NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: GREEWICH VILLAGE; Washington Sq.: First in
Their Hearts  Published: February 03, 2002  The blight is worse
than the drug dealing, neighbors of Washington Square Park say.
The outer path is a joggers' minefield of cracked asphalt. Grass
lawns are bald and rat-infested. The comfort stations are
anything but comfortable.  Following the example of Central Park
and other flagship parks, local residents want to solve these
problems by establishing a conservancy to take some
responsibility for maintaining the 10-acre space.  ''This is the
heart of Greenwich Village,'' said Aubrey Lees, chairwoman of
Community Board 2, who organized a public meeting on the topic
last Monday. ''But it hasn't been maintained in years.''  ''Then
obviously there's the arch,'' Ms. Lees added, referring to
Washington Arch, which has been barricaded since 1991 because of
severe erosion, with renovations just resuming after a hiatus of
three years. ''It's a metaphor for the rest of the park.''  The
city currently spends