Author: Cornershop Creative

c. Guido Castellani

Meet the Woodlands Youth Crew: Adam Odeh

August 28, 2019

Meet Adam Odeh, a 16-year-old student at Sunset Park High School and a current member of the Woodlands Youth Crew. Along with other high school students, Adam has spent his summers alongside Prospect Park Alliance staff working to restore Prospect Park’s nearly 200 acres of fragile woodlands: Brooklyn’s only forest. We caught up with Adam at the end of his final season with the crew to learn about his experience in Prospect Park. 

Hi Adam! How long have you been a part of the Woodland Youth Crew?

I’ve been working as a member of the Woodlands Youth Crew for two years, since early August of 2017.

What is your favorite part of being on the Woodland Youth Crew?

My favorite aspect of the job has to do with the community. We have a great organization behind us and a crew that honestly feels like family. We work hard together throughout the heat and intense physical work but no matter what, we always find ways to work together and get through tasks we otherwise find impossible. 

Another aspect I find extremely enjoyable is the satisfaction of taking a step back after multiple days of hard work and being able to soak in the massive change we have created. Not only do we positively affect the environment, but also we improve the experience for visitors of the park by making the landscape even more inviting.

Do you have favorite projects that you’ve worked on?

My favorite project we’ve done in the park was cleaning areas of the watercourse of an invasive species called aquatic primrose. It rapidly spreads on top of lakes, and can destroy the ecosystem. The whole crew gets dressed up in waterproof waders, and goes into the lake with a mission to reduce the amount of primrose. It turned out to be an amazing experience.

Are there any skills you’ll take with you from the Woodlands Youth Crew?

I’ve learned a tremendous amount of skills throughout the two years I’ve been a part of the woodland youth crew. I plan to use the skills I learned by integrating it into my everyday life such as: never give up on tasks that may seem impossible, work smarter not harder because it’ll make life a lot less stressful, and don’t be scared to ask for help. 

I can honestly go on and on about it and I’m grateful for it all.

Watch this video to learn more about the Woodlands Youth Crew.

Brittany Buongiorno

A Day in the Life of a Park Tree

Ever wonder about the life of a tree? Not the changes that happen season after season, or even decade after decade, but day in and day out? That was the inspiration for an article in The New Yorker tracking the daily life of a London plane tree at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, which dates back to at least 1874, when it was moved to its current location.

Recently, Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks supported scientist Jeremy Hise and journalist M.R. O’Connor, who lives near the LeFrak Center and is an avid park user, to test an instrument that “converts, or ‘transduces’, physical motion into an electrical signal… sensing and logging tiny changes in pressure. Instruments that use this approach, known as precision dendrometers, allow scientists to do something entirely new: watch how trees change and respond to their environments on an instantaneous scale.”

The dendrometer not only showed the miraculous daily life of one of the park’s most natural wonders, but a glimpse into a larger purpose of this technology: demonstrating “how our planet’s future is tied inextricably to the future of its forests.” As home to Brooklyn’s last remaining forest and 30,000 trees, Prospect Park is the ideal setting to explore these issues. According to the article, “Each year, the world’s forests extract billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere—an estimated twenty-eight per cent of all emissions.”

Recently, through funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Prospect Park Alliance conducted the first phase of a survey of its 30,000 trees. The findings for roughly half the park’s trees (those surveyed) were impressive: these trees help remove 24,000 pounds of pollutants and 3,000 tons of greenhouse gases from the air each year, and absorb 21 million gallons of stormwater runoff.

Learn more about the dendrometer in The New Yorker, and learn more about Prospect Park trees on our website.  

Interested in planting a tree in Prospect Park? Learn more about our commemorative tree program. 

c. Paul Martinka

Paw-some! Kensington Dog Run Groundbreaking

July 29, 2019

Today, Prospect Park Alliance joined elected officials and community members for a “paw-some” occasion for Brooklyn’s Backyard’s four-legged friends. Alliance President Sue Donoghue, Brooklyn Borough Parks Commissioner Marty Maher, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Council Members Brad Lander and Dr. Mathieu Eugene broke ground on the new Kensington Dog Run at the Prospect Park Parade Ground.

