New pitch to install permanent gates at iconic Washington Square Park reignites debate among NYers: ‘It’s not a good image of NYC’

Source: New York Post

A plan to install permanent gates at the iconic Washington Square Park is igniting a tug-of-war between safety and preserving the Big Apple park’s historically “free” spirit. The proposal to fence off the entrances comes after safety concerns first arose following the COVID-19 pandemic — when the park became a home to late-night debauchery and open-air drug use tied to dozens of overdoses. 4 A pitch to install permanent gates at New York City’s iconic Washington Square Park is igniting a debate between safety and preserving the park’s historically “free” spirit.