On May 1st, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, together with State Assemblywoman Grace Lee and Deputy Director of Community Affairs Peter Koo from the Mayor’s Office, expressed their gratitude towards the board of Confucius Plaza and the East River Development Alliance for the community’s voluntary greening efforts over the years. They also expressed their hopes to enhance the greenery in Chinatown by planting more trees in the future.
Mark Levine mentioned during his speech that New York City has a “Million Trees” program across its five boroughs and that he will fully support the greening efforts in Chinatown to provide more trees in the neighborhood lacking vegetation. He not only commended the impressive achievements of greening at Confucius Plaza but also presented an award on-site to the East River Development Alliance for their participation in Chinatown’s tree planting initiative.
State Assemblywoman Grace Lee expressed her delight in witnessing the successful greening of Chinatown and emphasized the necessity for more trees in the area. She acknowledged that without the involvement of the board of Confucius Plaza, the current thriving scene would not have been possible.
Peter Koo, the Deputy Director of Community Affairs in the Mayor’s Office, stated that the Mayor has pledged support for tree planting initiatives in Chinatown, highlighting the seamless collaboration between the Parks Department and the community. He assured that there would be continued partnership with the East River Development Alliance to further expand tree planting efforts in Chinatown.
Confucius Plaza in Manhattan’s Chinatown, with nearly three thousand residents, has been dedicated to greening efforts since the 9/11 terrorist attacks 23 years ago. The board received support from various mayors and democratically elected officials of Manhattan to plant one hundred cherry blossom trees, and the annual Cherry Blossom Festival at Confucius Plaza has now become a local celebration.
Yu Jinshan, the chairman of the East River Development Alliance and a resident of Confucius Plaza, has been involved in the greening efforts at the plaza for many years. During his speech, he expressed his gratitude to the board chairman of Confucius Plaza, Mei Luosheng, and community leader Li Keqiao for their assistance in tree planting by the local residents. He also announced plans to plant six trees along Allen Street to 6th Avenue this year and mentioned that the stolen cherry blossom trees have been replanted by the Parks Department.