end of the square. One has slightly older equipment including a metal geodesic dome-type climbing structure. The two others feature rubberized surfaces underfoot and new metal and plastic equipment. At the south end of the park? Skateboarders and pigeons.