Author: Cornershop

Improving Neighborhood Parks: Epiphany Playground

September 7, 2015

NYC Parks and the Prospect Park Alliance have unveiled the design for the $2.9 million renovation of Epiphany Playground in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The Alliance provided pro-bono design services for the project, which is being funded through NYC Parks’ Community Parks Initiative (CPI) as well as through the support of Council Member Stephen Levin.

Epiphany Playground is the Alliance’s second design for NYC Parks’ Community Parks Initiative, a multi-faceted investment in smaller public parks located in dense and growing neighborhoods with higher-than-average concentrations of poverty.
The Alliance’s design renovates the space by adding new play equipment for children of all ages, a gentle water feature, a multipurpose free-play area and sport courts, including a junior-sized basketball court with an additional hoop for shooting practice and one handball court.

In order to make the Park more open and inviting, the design removes high shrubs along the fence line and replaces them with small trees, lower shrubs and perennials and adds a new entrance at Berry and South Tenth Streets. Bench seating and café-style tables will be placed throughout the playground, as well as two bottle-filler drinking fountains and new trash receptacles.

Street trees will be added on all three sides of the site to provide shade and create a green, inviting border. Additionally, security lighting will be added to improve site visibility and enhance safety throughout the evening hours. In collaboration with the NYC Department of Environmental Preservation, green infrastructure will also be installed to help capture stormwater runoff.

The project is scheduled to begin construction in 2017.

PPA Profiles: Bart Chezar

August 17, 2015

Bart Chezar is a Brooklyn native. As an active member of the Prospect Park Alliance Volunteer Corps, he’s extremely involved in the beautification of Prospect Park. In addition to pulling weeds and laying mulch with the Alliance’s Thursday Volunteer Corps, Bart has also played an integral role in reintroducing an important piece of ecological history into the Park, the return of the American chestnut tree.

Bart’s work with the Alliance and his interest in reviving the American chestnut tree began shortly after his retirement in 2000. Formerly a Research and Development Engineer for the New York Power Authority, he has maintained a keen passion for restoring the environmental heritage of New York City. In 2004, he met Anne Wong, Prospect Park Alliance’s former Director of Landscape Management, who invited him to take part in a chestnut planting experiment.

Over a century ago, the American chestnut population was devastated by a vicious fungus known as chestnut blight. The tree that was once the most prolific species east of the Mississippi was decimated in just a few decades. The blight would not allow the chestnut trees to successfully pollinate. When Anne asked Bart to help plant a few chestnuts in the Park, the survival of the samplings was a long shot. For nearly a decade the chestnut trees in Prospect Park were able to resist the deadly fungus, but in early 2012 they began to show signs of blight.

In response, the Alliance teamed up with the American Chestnut Foundation, an organization working to find a solution. Alongside Alliance arborists, Bart helped to plant and monitor a new hybrid species found to be resistant to blight in woodland areas of the Park, including the landscapes surrounding the Picnic House (where you may notice yellow plastic coverings on trees along the path from the Tennis House to the Picnic House) and also the Peninsula. The hope is that the new blight-resistant chestnuts will pollinate with the older species planted a decade ago. Although it’s too soon to be sure, recent findings indicate that the program is working. Bart’s efforts with the Alliance and the American Chestnut Foundation have successfully cultivated the first Brooklyn-born chestnut seedlings in over 100 years. 

Bart’s passion for reviving New York’s native ecosystem did not begin, nor end, with his work saving the American chestnut. He was the first to be granted a permit to reintroduce oysters in New York Harbor, a project that is continued by the Environmental Protection Agency and Corps of Engineers. He has also worked tirelessly to bring back Osprey to the area. He even started an “eco pier” in Sunset Park where visitors can become acquainted with the inter-tidal habitats that once surrounded the borough.

Learn more about volunteering in Prospect Park. Or give back to the Park by adopting a commemorative tree.

Smorgasburg Comes to Prospect Park

Smorgasburg is coming to Prospect Park! Beginning August 30, join us on Breeze Hill every Sunday for 100 local and regional food vendors showcasing cuisines from around the world—from Ramen Burgers and Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue to Excell’s Kingston Eatery’s jerk chicken and Salvadoran pupusas—in a leafy setting that includes a grassy, tree-shaded seating area.

