Author: Cornershop

Michael Moran/OTTO

Ice Skating Season is Around the Corner

October 20, 2015

The fall may be just underway, but ice skating season is around the corner at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside. Slated to begin October 31, this season enjoy expanded programs and clinics on the ice. There will also be opportunities to try these new offerings for free.  

The skate school is back, offering lessons, hockey clinics and an expanded figure skating program, including a slate of performances and showcases. Ice skating lessons are available for all ages, from special Parent/Child and Tots classes to beginner to advance levels for youth and adults. Lakeside’s Hockey Academy teaches the fundamentals of this ultimate winter sport, including beginner hockey lessons, and youth and adult clinics.

Love curling? Last year, Lakeside introduced this Olympic sport to Brooklyn for the first time in more than a century. This year, curling returns with an expanded schedule of introductory sessions and league play. The center is also introducing another sport—broomball, a hockey-like game played with brooms and sneakers. Ice skating skills are not required, anybody can play!

Not sure which of these fun, seasonal activities is the best fit for you? Try them for free. Lakeside will offer free lessons and clinics this season. Stay tuned for more details.

The LeFrak Center at Lakeside will feature a new seasonal menu at the Bluestone Café. Stop in for a hot chocolate and other tasty treats, and enjoy the view of the rinks from a table indoors or outdoors.

Learn more about skating programs.

c. Martin Seck

Halloween in Prospect Park

The Prospect Park Alliance presents its 36th Annual Halloween Haunted Walk and Fair on Saturday, October 24, from 12 to 3 pm. Join us on Lookout Hill and the Nethermead for an afternoon of free ghoulish fun.

Encounter zombies, werewolves, good (and not-so-good) witches, and other Halloween characters on a haunted walk through the winding paths of Lookout Hill, ideal for families with children ages 7-12. All ages can enjoy the Halloween Fair on the Nethermead, featuring family-friendly activities, as well as sweet and savory treats from some of the city’s best food trucks. This year, learn to draw Snoopy with Blue Sky Studio artists and meet the famous beagle from The Peanuts Movie.

Halloween activities will take place all weekend long throughout the Park. Discover spooky creatures at the Audubon Center at its annual Creepy Crawly Halloween, and get chills with Scary Stories at Lefferts Historic House with master storyteller Tammy Hall. Take a spin on the 1912 Carousel to your favorite Halloween jams, and enjoy Boo at the Zoo at the Prospect Park Zoo.

Learn more about Halloween in Prospect Park.

We need you! Volunteer to help the Prospect Park Alliance with this event. Sign up today as an actor, tour guide, make-up artist, or other behind-the-scenes roles!

The Prospect Park Alliance Halloween Haunted Walk and Fair is made possible through the support of the following sponsors:

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Media Partners

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News 12 Brooklyn

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Alliance Receives Greener NYC Funding

September 29, 2015

The Prospect Park Alliance will receive $50,000 in funding from the New York City Council’s Greener NYC Initiative to support the Alliance’s Woodlands Youth Crew program. Speaker Mark-Viverito, Council Member Donovan Richards and the New York City Council awarded over $1 million dollars in funding to 26 organizations. The initiative supports environmentally friendly focused programs that encourage the improvement and conservation of New York City’s air, land, energy and open space.

Sue Donoghue, President of the Prospect Park Alliance, said, “Thanks to the City Council, this important funding will support the Prospect Park Alliance Woodlands Youth Crew, a unique initiative that employs local high school students to participate in Park restoration while learning about environmental preservation and future job opportunities. By countering erosion, removing invasive vegetation, and planting native plants, the Woodlands Youth Crew has given new life to some of the most damaged areas in Prospect Park.  Our thanks go to Speaker Mark-Viverito, Council Members Richards and Levine, and the entire City Council for their support.”

“New York City is committed to being a leader on environmentalism and sustainability on the city level,” said Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “This initiative is part of the City Council’s ongoing commitment to making New York City greener and more environmentally friendly. Together we are moving in the right direction, and through the Greener NYC Initiative, we’re bringing every community across the city together to get there even faster.”

Check out our video to learn more about the Woodlands Youth Crew.

PPA Profiles: Brian Nortey

September 24, 2015

If you’ve come to the Prospect Park Tennis Center in the last five years then you’ve probably already met Brian Nortey. A Brooklyn native, he has a large extended family from Ghana, West Africa. He grew up in Flatbush, playing basketball at the Parade Ground as a kid. Like many Brooklynites, he has fond memories of Prospect Park.

