Skip to main content

True Tales From Parks and Recreation - The No Standing Zone

Note: I used to work for a park slowly in continued development in Manhattan that is five miles along the waterfront of the Hudson River. As a Public Programs Coordinator, yours truly handled anything public related in regards to permitting (athletic facilities, film shoots, photo shoots, weddings, and other small gatherings), and of course, dealing with any questions or inquiries from the public. The following series will present stories, e-mails, phone calls, conversations, interactions, and sights I've seen from the people of New York City in regards to a public park. And yes, these are all real! And are all true!

Welcome to another little snippet of Parks and Recreation.

I've been out of Parks and Recreation now for about a year, but the summertime and the warm weather  reminds me of those crazy days. Working now in college athletics where summertime is the down time as opposed to Parks and Rec where it is the opposite, I plan on stopping over to my old stomping grounds to take in those same concerts, events, and outdoor movies I had helped coordinate. 

With that said, the nostalgic feeling made me think of one of my favorite stories that occurred in Parks and Recreation. And as always, yes, this is very true.

As described in previous True Tales, there are some individuals on the Parks Enforcement squad that are wonderful, and others that simply make you wonder how they got through the academy. 

This tale begins on a warm summer day where there was a patron who happened to be standing in a loading area for one of the Piers, simply waited for his son to catch up on his bike. A Parks Enforcement officer, new on the job, quickly motors over and confronts the man. This is how the story was told to me, and was described in the incident report. 

Officer: Sir, you can't do that. 

Man: Do what? 

Officer: You are in violation of the rules of New York City, and the rules of the Park. 

Man: What? I'm standing here, waiting for my kid.

Officer: As you can see by that sign, this is a no standing area. 

Man: Are you serious? That's for cars and trucks. For this loading dock. Are you really serious?

Officer: Sir, it states, "No Standing" and you are standing in this area. 

Man: I'm not taking that ticket! 

To make a long, and rather ridiculous confrontation short, the Park Enforcement officer issued two citations to the man, one for "standing in a No Standing area" and the other for disorderly conduct. 

I'm sure the man beat both tickets, but never will I ever believe I will hear again an officer giving a person a ticket for being in a No Standing area. Literally standing in a no standing area zone. What would he have done if a car was parked in this area? Who knows? 

You can't make this stuff up. Oh, how I miss you sometimes Parks and Recreation.

Recently Read Posts

A Product of Us: Thoughts on Durant Trade

I said back in July when Kevin Durant rocked the NBA world with his trade request, that he "showed us who he was".  It wasn't a negative comment, but one that encompasses his entire career being a product of our current sport climate - success and focus on legacy. We emphasize the value of a career on rings, and thus, Durant has too. Why wouldn't he?!  Upon waking up and realizing that Durant will don the purple and orange for the Phoenix Suns in what is clearly now a team to watch come the NBA Playoffs, I find myself further pondering if Kevin Durant is the prime result of what we - yes, us! - have done to the modern athlete.  Today, Durant is one of the greatest basketball players I've ever seen. EVER. The dude is rare. He's a seven-foot magician which makes defending him even more difficult based on how damn efficient he is on the basketball court. It's downright poetic and beautiful to watch Durant play. And yes, I'm romanticizing his game. I belie

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 2/19/23

3 Up 1. India's Tap Water Access - This is a rather remarkable story. It's a story that offers humility wrapped in the extraordinary. India's Jal Jeevan Mission provided almost 79 million - 79 MILLION! - households with tap water. Just tap water!  2. Jordan Make-A-Wish Record - MJ is often loved through nostalgia, narrative, and remembrance for being politically neutral - even in giving. MJ these days has made some influential contributions, including this latest $10M donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation.  3. WWE Elimination Chamber - A tremendously entertaining pay-per-view on the road to Wrestlemania. The best storyline in pro wrestling continues to evolve between Sami Zayn and the Bloodline.  3A. City of Montreal - Give it up to the city of Montreal for what made a few nights of pro wrestling an awesome experience. Can we get this city more events?  3 Down 1. Michigan State Shooting - We're broken. Very broken. My thoughts and prayers are with those friends and fam

Impact No Surrender 2023 Review: "Interested in where the Product is Going"

I've fallen behind on my Impact Wrestling viewing, but honestly, that's okay. For viewership and enjoyment, yes. Not so well for posting a review for readership long after it's noteworthy or relevant. But whatevs, that's just where I am in life. Wrestling is much more fun removed from the restraints and influence of the criticism and impact (no pun intended) of the current time. That's just me. You can probably thank social media. Moving on, No Surrender 2023 continues Impact's progress into the new year. The product is still solid and consistent with a nice blend of characters and wrestlers moving in and out of the main event scene, along with a fresh batch of a resurgence of characters and occurrences. Nothing says that more than Rich Swann vs. Josh Alexander.  No Surrender was a solid event, but it does leave me extremely interested in where the product is going, or should I say planning, for 2023. I don't want to say that Alexander's title reign has

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 1/8/22

3 Up 1. New Year - Happy New Year to you all! I've written it in a bunch of emails, mainly to be courteous, but I really do wish you the best for you. I hope 2023 is a great one for all of you DP readers.  2. Buffalo Athletic Trainers - Let's give it up for the Athletic Trainers of the Buffalo Bills who performed with courage, steadfastness, and urgency in regard to Damar Hamlin. We should be celebrating those trainers more.  2A. Athletic Trainers - And because I'm always around them, let's give it up for Athletic Trainers in general. They do so much and very much go unnoticed in the space of sports, athletics, and performance.  2B. Damar Hamlin - Praying for Hamlin and his family... 3. Broadway Bounceback - We all like to believe we're back from COVID, but we're not. But it's news like Broadway having its biggest week of sales since the pandemic began is some nice news. Everyone in the theatre industry deserves it.  3 Down 1. Damar Hamlin Situation - Horri