“Providing the community with new ways to enjoy the Park, and more food options, is important to the Alliance,” said Sue Donoghue, president of the Prospect Park Alliance. “Bringing Smorgasburg to Breeze Hill is a wonderful way to enliven an underutilized area on the Park’s east side, near popular park destinations such as the LeFrak Center at Lakeside and the Audubon Center at the Boathouse.”

Smorgasburg is a spin-off of Brooklyn Flea, the popular flea market founded by Jonathan Butler and Eric Demby in 2008 that has become one of Brooklyn’s most popular destinations for locals and visitors alike. Smorgasburg is moving to Prospect Park from Brooklyn Bridge Park. “We’re sad to leave Brooklyn Bridge Park, but it’s hard to complain when our new home is literally Brooklyn’s backyard,” said Demby.

The 100 vendors and small businesses of Smorgasburg Prospect Park will include longtime favorites such as Red Hook Lobster Pound, Milk Truck Grilled Cheese, and People Pop’s, as well as popular newcomers such as Home Frite (fresh-cut fries), Big Mozz (hand-stretched mozzarella), and Best Buds Burritos (carne asada burritos with French fries inside). 

Learn more about upcoming dates and location.

c. Martin Seck

2016 Summer Checklist

August 11, 2015

There’s no shortage of fun to be had in Brooklyn during summer. In fact, the sheer number of options can be daunting! But worry not, Prospect Park fans, because we’ve got you covered, with our guide to some of the Park’s top events and attractions this summer.

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival – It wouldn’t be summertime in Brooklyn without this mainstay of music and arts taking over the Bandshell. In addition to the highly touted benefit shows (with acts this year like Herbie Hancock and case/lang/veirs), the lineup features a wide array of acts and performers, ranging from the Violent Femmes, to Femi Kuti, to a live-score-accompaniment to David Bowie’s Labyrinth.

The Carousel – Bring the family to a Brooklyn classic, the Prospect Park Carousel! The tried-and-true children’s ride isn’t only fun for a sping, but the ornate woodwork and painting of the structure itself provides a perfect old-timey photo-op.

New York Philharmonic – Celebrate the 51th summer of free outdoor programming from the NY Philharmonic. Alan Gilbert leads the Orchestra in Beethoven’s Overture to Fidelio, Symphony No. 3, Eroica; and Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, featuring Anthony McGill on clarinet. As always, fireworks to follow!

Smorgasburg – Beautiful surroundings and eclectic offerings from 100 of the city’s most innovative purveyors of tasty treats? What more could you ask for? Smorgasburg provides both on the Park’s Breeze Hill, and convenes every Sunday through October.

Yoga in the Park – Looking to balance your summer indulgences with a little outdoor exercise and mindfulness? Head to the Long Meadow every Thursday evening for free community yoga classes brought to you by the Prospect Park Alliance, Bend and Bloom Yoga and lululemon Brooklyn.

Boating and Biking at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside – Celebrate the return of boating to the Lake with a spin on a pedal boat, or cruise around the Park in one of the bike rentals, including surreys, coupes, choppers and quad sport bikes.

Water Play – Perhaps you’ve been to the new Splash Pad Water Play Area at the LeFrak Center, named Best of New York by New York Magazine, but did you know there are five playgrounds with water features? Take your kids to each location to cool off this summer.

Of course this is just the tip of the summer activity iceberg here in the Park, check out our events calendar for more great summer pastimes.

c. Martin Seck

Restoring Woodlands

August 6, 2015

The Prospect Park Alliance has received nearly $500,000 in funding to restore the woodlands at Lookout Hill, one of the highest points in Prospect Park. The funding from the National Park Service is being administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation through a program dedicated to rehabilitating historic landmarks damaged by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. 

Lookout Hill lost approximately 500 trees and suffered severe damage to the wooded slopes of Lookout Hill. The project will involve removing fallen material and stumps, and planting 2,500 trees, 3,000 shrubs and 25,000 plants to restore the woodlands and stabilize the slope to buffer against future storms. 

This is the second year that the Alliance has received funding through this program. In 2014, the Alliance received more than $725,000 in funding to restore a heavily wooded hillside in the Northeast corner of Prospect Park. Superstorm Sandy destroyed 40 to 50 trees causing damage to several structures and destabilizing slopes. This project will restore the woods by clearing storm damage, removing invasive species, planting native trees and shrubs, and stabilizing the slopes.

