For years, I'm talkin' years people, a leaky pipe underneath the aptly named Hell Gate Bridge has been causing a major disruption on a busy sidewalk in Astoria, Queens. In summer, the entire width of the sidewalk, more than a hundred square feet, is covered with a stinking cesspool. In winter it's even worse as an icy scum-rink stretches to the curb. It even has a name.
The Astoria Scum River.
Despite numerous complaints, the city has lounged on its bloated duff and done nothing to fix the problem. That is, until a guy named Jason Eppink decided to tackle the problem. Taking matters (and a hammer) into his own hands, he gathered bits and pieces of recycled materials like a discarded work bench and used screws, then he got to work. On December 30th, 2009, he built a bridge spanning seven whole feet across this frozen sludgsicle, finally offering safe passage to the innocent wayfarers of Astoria.
He called it The Astoria Scum River Bridge.
On January 25, 2010, city council was finally shamed into fixing the problem.
Jason says of himself, "my work crosses the line between art, activism and pranks."
If you want to read more and see photos of the Bridge Over The River Slime, go to Jason's post HERE and another article and followup at NO OOZE IS GOOD NEWS.
Hip, hip to the power of One!
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2 comments:
How awesome is that? And we so often say, "but, I'm only one person, it won't make a difference."
It's really a shame though that someone had to graffiti his nifty sign. I thought that sign was pretty cool!
Well, that's Queens!
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