The dog run, located in the Parade Ground along Coney Island Avenue, includes 7,000 square feet of fenced-in space, separated areas for large dogs and small dogs, and features an innovative canine-friendly turf, a first for a New York City park. The surface is low maintenance, and durable, and boasts superior drainage thanks to a porous backing which allows rainwater and dog waste to flow through the material. The turf also incorporates an antimicrobial agent woven into its fibers that reduces the need for detergents or deodorizers. 

The dog run also will feature benches made of reclaimed wood from downed park trees. Additional enhancements include waste receptacles, water fountains, new trees and dog-waste-resistant shrubs. The $452,000 project was funded by Borough President Adams and City Council Members Eugene and Lander, and advocated by local groups Brooklyn FIDO and the Kensington Dog Run Association. The Kensington, Windsor Terrace, Ditmas Park, Flatbush and Midwood areas are home to about 20,000 canines, according to a 2015 report by the NYC Department of Health. The project is expected to be completed by summer 2020. 

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“Prospect Park Alliance is excited to create this new amenity for the benefit of our four-legged friends and our community,” said Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance. “As a dog parent myself, I look forward to having this great new space where dogs and neighbors can come to exercise and mingle.”  

“This project is the culmination of several years of engagement and advocacy by the community, and we are thrilled to be breaking ground on this new amenity. I was proud to allocate funding for this project along with my colleagues Council Member Brad Lander and Council Member Mathieu Eugene, so that our canine companions can enjoy a new, state-of-the-art space. The  forward-thinking sustainable design features incorporated into this project should serve as a model for future parks projects going forward. I want to thank Prospect Park Alliance for their steadfast partnership in this endeavor, and I know I speak for the entire surrounding community when I say that I eagerly await the grand opening of the new Kensington Dog Run,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams.

“I’m thrilled to be here celebrating the pawsome groundbreaking of Kensington’s Dog Run,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “We would like to thank Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Councilman Mathieu Eugene for helping fund this project. Also the Kensington Dog Run Association who worked their tails off advocating for the idea throughout the participatory budgeting process and made this all paw-sible. The dog run is a testament to participatory budgeting and we hope everyone and their pups are excited as we are for this to come to life!”

“I want to thank our community partners in the Prospect Park Alliance and members of the Kensington Dog Run Association for helping to make this day possible,” said Council Member Mathieu Eugene. “Today’s groundbreaking is not only a significant upgrade to the Parade Ground, it is an important example of how, by working together, we are able to invest in the future of our borough. I am honored to allocate funding for this wonderful project, and it is my hope that through strong community partnerships we will continue to improve our green spaces.”

“Sometimes it’s Parks business to make sure dogs can do their business,” said Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Martin Maher. “This project is a great collaboration between  community advocates including CB14, the Kensington Dog Run Association and FIDO, as well as our dedicated elected officials. This project is an example of great design and project management by the Prospect Park Alliance, and will be a fantastic asset to the community.”

In addition to the dog run, Prospect Park is a haven for dogs, offering acres of green space for off-leash hours (5 am–9 am and 9 pm–1 am) at the Long Meadow (except ballfields), Nethermead and the Peninsula. Dogs can also beat the heat and go for a swim at the beloved Dog Beach, which the Alliance restored in 2017. Learn more at prospectpark.org/dogs.

Celebrate Culture at Brooklyn Roots Festival

July 12, 2019

The Brooklyn Arts Council Folk Arts program and Prospect Park Alliance announce the second annual Brooklyn Roots Festival taking place on Sunday, July 28, in the Prospect Park Children’s Corner. The folk arts festival celebrates Brooklyn’s traditional artists and immigrant communities through a daylong schedule of performances, workshops, interactive family activities, and more. The free event serves as the culminating program of BAC’s Tracking Traditions Along the B/Q series of public programs, celebrating cultural and artistic traditions from communities along Brooklyn’s B and Q train lines.

Learn more and RSVP!

