For more than 30 years, Ms. Hetty Fox has made sure there is a safe place to play in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx. (See New York Times article.) We’re honored to have been invited to participate in this play street. The Uni marked the first time that books and learning were part of the mix! Our partner was Transportation Alternatives. Thanks to Amelia Carver, Emily Jacobson, and our special guest Rosemary Rivera, Bronx-born author who grew up nearby.

We’re in the middle of three play street deployments, testing our new Uni Cart. The cart lets Uni staff move into place faster, so they can spend more time reading than shelving. Onward.

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Set up time in the Bronx: 12 minutes. (Previous average: 39 minutes.)

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Today’s library partner: NYPL Woodstock Library. We provided them two shelves for books and outreach materials. Emily Jacobson, Uni volunteer and NYPL librarian signed up folks for library cards.

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

This fellow asked me to teach him knots from our activity kit. Here’s the start of a bowline.

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

The new cart is designed with Play Streets in mind: we can follow the shade and also make way for basketball games.

Uni Bronx

NYPL’s Emily Jacobson signing up residents for NYPL library cards.

Uni Bronx

Sidewalk chess. Me vs. team of four. Bring it on.

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Ahem. Another use for adult books, level surface for domino set ups.

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Author Rosemary Rivera came by to read her book “The Girl Who Couldn’t Draw,” illustrated by husband Mario Menjivar. She grew up near Lyman Place.

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Ms. Hetty Fox has run this play street for 30 years.

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

Uni Bronx

My knot-tying friend was reluctant to part ways at the end of the day. Here we reviewed one that I’ve been using all summer: the venerable trucker’s knot. We’ll be back in two weeks. See you soon Morrisania.

(Note: this post was published on August 23, 2013 and backdated to July 25, 2013.)