He began playing tennis in one of the Alliance’s youth clinics where he found his passion for the sport. Brian soon began working part-time at the front desk, scheduling court time and handling guest inquiries. After learning the ropes of the front desk, he wanted to learn how the Tennis Center operated more broadly and began assisting the Junior Development Program. 

“I think my favorite thing about the job is working with the kids,” he said, “It reminds me of when I first started playing. I want to foster that love of the game in them, too.”

In addition to his role as the Assistant Coordinator for the Junior Development Program and Senior Front Desk Staff, he also helps run the Prospect Park Tennis Tournament, monitoring the leader board and working with the players. The annual tournament brings some of the best players in the borough together for several weeks of intense competition. 

When he’s not practicing his swing at the Center, or helping others improve theirs, Brian runs his photography and cinematography business. Over the last three years he’s used his visual talents to cover events and make music videos, among other things. “I love photography,” he said modestly, “but I still have a lot to learn.”

Stop by the Tennis Center in coming week to check out the final days of the tournament and meet Brian. 

Mp3 Experiment in Prospect Park

September 17, 2015

The Prospect Park Alliance has partnered with Improv Everywhere to present the first the Mp3 Experiment in Prospect Park as part of the BEAT Festival. Thousands of participants will convene at a just-revealed location in Prospect Park, download an original mp3 file and blend in. At a pre-determined time, thousands will press play. Hilarity ensues as players carry out humorous, coordinated instructions delivered to their headphones, and everyone else tries to figure out what is going on.

Sign up to take part in this event. 

Tag your photos of the Mp3 Experiment with #ProspectPark to be considered for our Photo of the Week!

A New Cafe in Prospect Park

The Prospect Park Alliance has announced that Tip of the Tongue – Baked & Brewed, a popular local cafe, has opened an outpost in the historic Prospect Park Picnic House. The café, located at the Park’s Long Meadow, will be open from 8 am– 4 pm on Thursdays and Fridays, as well as 8 am–6 pm on Saturdays and Sundays through October 31.

Tip of the Tongue – Prospect Park, the second location of a popular neighborhood restaurant in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, will provide a full range of high quality espresso and coffee drinks, house-made pastries and lunch items. Their menu will include a variety of freshly baked breakfast pastries, cakes, cookies, sandwiches, salads and quiches. Visitors can also order signature Tip of the Tongue offerings, like prosciutto sandwiches on Cuban baguettes and bacon-gruyere scones.

“The Alliance is committed to improving amenities for all Park visitors, including high-quality food and drink options,” said Sue Donoghue, President of the Prospect Park Alliance. “We are delighted to partner with a beloved local business on this new café, which joins our growing list of food attractions, including the year-round Bluestone Café at Lakeside, and seasonal events such as Smorgasburg and the Food Truck Rally at Grand Army Plaza.”

At the conclusion of its fall season, Tip of the Tongue – Prospect Park is slated to re-open in the spring for the 2016 season.

PPA Profiles: Christian Zimmerman

This year, Christian Zimmerman, the Alliance’s chief landscape architect celebrates his 25th anniversary with the Alliance. During his tenure, he has overseen the dramatic transformation of Prospect Park after decades of deterioration and decline.

As Vice President of Capital and Landscape Management, he leads a talented team of architects, landscape architects, horticulturists, arborists and ecologists. He is a passionate steward of the Park and deeply devoted to the democratic vision conceived by the Park’s creators Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux nearly 150 years ago. Nationally recognized for his historic preservation work, Christian was named an American Society of Landscape Architects Fellow in 2010.

Originally from North Dakota, he discovered his true calling as a landscape architect while studying horticulture at North Dakota State University. After earning a degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of Idaho, Christian moved to New York in 1988 where he began working as a landscape designer for the New York City Parks Department at the Olmsted Center. It wasn’t long before he joined the fledgling Prospect Park Alliance at a critical moment in its development.

Since that time, he has overseen a number of award-winning, innovative projects, from the restoration of the woodland Ravine (Brooklyn’s last remaining forest), to the Zucker Natural Exploration Area. Most significantly, Christian played a key role in the restoration of 26 acres in the southeast corner of the Park into one of the Alliance’s most popular and celebrated projects, Lakeside.

