NYC Rally/Protest

There is a rally/protest happening June 1st (next Wednesday) at the Central Park Arsenal, East 64th Street. It is from 10AM to 2PM. If you plan on continuing to metal detect in NYC, you need to attend this event. More details below!  Task Force for Metal Detecting Rights, (TFMDR) was established in 1996 in response to the closing of all New York City Parks and beaches to the recreation of metal detecting. At it's inception, it was known as the New York, New Jersey Task Force. This name no longer is appropriate today, as metal detectorists in many areas of the country are experiencing similar problems to those that we are dealing with in New York City and New Jersey.

The TFMDR exists, not for their own benefit, but for the benefit of metal detectorists everywhere. It is the mission of the TFMDR to perpetuate the responsible enjoyment of the pastime of recreational metal detecting within all public parks and open lands. We have had some success in this regard, as you are now allowed to metal detect in several New York City Parks with a permit that needs to be renewed annually, but is available at no cost to you.The task force was also able to reopen Prospect Park in Brooklyn to metal detecting, but only on Saturdays and Sundays. Prospect Park does not permit metal detecting on weekdays.

In 2011, the permit system that the task force had worked so hard to put in place, started to backslide. Another major park, Clove Lakes Park in Staten Island, was removed from the permit. Even more catastrophic, a new rule was added to the permit which stated that no digging or probing would be allowed within 50' of any flower bed, garden, shrub or tree, Since we were already not allowed in the woods, ball fields or manicured lawns, we are now for all intensive purposes, evicted from the parks again.

In response to this latest assault on our rights, the task force planned and orchestrated a well advertised demonstration, (Detect-In), in Central Park this past Saturday, May 14, 2011. Sadly only 17 detectorists showed up to participate in this demonstration. Of this number, 5 were task force members, 2 were wives of task force members, and 5 others were kids recruited by one of the task force members. Without better support from those that stand to lose all, the detectorist, the task force cannot succeed.

Another demonstration is tentatively being planned for Wednesday, June 1, 2011. This demonstration will take place in front of the headquarters of the Central Park Conservancy in the borough of Manhattan. Details will be coming out soon. The Central Park Conservancy is a moneyed group, that has recently signed a second 8 year contract to manage the park, with the City of New York. Members of the Conservancy make large donations for projects to rehabilitate and improve the park, but they do not allow metal detectorists to enjoy their recreation in this public space. We need a good showing this time, which means that all detectorists need to make every effort to support the task force this time by being there. Remember, this is public use land we are fighting for, These are your parks.....