Tipsheet

This NYC Photographer Just Accidentally Made the Case for Capitalism

This New York City photographer just tried to sarcastically dispel conservative claims about NYC's race to become a socialist hell-hole by filming a nice day in one of the city's parks, showing people enjoying meals, conversations, and the nice weather in a clean space. There's just one problem — the video filmed Bryant Park, which is privately funded and managed by a nonprofit. 

Bryant Park is one of the most visited NYC parks behind Central Park, and yes, it is owned by the city, but the actual maintenance of the park is entirely delegated to the private sector. The Bryant Park Corporation (BPC) is a nonprofit that oversees all day-to-day park operations from plant cultivation to security and upkeep. It's described in travel guides as a "privately-managed public park," and is touted for its exceptional cleanliness. The park's bathrooms, which are reportedly cleaned up to 30 times a day, are a tourist attraction in and of themselves, repeatedly ranked as one of the best bathrooms in the world. They feature classical music, floral arrangements, and are staffed 24/7. 

It wasn't always this way — before partnering with private corporations, Bryant Park was the place to avoid. Established in 1847, Bryant Park became nothing more than a crime-infested patch of grass by the 1970s. In 1976, the New York Times reported 43 muggings in the park within the first six months of the year, even earning the name "Needle Park" at one point. The government-owned and operated park was neglected and essentially ruined. It wasn't until the 1980s that two men, Dan Biederman and Andrew Heiskell, founded the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation.  They created initiatives and raised money to completely redesign and transform the park, turning management and funding duties over to the private sector

Since its revolutionary transformation and shift to private management, Bryant Park consistently ranks as the safest, cleanest park in the city, attracting tourists, hosting Christmas villages, and becoming a centerpiece of NYC life — no thanks to the city, and certainly not to Mamdani. Next time the Left wants to take a stab at glorifying communism, they should double check their surroundings for all of the free-market-born luxuries surrounding them, which they take for granted.