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“The Brooklyn Roots Festival hopes to help bridge the divides from geographic isolation that many of these communities face,” said BAC Folk Arts Director Christopher Mulé. “We look forward to celebrating these cultural traditions and bringing diverse groups together in the setting of Prospect Park, and to seeing what community connections we can help foster.”
 
“Prospect Park is Brooklyn’s Backyard, and a haven for the diverse communities of this borough,” said Prospect Park Alliance Vice President of Programs Maria Carrasco. “The Alliance is dedicated to providing free public programs that celebrate the history and traditions of Brooklyn, and we are thrilled to continue to partner with BAC on the Brooklyn Roots Festival.”
 
The festival’s Main Track Stage will feature performances from Dancing Crane Company, Diwas Gurung, and groups representing Russian, Chinese, Pakistani, Haitian communities and more.
 
In addition to the performance stage, a workshop station will engage audiences with activities led by groups and artists including tai chi group Qi Tao, Ukrainian Village Voices, and more. The Kids’ Caboose children’s area at Lefferts Historic House will present family-oriented performances and activities from Marvarid Uzbek Dance Group, Folk Dance Club Kaleidoscope, and more.
 
Food trucks will be on-site with refreshments for purchase.
 
Programmatic partners for the festival include Endangered Language Alliance, the Center for Art, Tradition & Cultural Heritage, CityLore, and In Concert Productions.

Brooklyn Arts Council events and programs are made possible, in part, through public funds from: National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council, and Humanities New York. Additional support is provided by Green Mountain Energy. Translation and captioning services made possible by the Theatre Development Fund.

c. Brooke Fitts

More Reasons to Celebrate at the Picnic House

July 9, 2019

Prospect Park Alliance has expanded its catering options at the Picnic House, its wedding and special event venue situated on the Long Meadow in Prospect Park.

This bucolic destination provides a flexible and scenic setting for weddings and special events of all styles and budgets. Proceeds support Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit that sustains the park, in the care of Brooklyn’s Backyard, keeping the park green and vibrant for today and decades to come.

The following is the roster of Picnic House caterers. Learn more about having your wedding or special event at the Prospect Park Picnic House.

Bon Soir Caterers
Founded in 1977, Bon Soir offers our clients a wide range of custom menus and services. Reflecting the global and contemporary Brooklyn community which we serve, our cuisine is simple yet tasteful, affordable yet elegant, and of course locally sourced and sustainable.

Emma’s Torch
Emma’s Torch is a non-profit social enterprise that empowers refugees through culinary education. We collaborate with our students on techniques and ingredients to craft flavor-forward American cuisine with an international twist.

Fig & Pig
With over 15 years of catering and restaurant experience, Culinary Institute of America graduate chef Holly Sheppard provides creative, quality-driven catering devoted to showcasing seasonal ingredients and producing exceptional, food-focused events.

Purslane
Brought to you by the team behind Rucola, Metta and June, our food is ingredient-driven with a slow food ethos and a vegetable-focused menu. As New York City’s only trash-free and carbon-neutral caterer, our primary mission is to provide food that is delicious, sustainable and beautifully executed.

The Raging Skillet
For over 30 years, The Raging Skillet has catered weddings and special occasions with fusion cuisine reflecting Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, Southern, Southwestern and Cajun traditions, as well as Chef Rossi’s mother’s Hungarian Yiddish home cooking. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free menus available.

Saffron by Miriam and 1803NYC
Saffron Catering is a full-service catering company that specializes in Middle Eastern and Israeli, and New Orleans influenced Cajun cuisine. We offer a range of options from hors d’oeuvres, small plates, full menu, and buffet style catering, for any palate, including dietary restrictions, allergies and kid’s menus.

Steven Brown Caterers
Serving New York since 1991, we provide unmatched creative cuisine, artistic presentation, exceptional value, and professional service from first contact through execution of your event. Our menus range from traditional fare to the latest culinary trends, reflecting the diverse cultures of the city we live in.

