Author: Cornershop

Art in the Park: Carole Eisner

May 20, 2016

In partnership with NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks project, the Prospect Park Alliance is proud to present a public exhibition of sculpture by award-winning artist Carole Eisner. Four monumental works, created from I-beams twisted into elegant forms, will be on display through 2016.

“The Prospect Park Alliance has a long history of partnering with NYC Parks to present public art, because of the important role art plays in engaging communities and enhancing the Park, which is the heart of our mission”, said Sue Donoghue, President of the Prospect Park Alliance. “The landscapes selected for this exhibition are ideally suited to the elegance and fluidity of Carole Eisner’s work, and we look forward to debuting them in the Park.”

The works beacon visitors to key sites throughout the Park, that were chosen to highlight how art can complement the natural landscape. The sculptures range from six to seventeen feet tall, and can be found at Grand Army Plaza, Litchfield Villa, Bartel-Pritchard Square and the Prospect Park Peninsula. Visit our events calendar for information about where to find each of the sculptures.

2016: The Goats have Arrived!

May 18, 2016

On Monday, the Prospect Park Alliance welcomed a herd of goats to restore woodlands damaged by Hurricane Sandy and other severe storms (including a 2010 tornado!) in the northeast corner of Prospect Park—one of the hardest hit areas, which lost more than 50 trees.

In the absence of trees, invasive plants proliferated, damaging habitat and causing erosion. Removing these weeds is a more complex task than you’d expect. “The area’s steep hillsides present unique challenges for staff and machinery, but are easily accessible to goats,” said Christian Zimmerman, Prospect Park Alliance Vice President of Capital and Landscape Management. 

Meet the goats on Sunday, May 22, at Fun on the Farm, an afternoon of goat-related fun!

The herd of eight goats—a mix of Nubian, Angora and Pygmy breeds—are prodigious climbers and aren’t picky eaters; they have four stomachs and can consume 25 percent of their bodyweight in vegetation each day. They’ll devour the weeds down to their roots, forcing the plants to use all their energy to grow new shoots, only to be eaten by the goats once again. The goats keep eating until eventually the plants do not have enough energy to grow back at all. The goats, contained behind eight-foot-high construction fencing, are provided by Green Goats, a goat farm in Rhinebeck, NY, that specializes in landscape restoration.

“Once their work is complete, we will then plant new native trees and shrubs, including red and white oaks, spicebush and service berry, which will help bring back important habitat for birds and other wildlife,” adds Zimmerman. Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s last remaining forest. The goats’ work is important not just to beautifying the Park, but also to fortify habitat and food sources for local fauna, including countless native and migratory bird species.

“Woodland restoration has always been an important focus for the Alliance,” said Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Alliance President. “These goats will provide an environmentally friendly approach to our larger efforts, and help us make the Park more resilient to future storms.”

The Prospect Park Alliance received $727,970 in funding from the National Parks Service through the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Assistance Grant Program for Historic Properties, administered by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The grant not only funds woodland restoration, but historic preservation work in this landscape, known as the Vale of Cashmere. The Alliance also received an additional grant for future work on Lookout Hill, for a total of $1.2 million in funding.

c. Virginia Freire

Experience Brooklyn’s Wild Side

May 13, 2016

On May 22, join the Prospect Park Alliance and Audubon New York for the last program in the series Living Water Explorations at Prospect Park. Open to adults 18 and over, this is a hands-on workshop by the Lullwater, dipping for snails, leeches and dragon fly nymphs! Water testing kits and pond dip nets will be provided. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Register today!

This special series of environmental education programs for Brooklyn residents, which took place this spring, builds off the Alliance’s long relationship with Audubon New York—in 2000 the Alliance and Audubon partnered to establish the first urban-area Audubon Center in the nation. Funded through the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation through the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund, the program series explores the community of Greenpoint and Prospect Park (all of Brooklyn’s backyard!) to discover the variety of wildlife that flourishes in the borough.

Register Today!

c. Paul Campbell

PPA Profiles: Adam Borak

May 11, 2016

For Adam Borack, a high school senior and Park Slope native, tennis is a family affair. “My brother, Mikolaj, is three and a half years older than me, so when I got to be old enough to start trying sports, my parents signed him up for lessons at the Prospect Park Tennis Center,” Adam recalls. “They didn’t want to pay for a babysitter, I guess, so I was there from the time I was a toddler, always around the sport!”

This early exposure to the sport more than piqued young Adam’s interest in tennis. His present daily schedule underscores his passion for the game. “Most days, I go straight from school to practice, and don’t get home until 9 or 9:30 pm, but I don’t mind.”

Now one of the Brooklyn’s top junior players, Adam is clearly no longer just the little brother on the sidelines. He’s competed in international tournaments as far away as the Cayman Islands. At his most recent tournament, he was narrowly edged out in his opening match. “I’m still haunted by that match, and I honestly think I should have won it,” says Adam. “But outcomes aside, I’m friends with a lot of the other players I meet at these competitions.” 

