Mayor Bill de Blasio’s compromise plan to reform Central Park’s carriage horse industry faced significant scrutiny at a City Council hearing, with administration officials unable to answer key questions. The proposal aims to remove carriage horses from Manhattan streets, reduce their numbers, and establish a new stable within Central Park, funded by the city. However, this plan has sparked controversy among various stakeholders, including park advocates concerned about the cost and use of park space, and pedicab drivers who are upset about being banned from lucrative areas of the park to minimize competition with the carriages.
City Council members expressed disappointment with the lack of details provided by the administration, particularly regarding the cost of the new stable, its location, potential job losses for carriage and pedicab operators, and the urgency behind the proposal. The plan, supported by animal advocacy group NYClass for addressing inhumane treatment of horses, has also been criticized by other animal welfare groups and stakeholders for favoring the carriage industry.
One poignant voice of opposition came from Ibrahim Donmez, a pedicab driver from Turkey, who highlighted the inequity of the proposal by questioning why the jobs of carriage drivers were being prioritized over those of pedicab drivers, many of whom are immigrants. The administration’s failure to engage with pedicab drivers and the rushed nature of the proposal have left many council members hesitant to support it, casting doubt on the future of this controversial plan. A vote on the legislation has yet to be scheduled, leaving the fate of Central Park’s carriage horses and pedicab drivers uncertain.
For more information:
https://abc7ny.com/central-park-horse-carriage-pedicab-city-hall/1170050/