Kosher Catering Options

Simply Divine
Simply Divine creates delicious, extraordinary memories for discerning clients who require a glatt kosher event along with a sophisticated secular experience.  Known for more than 25 years for our outstanding tasting menus, seasoned style, exciting décor, and superb staff, we’re still getting raves year after year.

Above & Beyond Catering
Above & Beyond Catering is an OU-certified, full-service, off-premise catering and event planning. With over 15 years of experience, we know how much planning and precision is needed to successfully host a seamless event. Whatever the celebration, Above & Beyond will exceed all expectations.

Bension Kohen Caterers 
Since 1979, the family-owned, Glatt Kosher Bension Kohen Caterers has served the Brooklyn community with dedication and warmth. We strive to ensure that your event is beautiful, efficient and elegant.

About the Picnic House in Prospect Park
The Picnic House in Prospect Park is a charming and historic building in the heart of Brooklyn’s premier park. With scenic views of the 90-acre Long Meadow, outdoor spaces for ceremonies and cocktails, floor-to-ceiling windows, hardwood floors and a working wood fireplace, it provides a bucolic setting for your perfect day. The Picnic House can be tailored for every taste and budget, and is a blank canvas to create the ideal wedding no matter what the season. The Picnic House comfortably seats 175 guests for dinner and dancing or 240 for a cocktail-style event. Proceeds benefit Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that sustains Prospect Park. For more information, visit prospectpark.org/weddings.

c. Jordan Rathkopf

Check Out the 2019 Summer Movie Lineup

June 17, 2019

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams  and Prospect Park Alliance, in partnership with Nitehawk Cinema, present Summer Movies Under the Stars. Back for a third year, the Prospect Park community is invited to enjoy this popular summer series of free movies on Prospect Park’s scenic Long Meadow, preceded by live entertainment, three consecutive Wednesday evenings starting July 17, with a rain date of August 1. Entertainment begins at 7 pm, followed by the movie screening at dusk.

This year’s series celebrates women’s voices in cinema by highlighting three fan-favorite films: Brave (co-written and co-directed by Brenda Chapman), Love and Basketball (written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood), and Babe: Pig in the City (co-written by Judy Morris). Each film is unique in its storytelling about bravery, love and expanding horizons, and what better way to celebrate these themes than with our friends, families and community.

“I am proud to be joining Prospect Park Alliance and Nitehawk Cinema to announce our annual Summer Movies Under the Stars. This series is a great opportunity to bring Brooklynites together to enjoy some free entertainment while taking in the natural wonders of Prospect Park. The movies being shown this year were all written and/or  directed by women, and feature strong female characters who overcome trying circumstances and teach valuable lessons about courage, selflessness, and perseverance. We hope these films inspire young women throughout the borough and beyond to pursue their dreams and embrace challenges. We look forward to seeing everyone there,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams.  

“Prospect Park is Brooklyn’s Backyard, and what better way to gather with friends and neighbors than a free summer movie under the stars,” said Sue Donoghue, president of Prospect Park Alliance. “A big thanks to the Borough President, who has been a steadfast supporter of the Park, and also to Nitehawk Cinema for creating such a wonderful line up of movies.”

Love and Basketball (2000)
Wednesday, July 24
Two next-door neighbors in Los Angeles, California who are pursuing their basketball careers end up falling for each other. A DJ set by Dr. Israel before the film showcases the film’s love of R&B & hip hop from the 80’s, 90’s, and early aughts.  

Brave (2012)
Thursday, August 1, Please note: This is a rain date screening
A Scottish girl determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse. Paying homage to Brave’s Scottish roots there will be a live performance by Kings County Pipe Band, founded in 2010 in Park Slope, Brooklyn.  

Babe: Pig in the City (1998)
Wednesday, August 27, Please note: This is a rain date screening
Babe, fresh from his victory in the sheepherding contest, returns to Farmer Hoggett’s farm, but after Farmer Hoggett is injured and unable to work, Babe must go to the big city in to save the farm. The pre-movie entertainment is a tribute set dedicated to director George Miller by Morricone Youth, a NYC band dedicated to writing, performing and recording music written for the moving image.