In his time restoring and preserving Prospect Park’s iconic terrain, the Park has returned to its place as one of Brooklyn’s most treasured destinations. In the early 1990s, when the Park’s neglected landscapes were considered unsafe, Park usage was at a low, with only 1.7 million visits each year. Since that time, the Park has returned to its place as one of the country’s premier green spaces, and now welcomes nearly 10 million visits each year. No matter the number of visitors, the Park remains a peaceful respite.

“You can always find a place to feel away from the city,” he said. “That’s the genius of the design.”

Despite overwhelming success stories, he still sees a lot of work to be done. “We’ve only restored 150 of 585 acres,” he explained. “We’ve done a lot, but there’s so much more to do. There are endless opportunities.”

With the completion of Lakeside, Christian and his team will now focus on the Park’s northeast corner, including woodland restoration in the Vale of Cashmere and the restoration of the Oriental Pavilion and Flatbush Avenue perimeter.

Learn more about future restoration projects.

Explore Fall Migration

Grab your binoculars and tread quietly. Warblers and other songbirds are making their annual migratory journey through Prospect Park. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, Prospect Park is an important destination for birdwatching, and this month is a peak time for the fall migration as birds head to warmer climes.  

Look for rare and familiar species, such as the American Redstart and Warbling Vireo, searching for insects on tree trunks in the Park’s woodland Ravine. Keep your ears open because these delightful creatures will likely be heard before they are seen. For those with sharp eyes, majestic raptors, such as Red-tailed Hawks, can be spotted soaring above the Long Meadow, while Osprey circle the Lake in search for food. Later in the season, look for other waterfowl in the Park, including the American Coot and the Northern Shoveler with its colorful body and black spoon-shaped bill.

At the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the Prospect Park Alliance and Brooklyn Bird Club offer a number of ways to enjoy this ultimate birding season, including Early Morning Bird Walks, Radical Raptor activities at Pop-Up Audubon, and the Bird Nerd Game Hour at the Audubon Center.

Check out our calendar for all birdwatching events.

c. Jonathan Grassi

Save the Date: Prospect Park Alliance Gala

September 15, 2015

The Prospect Park Alliance will host its annual Gala on Saturday, October 17, at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside. This spirited celebration of Brooklyn’s backyard will honor two beloved Board Members, Albert Garner and Leslie Beller, for their extraordinary dedication to the Alliance and Prospect Park. 

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by a seated dinner, live auction, entertainment and a heartfelt tribute to Al and Leslie.  As Board Members for over two decades, Al and Leslie have been true advocates for the Alliance, helping to transform Prospect Park into Brooklyn’s most cherished urban oasis and championing the creation of Lakeside, the Alliance’s most ambitious project in the Park. The Prospect Park Alliance Gala provides vital support for the Alliance’s work in Prospect Park to preserve the natural environment, restore historic design and provide programs and amenities for the public for millions of visitors year round.

This year’s Gala will also include an After Party with a DJ set, dancing, desserts and an open bar.

Purchase tickets.

PPA Profiles: Joseph Oluwashola

September 9, 2015

To call City Park Worker Joseph Oluwashola a hard worker would be an understatement. Oluwashola is part of the team of maintenance staff who work nearly round the clock in the summer months to pick up trash and litter at this peak time of year. While trash removal is primarily the responsibility of the City’s Parks Department, for a number of years the Prospect Park Alliance has funded supplemental summer crews to work side-by-side with Parks staff.

“These crews work every Saturday and Sunday night cleaning up after picnics, and large special events, such as the New York Philharmonic and the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! concerts, usually until 2 am and sometimes later,” said Josephine Pittari, Vice President and Chief of Operations at the Prospect Park Alliance. “It’s the most challenging shift. Our goal is to remove the garbage on a same-day basis.”

Since he started working in the Park in 2014, he has routinely impressed his peers, ensuring the Park is a clean and welcoming space for all. He sums up his outlook on his job in the Park: “When there’s work to be done, I work!”

This hard work has not gone unnoticed. He recently won the 2015 Light of the World Award from the Parks Department’s Ebony Society, which recognizes Parks employees who have made outstanding contributions to the agency and their community. But Joseph is not one to brag. “I was told to attend the ceremony, along with the other nominees, and when my name was called, I was so happy,” he recalls. “I know I work very hard, but it was nice to be recognized for it.”

Since immigrating to New York from Nigeria in 1981, Joesph has fallen in love with Brooklyn, and more recently, with Prospect Park. For him, his job has very real-world implications, as he knows millions of others also cherish Prospect Park. And in his opinion, the partnership between the Prospect Park Alliance and the City is crucial to keeping the Park clean and beautiful.