In the late afternoon and early evening of Saturday, October 24, I spent about three hours at Pier 40 at Hudson River Park in New York City.  I arrived at Pier 40 in the late afternoon and walked around the complex and observed the city from the roof of the building waiting for my son who was working at the Trapeze School of New York (TSNY).  It was a cool fall evening.  I had the opportunity to observe the people, NYC and New Jersey across the Hudson river. 

Manhattan is very densely populated and its space for sports activity is very limited.  Pier 40 was very busy.  What appeared to be an organized men's soccer league with uniformed players was busy on a full sized field.  When one game ended another began.  On two smaller side fields what appeared to be pick-up men's soccer games were being played.  When one group was finished they were immediately replaced by two other teams. 

Up on the roof TSNY was busy instructing a group of ten on the basics on how to perform on a trapeze.  On a side field on the roof two boys, about 10 years old, were practicing their soccer skills by themselves.  When the boys were done they got on their push scooters and headed off into the night.  The boys were replaced by a women's flag football league.  On a chilly Saturday night the ladies were running pass patterns, blocking and tackling flags.  I talked to one of the players.  Apparently the league has eight teams and its players are willing to dedicate the early part of their Saturday nights playing flag football.  In every side space on the fields soccer players were practicing their skills. 

What made this night unique from many other sports field complexes in other cities was the surroundings.  As I looked up to the south the night sky was dominated by One World Trade Center, the Freedom Tower, the lighted symbol of the rebirth of the World Trade Center complex after 9/11/2001 attack.  As I looked across the river I saw the lights of the Newport area in Jersey City, New Jersey, where my hotel was located.  I saw the ventilation towers of the Holland Tunnel, built in the 1920s.  Pier 40 is surrounded by development, skyscrapers to the south and east and farther up river to the North.  Large numbers of large buildings dominate the skyline across the river in New Jersey.

It was a very interesting few hours.  It was a first time experience for me and one that I am unlikely to experience again.  When it was time to leave I took one last look at the Freedom Tower and began walking into the heart of the city with my son to find a restaurant for dinner. 

TPM