East Side Story

August 5, 2015

The City recently unveiled its budget, which includes $3.7 million in funding from the City Council and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams to support the restoration of two major projects high on the Alliance’s list of priorities: the Park’s Flatbush Avenue perimeter and the Oriental Pavilion, as well as pathway improvements provided by Council Member Brad Lander through the participatory budgeting process this past spring.

Read a New York Times article that highlights these projects, as well as future plans for restoring other sections of the northeast corner of the Park. 

“It is thanks to our elected officials that we are able to accomplish important projects throughout the Park,” said Alliance President Sue Donoghue. “The Alliance relies on funding from private and public sources, which is critical for restoring and maintaining the Park. The community has voiced a strong desire to see these projects come to light and we are thankful to our outstanding elected officials who have provided this support.”

The Oriental Pavilion is a key element of the Park’s historic design, and has served for decades as a popular spot for family gatherings and picnics. After years of slow deterioration, the Pavilion was declared unsafe and closed to the public in 2014. Thanks to the generous funds totaling $2 million from Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Member Brad Lander and the Brooklyn Delegation, the structure and surrounding pathways will be restored. This includes replacing the water-damaged roof, installing more lighting and repairing stairways leading down from Breeze Hill.

A short walk north, Flatbush Avenue improvements will broaden the sidewalk bordering the Park and add street trees from Grand Army Plaza toward the Prospect Park Zoo.  The project is made possible through $1.5 million in funding secured by Council Member Laurie Cumbo and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, in addition to $900,000 secured by Cumbo and Adams in 2014. Fencing will be replaced and set farther back to broaden the sidewalk from 16 to 30 feet. An allée of trees will flank the sidewalk, providing shade for pedestrians and restoring this section of the avenue to its original grandeur.

$200,000 in funding for pathway improvements through Council Member Brad Lander and the participatory budgeting process will renovate the path that leads from the Park’s Children’s Corner (Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park Carousel, Prospect Park Zoo) to the Zucker Natural Exploration Area, providing Park visitors with better access between these two beloved family destinations.

Bianca Nelson

Park It

July 20, 2015

Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux designed Prospect Park in the late nineteenth century as a quiet respite from the bustling city, 585 acres of rolling meadows, and picturesque waterways and scenic woodlands modeled after the rustic charm of the Adirondacks.

In celebration of the Park’s bucolic roots, the Prospect Park Alliance and Paul Smith’s College are presenting Park It, an installation of handcrafted Adirondack chairs located through the Park in areas that highlight spectacular views and points of interest.

“This is really a chance for the public to enjoy the Park as designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux envisioned,” said Sue Donoghue, president of the Prospect Park Alliance. “Prospect Park was intended as a series of carefully designed landscapes that work in harmony to recreate the serenity of the countryside in the heart of Brooklyn. We can’t wait to see how Park visitors embrace this.” 

Artisans from Paul Smith’s College crafted the chairs. With a spectacular lakeside campus located in the heart of the six-million-acre Adirondack Park, the College offers degrees that range from forestry, environmental studies and natural resources management to culinary arts, entrepreneurship, hospitality management and more. “Our college equips students with a truly meaningful education that takes advantage of our unique natural surroundings,” said Shannon Oborne, Chief Marketing Officer of Paul Smith’s College. “What better way to share our ‘Smitty Spirit’ with New York City audiences than by bringing the Adirondack heritage to Prospect Park.”

Learn more about this project, including a map of chair locations. Share your photos with #ProspectParkIt to enter to win your own Adirondack Chair. 

 

c. Virginia Freire

PPA Profiles: Averill Wickland

Education program coordinator Averill Wickland is passionate about teaching environmental education to children and families. He joined the Prospect Park Alliance last year to help lead the development of expanded nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center.

Following the success of Pop-Up Audubon, a mobile nature education program that takes place in a different area of the Park each month with seasonal themes, the Alliance received generous funding from the Brooke Astor Fund for New York City Education to develop a second Pop-Up Audubon program focused on the Park’s aquatic habitats, as well as Discovery Kits that families can borrow to explore the Park. The new programs launched in April and have been a big success, with more than 400 visitors to the second Pop-Up Audubon program alone each weekend.

