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Parks & Public Spaces

Application from the Taiwanese American Association of New York for Passport to Taiwan, a cultural festival in Union Square Park on May 25th, 2014 from 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.

At the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of Community Board Five on Thursday, March 13, 2014, the following resolution passed with a vote of 36 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:

WHEREAS, The Taiwanese American Association of New York has submitted an application to conduct Passport to Taiwan, a cultural festival to be conducted in the North Plaza of Union Square Park on Sunday, May 25, 2014 between the hours of 12:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M., requiring set-up to begin at 8:00 AM, and dismantling and clean-up to be completed by 8:00 P.M.; and

WHEREAS, The festival will feature performances, presentations, arts and crafts, foods, children's workshops and art installations celebrating Taiwanese heritage in conjunction with Asian Pacific Heritage Month and Taiwanese American Heritage Week; and

WHEREAS, The festival site will be identical to past years' events and will include a stage truss and several canopied booths; and

WHEREAS, There will be signage on the booths advertising the event and identifying the primary sponsor, the Taiwanese Tourism Board, whose goal is to promote tourism and specifically bicycle tourism in Taiwan, but there will be no commercial signage; and

WHEREAS, The festival will be free of charge and open to the public; and

WHEREAS, Amplified sound will be used sporadically throughout the festival, but no later than 4:00 P.M., and with a series of small short-throw speakers and no sub-woofers; and

WHEREAS, Applicant has arranged for their own clean-up personnel and the implementation of recycling stations, and will pay Parks Department staff overtime to assist with any additional needs; and

WHEREAS, Applicant is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, has agreed to make a donation to the Union Square Partnership, and has reduced their carbon footprint from past events by using generators that run on recycled cooking oil; and

WHEREAS, 2014 will mark the event's thirteenth year in New York, and there are no concerns or complaints that have been received by Community Board Five or the Union Square Partnership; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the application from the Taiwanese American Association of New York for Passport to Taiwan, a cultural festival in Union Square Park on May 25th, 2014 from 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.

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