RSVP today to let us know you’re attending these Summer Movies Under the Stars. This event is free and open to the public, and RSVPs are not required for entry.

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Sponsors:
A Summer Movie Under the Stars is made possible with additional support from HBO, Ponce Bank, AARP, Metro Plus, Modern MD, JP Morgan Chase & Co and the NYC & Company Foundation.

c. Jordan Rathkopf

University Open Air Brings Free Lectures to the Rose Garden

June 10, 2019

This June, Prospect Park Alliance and Brooklyn Public Library present University Open Air, a free, three-week series of classes from June 11 through June 30, in Prospect Park’s former Rose Garden.  University Open Air brings immigrant teachers and professors outdoors to be a part of a pop-up university with lectures on topics ranging from Urban Anthropology to Data Science to Contemporary Taiwanese Poetry.

Featuring courses and workshops from mathematicians, social scientists, urban planners, an actor, and historians from more than 15 countries across the globe, University Open Air will span from urban anthropology to Islamic history, gender equality, data science research, LGBTQI and gender studies, linguistic preservation in Tajikistan, and more. Courses will take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, expanding the Library’s role as a catalyst for civic engagement for the borough’s 2.6 million residents, and the Alliance’s mission to provide innovative programs in the park for its more than 10 million annual patrons of all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

For a full schedule of courses and to register, please visit bklynlibrary.org/university-open-air. Courses will be accessible and open to all levels of knowledge. Please check the website for the most current schedule. Walk-ins will be welcome.

“Prospect Park’s former Rose Garden is the next area of focus for Prospect Park Alliance in terms of our mission to restore the park and provide spaces where the public can interact and enjoy nature,” said Maria Carrasco, Vice President of Programs at Prospect Park Alliance. “University Open Air directly addresses many of the qualities that the public has voiced for public programming through our community outreach efforts. We serve so many immigrant communities in the park, so to bring together such a diverse roster of faculty makes this program quite special; while the areas of focus are ambitious, the courses will be accessible to all members of our community no matter their level of knowledge on the topic at hand, so we welcome everyone to register and enjoy.”

As part of University Open Air, Prospect Park Alliance Horticultural Supervisor and artist, Ronen Gamil, has created a site-specific installation, Threshold. Extended paths lead visitors through meditative, immersive environments offering a reflection on the hurdles, anxieties, unknowns, promises, opportunities and dreams of migration and education. Threshold hints at the challenges migrants face through interactions with a State Apparatus. The space within evokes State control and monitoring while its colors, patterns and textures celebrate the beauty and richness of ethnic diversity. The horizontality of the installation echoes a broadening and expansion of horizons intellectually, culturally and geographically, while participants are exposed to glimpses of the interior beyond– an obstructed view layered with complexity and unknowns. 

The program will take place in the former Rose Garden, located in the northeast corner of Prospect Park, an area that has been the focus of community visioning sessions as part of Prospect Park Alliance’s plans for restoration of this area of the park. 

Following the open call, the Library and the Alliance worked closely with the Library’s robust immigration and outreach services team, along with Upwardly Global, Emma’s Torch, and World Education Services to bring together a diverse range of professorial candidates. In advance of the lectures, professors will participate in a teacher’s training session to help structure the classes. All professors will be compensated for their work. University Open Air will continue with an indoor winter semester and will return to Prospect Park again for a summer semester in 2020, expanding the opportunities for potential professors to share their knowledge with the New York Community. Following last summer’s Democracy Lab, the collaboration between the Library and the Alliance broadens both organizations outreach to engage with citizens, as well as serve as a vital resource for Brooklyn’s diverse immigrant communities. 

Learn more and RSVP.

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Caribpolitan, Andrea Pippins for I AM CARIBBEING

caribBEING Prospect Park

Celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage Month in Prospect Park with caribBEING and Prospect Park Alliance. Brooklyn’s Backyard will be home to a month of workshops, art installations and other special events. Enjoy Caribbean art, music, dance, food, wellness and much more during this cultural celebration for Brooklynites of all ages. All participating artists and vendors are based in Brooklyn, and hail from Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad, Panama, Barbados, Dominican Republic and Guyana.