“It’s great to be able to share my interest in nature in Prospect Park,” Averill explained. “I really love to hear what the families who visit Pop-Up Audubon have to share as well. Some of them have been coming to the Park longer than I’ve been alive.”

Averill grew up in a small town in Vermont, just outside of Middlebury. After graduating from Wesleyan University, he joined the Peace Corps. He was assigned to a forestry position, where he helped set up orchards in Malawi, Africa, and became interested in teaching. Six years ago, Averill moved to New York City where he worked as an educator at the Science Barge in Yonkers as a field studies coordinator at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden before joining the Alliance.

The Alliance’s nature education programs are designed to engage children from diverse backgrounds, and deliver a message of conservation, stewardship and exploration of the Park. This includes one of the Park’s most popular summer activities, catch-and-release fishing. Funded for many years by Macy’s, this favorite Park pastime began as a fishing contest, but has since evolved into a more in-depth program that teaches children about aquatic ecology. Through funding from the Astor Fund, this year the Alliance has doubled the program with two locations each weekend in the Park.

“Kids are always surprised to learn that there are actually a lot of fish in the Lake,” Averill observed. “Being in the city, people do not often think about wildlife, but we have sunfish, blue gills, pumpkin seed and largemouth bass. When a child lands those occasional largemouth bass, it’s a really exciting moment.”

Learn more about Pop-Up Audubon, and sign up for our newsletter to learn about the latest upcoming Audubon events and activities, including a Family Fishing Night on July 30.

PPA Profiles: Kingsley Selly

Kingsley Selly, a Senior Maintainer with the Prospect Park Tennis Center, moved to New York from Ghana just over ten years ago. He was brought to the United States by his father and has lived on Cortelyou Road in Brooklyn ever since. A regular jogger in Prospect Park, Selly joined the maintenance crew at the Prospect Park Tennis Center six years ago.

He enjoys the friendships he has made with the staff and regular tennis players. “I love the cooperation this job requires,” he said. “Everything goes much better when the maintenance crew and players work together.”

Court maintenance isn’t easy. Selly and his crew work through the night to get the Center ready for action every morning. They apply clay to each court, then pull a large broom over the surface and clear the lines. This surface is watered, dried, leveled and swept again. The entire process takes approximately six hours. The weather plays a major role in determining court treatment. Rain can present huge setbacks for the maintenance team. After each storm, the courts need to be dried and swept.

In addition to his responsibilities as Senior Maintainer, Selly also plays at the Tennis Center. He picked up the game about three years ago. “I figured, I worked here,” he said with a laugh. “I might as well learn how to play.”

Go Fish

July 11, 2015

Catch-and-release fishing is a time-honored summer pastime in Prospect Park. Prospect Park Alliance Supervising Educator Steven Wong, who oversees fishing programs at the Audubon Center, shares some tips to make the most of your fishing fun. Read on and grab a rod!

Prospect Park is not only home to Brooklyn’s only lake, but one that is well stocked for even the most avid anglers.  You’d be surprised at the number of species in the Prospect Park Lake which can be caught (and released)!

“Prospect Park Lake is among the fishing lakes in NYC,” proclaims Steve Wong, Supervising Educator with the Prospect Park Alliance, noting that while “the most sought after fish is the largemouth bass, you’ll also see black crappie, pumpkin seed, bluegill, yellow perch, brown bull head, and common carp.”

These fish are abundant, and range in size from half, to over five pounds. “What this means to the angler is that you can catch more fish per hour and have the opportunity to catch something bigger and more exciting,” explains Wong.

And in addition to a variety of fish, the Lake itself provides a wide range of fishing scenarios, including open water, waterfalls, vegetation, rocks, and submerged structures, which, advises Wong, “ allows more experienced anglers to test or practice different skills.”

During the summer months, Wong suggests early morning or late afternoon trips to the Lake to optimize anglers’ chances of catching something. “Depending on the species, some fish might be more active during rainy conditions or at nighttime,” adds Wong.

First time fishing? The Prospect Park Alliance offers free fishing clinics for families every Saturday and Sunday in July and August, as well as family fishing nights. Learn more about fishing events on our events calendar!

Please note: Public fishing is permitted only in designated areas. Anyone 16 and older is required to hold a freshwater fishing license. Learn more about fishing in Prospect Park.