Being longtime west-side Downtowners, who now use Robert Wagner Park and the Hudson River Park as our backyard, we were kind of psyched that the fireworks would be over the Hudson this year. Spending the day on the various lawn patches, riding bikes, playing Frisbee and, of course, watching the Macy’s and Liberty State Park fireworks—were in our plans. Until we learned we wouldn’t have access to any place west of the West Side Highway from Battery Park to 23rd street. What???

When we learned of the shocking—dare we say infuriating—plans, we called David Katz, vice president of Marketing & Events for the Hudson River Park to make sure we hadn’t misunderstood. The piers are being closed, he said, because it’s dangerous to have all those people in what is essentially a three-sided box with only one way out. (That doesn’t explain why they are leaving Piers 54 and 84 open.) Katz added that the city decided to keep people off the two large piers at Christopher Street because one has “too many structures” (read: benches) and the other, with live grass, they “didn’t want to spend the rest of the summer fixing the lawn for just one day.” Besides, Katz added, “The views are better further north.”

We’re skeptical about the reasons for keeping people off the piers, but we’ll go along for the sake of argument. What we don’t understand is keeping people off the esplanade entirely, from Battery Park to 24th Street. There are certainly plenty of means of egress along that several-mile stretch—a stretch that would be a nice place from which to view the Liberty State Park fireworks. Katz tells us the bike lane will be closed for emergency vehicles. Um…the West Side Highway is open along that stretch, why not use that? Perhaps there is some security concern officials aren’t telling us about. Perhaps they’d rather just block the whole thing off than have to deal with actual people. Either way, it stinks.

New Yorkers prove, every year, that they can handle natural congregations in open spaces when the fireworks are displayed over the East River. Or when there’s a parade down Fifth Avenue, a ball dropping in Times Square, a blackout or even, sadly, a plane flying into a building.

I’d like to remind city officials of the whole reason for the development of the Hudson River Park—named for the guy we’re celebrating— with a couple of key points from the Hudson River Park Act of 1998:

“Planning and development of the Hudson River Park as a public resource was a matter of State concern and in the interest of the people of the State. Further, the Park will enhance the ability of New Yorkers to enjoy the Hudson River, one of the great natural and public resources of the State.

“The Park will encourage, promote, and expand public access to the river, promote water-based recreation, and enhance the natural, cultural and historic aspects of the Hudson River.

“It is in the public interest to encourage park uses and allow limited commercial uses in the Park.”

On this Independence Day, I’d like the freedom to stroll this taxpayer-supported property and view the fireworks over Lady Liberty.