Learn More and RSVP at prospectpark.org/caribbeing!
Please note all events are subject to change.

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Media Partner

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Art Installation: Gallery
June 1–30, 2019
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 6, 4–6 pm
All ages, Free​
Lefferts Historic House
Caribbean-American artists Devin Osorio and Tania L. Balan-Gaubert’s Gallery transforms the Lefferts Historic House front porch into a Caribbean veranda with a multimedia installation featuring Osorio’s tropical-patterned Dracaena Cane Coil Curtain, comprised of hanging coiled balls, and Balan-Gaubert’s salvaged furniture sculptures, Somewhere in the Unfinished. Says Osorio: “I am referencing the plants and types of objects that my grandmother decorated her own patio at her home in the Dominican Republic. This was my favorite place to be when I visited, and I want to bring that same joy and sense of island summer ease to Lefferts Historic House.” Says Balan-Gaubert: “Chairs placed in front of homes in a way that suggests continued use are evocative of the lives inside who come outdoors to enjoy the weather or be in the company of others, and can be visual representations of a city… Stoop life… porch sitting… block parties and barbecues signal the aesthetics of community.”

Mind, Body + Soul
June 2, 2–4 pm
All ages, Free​, RSVP!
Lefferts Historic House
Discover traditional Caribbean herbs used as a means of holistic healing for the mind, body and soul with Brooklyn’s own Golden Flourish; tea made from herbs in the Lefferts garden will be served. Then  join our pop-up wellness stations, powered by Minka Brooklyn, including yoga, Reiki and more (please bring your own mat, but mats are not required).

Soca Skate Party with Lola Star’s Dreamland Roller Disco
Thursday, June 13, 7:30–10 pm
Ages 21+
Tickets: $20+
This event sells out! Advance tickets recommended at prospectpark.org/socaskate; tickets will go on sale Friday, May 17.
LeFrak Center at Lakeside
Join this hi-energy Soca-themed skate party with Lola Star’s Dreamland Roller Disco at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, featuring a DJ spinning the hottest Soca dance floor grooves from the 1970s, ’80s, ’90s and today; plus live entertainment, a skate dance competition, costume contest and more exciting surprises!

Smorgasburg Prospect Park Jerk Festival
Sunday, June 16, 11 am–6 pm
All Ages, Free Admission, Food Prices Vary, RSVP!
Breeze Hill
Love spice? Dig into Brooklyn’s finest Flatbush aka “Little Caribbean” eateries Peppa’s and Creme and Cocoa Creamery alongside Smorgasburg vendor Excell’s Kingston Eatery.  Enjoy live music and Caribpolitan packaged goods by Breukelen Rub and Shaquanda Can Feed You.

Prospect Park Soiree
Saturday, June 22, 5–10 pm
Ages 21+
Tickets: $45+ This event sells out! Get advance tickets at prospectpark.org/soiree
Prospect Park Peninsula
Join caribBEING and Prospect Park Alliance for the Alliance’s annual pop-up dinner party in the park, and enjoy a tropical tableau photo booth installation by artist Tiffany Smith. New to the Soiree? Join thousands of friends and park lovers for dining and dancing under the stars: you bring the food, wine, beer and table decor, and the Alliance provides live entertainment and the spectacular setting!

Wukkout!
June 23, 2–4 pm
All ages, Free​, RSVP!
Lefferts Historic House
Learn how to juk, wuk-up, and wine in this high-energy Caribbean movement workshop led by Brooklyn-based professional choreographer and founder of Wukkout!, Krista Martins.  

Textile Circle
June 30, 2–4 pm
All ages, Free, RSVP!​
Lefferts Historic House
Relax and join our guided textile circles with Caribbean teaching artists led by artist Devin Osorio, to create textile ornaments and embellish our exhibition installation Gallery, inspired by a traditional Caribbean porch. 

Sponsor:​
caribBEING Prospect Park is presented in part by the Kings Theatre.

