NYC and Personal Agendas for the Public Good

New York. A great town that always gets me thinking. I was there these last few days for work, and had a bit of free time to spend wandering around the city. On this trip, my thoughts wandered to the public and private initiatives designed for the betterment of the city and its residents.

My flight on Saturday took me over Robert Moses beach - a well-known, free retreat for city residents seeking a break from the heat along a lovely stretch of sand. From the plane I could the vast parking lots, art deco bath houses and changing rooms, and train tracks that help deposit the throngs in the summer months. Robert Moses, the man, the legend, remains a controversial figure in New York City history, but can be credited with an extensive public parks network originally designed to serve the city's lower income neighborhoods. (Unfortunately, I missed a number of exhibits on the man and his legacies in NYC last year, reviewed in this New York Times article.)

I also strolled by the New York Public Library - a gorgeous beaux arts building that came to be as a result of the charitable donation of Samuel Tilden, a lawyer and former governor of the State of New York. Together with the resources of the Astor and Lenox libraries, already in existence (although not exactly 'free libraries'), the Public Library became the first of its kind in New York City.

Hmmm, ok, so this all makes for a good history lesson. But, what could a public park designed by a public servant, and a public library created by private wealth have in common with each other? And with corporate benevolence? Personal agendas for public good. In other words, both are really stories of a man with a plan. (I'm revealing my roots here - that's also the name of a GREAT movie about an old Vermont farmer running for office...but I digress...)

I'd love to see the day when social responsibility initiatives play such a primary role in corporate agendas. Perhaps, one day, CEOs will take over the reins of a company and define not just their fiscal and restructuring plans, but their goals for good as well.