Romanch's Law Has Been Passed And The Horses Are Officially Banned From Central Park In New York City
I can't believe I'm writing this blog - not because I haven't written one in (????) but because of the fact I never actually thought that in my lifetime or tenure as a New York City resident, the Central Park Horses would actually be banned from the city.
And yet, HERE WE ARE.
IT HAPPENED. THE BILL PASSED. THE HORSES ARE OUTTA HERE!!!
I wrote this extensive blog about the back and forth over the years on whether or not to ban this practice of horses in carriages almost a year ago to the day:
The major amendment to my blog, is the name of the law itself. Previously "Ryder's Law," after a horse who tragically died on the streets of New York, the bill was renamed to Romanch's Law. Romanch was an 18 year old boy visiting New York for the first time, and in an effort to save his mother from harm on a runaway carriage, died in Central Park. A horrible and avoidable accident that I believe finally, and unfortunately, woke up the rest of the NY city council as well as the world, to the unnecessary danger these horses and their carriages were putting in the path of New Yorkers and beyond.
Romanch's family was at City Hall yesterday to celebrate the passing of this law in his name. While it won't bring back their sweet Romanch, his name carrying on as a beacon of protection will hopefully be a comfort.
As far as the law itself, credit where credit is due; the full endorsement coming from Mayor Mamdani was absolutely the tipping point. Without it and the social media shame machine that comes behind it, who knows if they would've continued to kick this ban down the road another 4, 8, 10 years. Once he said it needed to be done, everyone else had to fall in line - OR ELSE! So yes, I applaud him picking a side and sticking with it to help get it done. Thanks man!
THE REAL star of this law is the Speaker of the NYC Council, Julie Menin. QUEEN. BOSS BITCH. GETS SHIT DONE.
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Not only has she overseen the entire process of this law being changed, tweaked, whatever else it needed to appease the carriage drivers as well as the city, she fought endlessly to make sure that there were enough votes to finally pass it, AND that Mayor Mamdani would finally endorse it with his whole chest. She's an icon in my eyes, and the reason we are celebrating the liberation of these horses today!
On a personal level, it's really cool to see something work out in city politics. I've lived in NYC for 12 years now, and although all I really did was yell about how these horses have been mistreated over the years and the dangers they pose to New Yorkers, I have a sense of pride about this law passing. Sometimes, your voice IS heard, and good things CAN happen in the city you live in! Being a resident of the best city in the world just got all the better.
The horses will still be hanging around until 2028, but by the spring they will be required to have plans in place for a peaceful retirement. No, not the glue factory or slaughterhouses - these stipulations were SPECIFICALLY added to the law, and state that the 160 horses currently operating in the park will find new, safe homes to live out the rest of their lives. The 208 drivers will be assisted in the transition to new jobs, and the 68 carriages will be officially retired.
Guess it's finally time for me to start writing the script for that movie I've been talking about for years, now that we finally have a happy, albeit bittersweet, ending. I am so proud to call myself a New Yorker on days like this!