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Art Credit:
Caribopolitan illustration by the artist Andrea Pippins for Caribbeing.

 
c. Paul Martinka

New BBQ Grills Kick Off Summer Fun

May 24, 2019

Council Member Mathieu Eugene, Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue and community members kick off grilling season.

This morning, Prospect Park Alliance and Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene celebrated the start of summer and barbecue season by unveiling new communal barbecue grills on the east side of Prospect Park, funded through District 40 participatory budgeting. These are the first of a new model of triple, ADA-compliant grills to be installed in Prospect Park, and two triple grills are located at the lawn area across from the Lincoln Road entrance to the park, and another two are located at the lawn area next to the Parkside and Ocean Avenue entrance to the park.

“Barbecuing is a long-held summer tradition in Prospect Park. From the high number of votes in the participatory budgeting process, we know these grills are a welcome, new addition to the park for the east side communities,” said Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance. “We are grateful to Council Member Mathieu Eugene and District 40 participatory budgeting for funding this effort. These new communal grills will make it even more inviting to enjoy summer in Prospect Park.”

“I want to commend Prospect Park Alliance for renovating this section of Prospect Park so that our constituents can enjoy this BBQ area during the summer months,” said Council Member Mathieu Eugene. “I am pleased to fund this project, because I want residents to feel at home here, and to know that they are a major part of my ongoing commitment to the community. By adding these stations, we are providing hardworking New Yorkers with a variety of options for nutrition while they are relaxing with their families, as well as contributing to the immense value that is part of the Prospect Park experience. It is my hope that by working together, we will continue to improve Brooklyn’s backyard for future generations.”

The $80,000 project included the purchase of two triple-barbecue grills at each site of a model similar to the popular and well-received grills installed at Brooklyn Bridge Park. In addition the lawn areas were restored and regraded to accommodate the grills, and new hot coal bins and trash receptacles were installed. The two new areas are intended for small barbecue gatherings, and for communal grills among park patrons.

For larger gatherings, visit the Prospect Park website to learn about barbecue areas that can accommodated gatherings of 20 people or more. Please also visit the Alliance website for more information on barbecue rules and safety in Prospect Park at prospectpark.org/bbq.

The installation of the new communal barbecue grills were completed this fall. Learn more about other Prospect Park Alliance restoration projects taking place throughout the park at prospectpark.org/capital.

 

 

NYC Parks

NYC Parks Cuts Ribbon on Alliance-Designed Stroud Playground

May 22, 2019

Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue joined NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver and City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo to celebrate the opening of the restored Stroud Playground in Crown Heights. The design of the playground was undertaken by Prospect Park Alliance pro bono as part of the City’s Community Parks Initiative (CPI). The Alliance also contributed designs for two additional CPI projects: Epiphany Playground and Penn Triangle, both in Williamsburg.

“Prospect Park Alliance has an award-winning team of landscape architects and designers, and were pleased to be able to share our expertise to help create this playground in the Crown Heights community,” said Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance. “Stroud Playground features many of the amenities desired by the community, and also improves the environment by adding more trees and absorbing stormwater runoff. We hope it will serve as a model for future New York City playgrounds.”

The renovated playground features new play equipment for children of all ages and abilities; an interactive spray shower; a synthetic turf area for open play; basketball and handball courts; and a walking track and fitness equipment. The landscape was enhanced with a number of additional trees and plantings that provide shade for new seating areas and, with new lighting and lower fencing, beautify the space. A garden serves as an area for relaxation and an outdoor classroom for PS 316 and MS 383 students.

“Stroud Playground was one of the original five sites in Brooklyn announced as part of the Community Parks Initiative, and it is rewarding to finally see the community enjoying the very space they dreamed up,” said Commissioner Silver. “The transformation of Stroud Playground is remarkable, and we could not have done it without our partners at the Prospect Park Alliance, City Council Member Laurie Cumbo, and of course, the many passionate community members who supported the project and contributed to its design.”

Learn more about Prospect Park Alliance’s award-winning landscape architecture and design office.