Down With Kensington Plaza?

Kensington Plaza is only 6-months-old, but instead of uniting the community with its benches and trees, it’s forged a riff with neighbors who say the sitting spaces are attracting unwanted late night lurkers.

The battle lines were drawn at a public hearing Thursday night, in which residents living next to the concrete traffic bump-out argued that what may look like a placid place to rest during the day turns into a rowdy hangout late at night.

Dorothy Ryan, who has lived in her home next to the plaza at Beverley Road and Church Avenue for 34 years, says her life has been “torture” since the four benches, two granite blocks and three trees that comprise the plaza were installed in June.

“There are people constantly smoking there day and night, making loud noise,” she said, adding that her daughter suffers from a serious illness that is exacerbated by the cigarette fumes.

She said she regularly sees up to 30 men congregating in the plaza during the wee hours of the morning, making her feel as though she’s trapped in her own home.

“It has invaded our private lives. It has destroyed our quality of life,” she said.

But for the many residents who enjoy the plaza—in particular, the troupe of volunteers known as the Kensington Plaza Trash Mob, who spend hours each month ensuring that the plaza remains free of debris—removing the benches is not the answer.

Trash Mob member Julie Semko pointed out that between four bus stops, four subway entrances, continual flow of cars and the occasionally boisterous patrons from the nearby Denny’s Steak Pub, that particular stretch of Beverley Road happens to be very busy—with or without the benches.

“It is probably one of the busiest intersections, if not the busiest intersection in Kensington,” she said.

Semko argued that the bustle of Beverley Road is precisely what makes the traffic bump-out such an ideal spot for people to gather.

And as an open space, she said, people are technically allowed to linger for as long as they’d like.

“Legally, like or not, there is no loitering taking place on the plaza. The law allows people to spend as much time as they wish sitting on the benches,” she said. 

Councilman Brad Lander, who spearheaded the plaza’s creation, said that rather than remove the benches, he would see to it that No Smoking signs be hung up in the area, as well as a reminder that anyone using the benches must keep their voices down. 

He said he would work with the 66^th Precinct to ensure that the rules are enforced.

The board voted to leave the benches in place for now and, pending the improvements suggested Thursday, revisit the issue again in April.

Lander emphasized that the plaza was made a reality because Kensington residents asked for it.

“To me, democracy says you work together to solve problems, but you also listen to voice of a community. And to me, the voice of the community says, 'We want Kensington Plaza, and we want to work together to solve the problems that are there.'”

"I do believe it has added a real value to the neighborhood."