And while his aspirations within the sport extend far beyond the reach of Brooklyn, and Adam has squared up against some of the top junior players from Brazil and Germany, he’s quick to credit his roots for his successes. “I wouldn’t be at this level without being treated so well at the Prospect Park Tennis Center.”

For Adam, who was introduced to tennis by way of his brother’s involvement, his decision to continue playing at the next level was only natural. This fall, Adam will enroll at Fordham University in the Bronx, where just like his older brother he will compete for the tennis team and study finance. The duo will first team up to defend their title at the Prospect Park Tennis Center Championship in the Men’s Doubles division.

Learn more about the junior development program at the Tennis Center.

Time for Outdoor Tennis

Springtime has returned to Brooklyn. And for the borough’s tennis fanatics that can only mean one thing.

The transition from indoor to outdoor play, which began on Sunday, May 1, will be completed by Saturday, May 14. For most Brooklyn-dwelling tennis aficionados, that means a return to the great outdoors when taking to the courts. But for the dedicated staff of the Prospect Park Tennis Center, things aren’t quite so simple.

A lot goes into transitioning the Center from its indoor, bubbled configuration. “The courts need to be prepped,” says Paul Campbell, the Prospect Park Alliance’s Tennis Center Director, understatedly. Removal of the bubbles is only half the battle.

Taking the tennis bubbles down is a task handled by an outside contractor the specializes in this work. “Each bubble is broken down into three sections, which are then rolled up and stored near the police station for safe keeping,” explains Campbell.

All that’s left is to turn on the Musco lighting – the same lighting system that the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center uses for the US Open – to illuminate the courts. 

Learn more about and register for great outdoor programming at the Prospect Park Tennis Center!

Sanden Wolff

Prospect Park Benefits from Participatory Budgeting

April 18, 2016

This year saw the best voter turnout in Participatory Budgeting NYC (PBNYC) history. Between Council Member Brad Lander’s 39th District and Council Member Mathieu Eugene’s 40th District alone, over 4,000 voters made their voices heard, and advocated for community projects to be completed using city funding. Voters resoundingly came out in support for Prospect Park and the Prospect Park Alliance by supporting three winning projects.

Voters in both the 39th and 40th district helped the Prospect Park Alliance keep the Lake clean for years to come. Valued at $140,000, a new aquatic weed harvester was a top vote-getter, and will prove crucial in the Alliance’s work to remove unwanted vegetation from the Park’s Lake. To see the old “Lake Mess Monster” in action, check out this video about the Prospect Park Alliance, narrated by John Turturro.

Council Member Mathieu’s constituents voted to dedicate $80,000 to the installation of new community barbecue grills in the Park.

Additionally, the Park will soon be receiving new year-round, freeze-resistant drinking fountains for the Park Drive, valued at $175,000, thanks to voters in the 39th. Intrepid and thirsty winter cyclists and runners rejoice!

Thank you to all who participated in PBNYC this year. You truly made a difference, and have helped ensure that Prospect Park will conintue to bloom for years to come.

PPA Profile: John Piccard, Prospect Park Baseball Association

John Piccard, Prospect Park Baseball Association (PPBA) board member and president of SFX Youth Sports, an all-volunteer youth sports league, grew up in Park Slope and spent countless hours playing ball in Prospect Park.

“I loved being outdoors and playing ball with friends from all over the area as a kid, and I am fortunate that I continue to enjoy these same activities today in Prospect Park,” says Piccard.

After getting involved as an assistant coach when his son, now 17, started playing baseball at age 5, Piccard gradually took on more and more responsibilities within the SFX organization as well as within the PPBA. Over the years, Piccard has become a driving force behind the expansion of youth sports programming within the Brooklyn community.

While Piccard has witnessed many changes in Prospect Park over the years, he feels the Prospect Park Alliance’s work to restore and reinvigorate the Park has had a priceless impact on the quality of youth baseball and softball opportunities in Brooklyn’s Backyard. “Conditions in the Park are vastly improved today and offer many more opportunities for everyone to enjoy its beauty,” Piccard explains.  “Baseball and softball players are no exception.”

Most notably, Piccard points to the recently renovated Long Meadow Field 1. “It used to be that if it rained on a Wednesday, we might not be able to play on it even by the following Saturday,” recalls Piccard. In addition, he’s equally excited about the upcoming improvements to Fields 6 and 7.

These improvements couldn’t come at a better time according to Piccard. Participation in the PPBA has never been higher. “I’m really excited about the large number of new players we’ve had join in recent years,” he says. “However, I’m especially pleased with the exponential growth of our girls softball program. This is just another example of our efforts to get all kids outside playing ball!”

Clearly, Piccard is optimistic about the future of baseball and softball in Prospect Park. “Kids start playing organized sports at a much younger age these days. We have a lot of five- and six-year-old teams now and those kids don’t use full-sized fields yet.”  However, through the partnership between the Alliance and PPBA, “we’re able to provide locations for even our youngest ball players to learn the basics of the game and have fun in the park. 

Learn more about baseball and softball in Prospect Park.

Community Parks Initiative: Epiphany Playground

South Williamsburg’s Epiphany Playground will be getting a much-needed makeover in the coming years, thanks in part to pro-bono design services courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance. As part of Mayor de Blasio’s Community Parks Initiative, the City will provide funding and the Alliance in-kind support for the renovation of this beloved neighborhood amenity, located between S. 9th and S. 10th Streets along Berry Street.

“This is an exciting opportunity to share the Alliance’s expertise beyond the borders of Prospect Park,” said Sue Donoghue, President of the Prospect Park Alliance, which has committed to provide pro-bono design for three CPI projects including Epiphany Playground. The Alliance’s first CPI project, Stroud Playground in Crown Heights, is soon to begin construction. “We look forward to working with the South Williamsburg community to develop a design for a new playground that fully meets their needs.”

The redesign of Epiphany will be based on community input, and on March 14, nearly 100 members of the South Williamsburg community, including many children, joined in on a scoping session to share their vision for the improved playground.

Improved lighting, abundant greenery and more open space for children to run and play were just a few of the desires expressed by South Williamsburg residents. The design process has already begun, and construction is slated to kick off in 2018.

Learn more about the Alliance’s work beyond Park borders.

Martin Seck

Brooklyn Flea Comes to Grand Army Plaza

The team behind Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg will launch a new weekly market at Grand Army Plaza starting Sunday, May 8. Grand Army Market will run every Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, though October, in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance.

“We are thrilled to have the team behind Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg continue their great partnership in Prospect Park,” said Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue. “Grand Army Plaza is already a major destination for Park visitors, and the ideal location for offering exciting new programming featuring local Brooklyn artists and designers. Together with Smorgasburg on Breeze Hill, the Park is the place to be on Sundays this spring, summer and fall.”

Grand Army Market will feature 30 carefully selected vendors with an emphasis on crafts, makers and handmade sellers. The market will include some of the most popular maker vendors from Brooklyn Flea, plus many new additions to the market, selling toys, kids clothing, textiles, flowers and plants, jewelry, candles, apparel, totes, art and more. 

Expect to find many vendors selling greenery including Tula, Plants & Design selling from a mobile greenhouse filled with with plants, planters, and other accessories. B sixonetwo will sell plants bound into mossy orbs, inspired by techniques from the Edo era in Japan. Doe + Jay focuses on ephemeral flower crowns and fresh cut flowers. 

A high-quality selection of children’s vendors also will be a focus of the market, including Wovenplay, selling limited edition and one of a kind children’s accessories and gifts. Face painting from the Painting Bees will also be on hand.

c. Paul Martinka

Restored Ball Field Opens for Play

The annual Prospect Park Baseball Association’s Opening Day Parade on Saturday, April 2, marked the rainy but celebratory return of baseball to Prospect Park, with hundreds of youth league players turning out for the ceremonial first pitch with Mayor Bill de Blasio, Council Member Brad Lander and other officials. It also signified the highly anticipated reopening of Long Meadow Ball Field 1, and the start of work on Fields 6 and 7, which the Prospect Park Alliance is restoring as part of a phased restoration of the ball fields and surrounding landscapes. The first and second phases of this project are funded through the Brooklyn Borough President’s office, Council Members Brad Lander and Stephen Levin, and the New York City Council Brooklyn Delegation. 

“Baseball is the quintessential Brooklyn pastime,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I’m incredibly proud that we can celebrate the long-awaited reopening of Field 1 at Prospect Park’s Long Meadow Ball Fields as we kickoff little league season, and I commend the Prospect Park Alliance for their vision in rejuvenating this important community space.”

Field 1 restoration was centered on improving play through re-grading the field, installing a new sub-surface drainage system and laying down new turf and a new clay infield capable of supporting both baseball and softball play. In addition, the Alliance installed a new backstop and storage bin, new dugouts, and accessible paths.

The surrounding areas saw improvements as well. Pathways were re-paved, new lighting, benches and an additional drinking fountain were installed as well as new bike racks.  Plus, the nearby Bridle Path was reconstructed, and the topography was subtly changed to provide a viewing and picnicking area near the outfield.  And of course, the Alliance planted many new trees!

The renovation of Fields 6 and 7 will begin this month, with much of the same work as Field 1. The project will conclude in Fall 2017, and the fields will reopen for ball play in Spring 2018, in order to give the turf a chance to grow.

Prospect Park also benefited from City Council funding through the Participatory Budgeting NYC process, with the public voting to provide the Alliance with a new aquatic weed harvester, freeze-resistant water fountains and new barbecue grills.