Tag: Prospect Park Alliance

c. Elizabeth Keegin Colley

Spring Fling Weekend Checklist

May 15, 2019

Ready to ring in spring? On May 17–19, Prospect Park Alliance celebrates the season in Prospect Park with Spring Fling, a full weekend of special events and activities that brings together the entire community—and you’re invited! 

Check out the full line up + RSVP at prospectpark.org/springfling

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Not sure what to hit up? We put together a checklist of some of the events you won’t want to miss:

  • Brooklyn Atlantics 1860s Ballgame, Saturday, May 18, 11 am–2 pm, Long Meadow Ball Field 1: take me out to the ballgame at this 1860s exhibition “base ball” game, played as it was in 1864, the year of Brooklyn’s first undefeated championship season. The Brooklyn Atlantics will take on the Monmouth NJ Furnaces in historic uniforms and gear. Come see the ghosts of history come to life and don’t forget to root for the home team, the Atlantics! 
     
  • Harvesting Color + Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, Saturday, May 18, 1–4 pm, Lefferts Historic House: Join Prospect Park Alliance on an exploration of color from the natural world in workshops from 2-4 pm. Learn how to use natural ingredients such as flowers, berries and food scraps to naturally dye fabrics. Bring one natural fiber item (cotton, linen, canvas, or silk) to dye. Space is limited, and is on a first-come, first-served basis. At 1 pm, enjoy a performance by the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre of Bessie’s Big Shot, about a cow dreaming of joining the circus (45 minute performance).
     
  • Spring Fling Fair, Sunday, May 19, 12–3 pm, Prospect Park Children’s Corner: Join the Alliance and community partners for music, activities and food the whole family will enjoy. At this year’s fair, among many fun activities, families can get moving with Bend + Bloom Yoga (12:30-1:30 pm), celebrate National Scooter Day with a Micro Kickboard scooter giveaway, enjoy a pop-up soccer clinic with Super Soccer Stars, and a performance by the Brooklyn Conservatory Bluegrass Jam Ensemble at Lefferts Historic House (2-3 pm). Plus, stop by the Brooklyn Public Library Bookmobile; learn about renewable energy from Green Mountain Energy; make giant bubbles with Park Slope Parents, enjoy performing and visual arts fun with BAX, nature games at the Alliance’s Pop-Up Audubon, stained glass artmaking and subway history fun with the New York Transit Museum, face painting with Prospect Park YMCA, breakfast tacos from King David Tacos, and much more! 
     
  • Art + Architecture Tour of Prospect Park, Sunday, May 19, 10:30 am–12:30 pm, $20, advance registration required: For over 150 years, Prospect Park has been a showcase for beautiful public buildings and artwork, with representations from eras including Beaux-Arts, City Beautiful, the New Deal Modernism and contemporary LEED-certified projects. This tour, presented by Turnstile Tours in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, will examine some of the fine architectural details and current restoration work, from the era of Vaux and Olmsted to the present day. 
     
  • Trail Run, Sunday, May 19, 10–11:30 am, Prospect Park Wellhouse: Enjoy a relaxed pace five-mile route through the park’s trails with the Prospect Park Track Club, incorporating historic points of interest along the way.
     
  • Molière in the Park, The Misanthrope, May 19 + 20, 7 pm, LeFrak Center at Lakeside: You’re invited to watch a staged reading of Molière’s masterpiece, The Misanthrope, with original music by Tony and two-time Obie Award winner STEW, presented by Molière in the Park in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance. In a time of fake news, fake politicians and the increasing normalization of hypocrisy, Molière’s classic comedy is a refreshing, timely, biting satire and love story with humor tailor-made for a contemporary Twitter account. A second reading will take place Monday, May 20, at 7 pm, and both are free and open to the public. For reserved seating visit www.moliereinthepark.org, or bring a blanket and grab a patch of grass! Refreshments will be available at Lakeside’s Bluestone Cafe.

Plus, many more activities including It’s My Park Day, Smorgasburg, a themed ’90s roller disco, bird walks, sheep shearing demonstrations at the zoo and much more. 

Take a look at all the Spring Fling events and RSVP. We’ll see you there!

c. Paul Martinka

Ribbon Cut on Adult Fitness Area

May 3, 2019

Today, New York City Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene and Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that sustains the Park, cut the ribbon on a new adult fitness area at the Prospect Park Parade Ground, which was funded as part of a $750,000 restoration that also included the installation of a new misting line along heavily used artificial turf soccer fields—a first for a New York City public park—and other park improvements.

The adult fitness area, located on the east side of the Parade Ground by the Crooke Avenue entrance, contains 12 types of fitness equipment, and was selected to be accessible to people of all abilities. There is an open area for group classes and custom concrete “step-up” blocks. The misting line, set on timers, provides a cooling screen of mist when the artificial turf fields are at their busiest and hottest. Additional improvements include fixing drainage problems at Baseball Field 7; reconstructing the volleyball court; and adding more shade trees and new seating near the adult fitness area. The project kicked off in spring 2018.

See a slideshow of the new Adult Fitness Area at the Parade Ground.

“I want to commend the Prospect Park Alliance for the tremendous work they do to keep the Parade Ground a vibrant recreational area,” said Council Member Eugene. “This section of Prospect Park is so important for this neighborhood, because it allows our residents to engage in outdoor activities that are beneficial to the health and wellbeing of the community. I am honored to allocate funding for the new Adult Fitness area as well as infrastructure improvements that will increase the sustainability of the Parade Ground. It is my hope that by working together we will continue to create a welcoming environment for all New Yorkers to enjoy.”

“Parks are essential to the health and wellbeing of our communities, and this new adult fitness area and other Parade Ground improvements will make a significant impact on our neighbors quality of life,” said Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance. “We are deeply grateful to Council Member Eugene for his long standing support of Prospect Park Alliance and our work to keep the Park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that consider the Park its backyard.”

Prospect Park Alliance is currently in design on a $500,000 participatory budgeting initiative from Council Member Eugene in the southwest corner of Parade Ground, which will provide even more fitness amenities to the park. The project is estimated to be completed in two years time. Learn more in the Alliance’s Capital Projects Tracker.

c. Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous

Artists Selected for Chisholm Monument

April 24, 2019

In an exciting announcement for the Prospect Park community, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and women.nyc announced that artist team Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous has been selected to design the park’s new monument to Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to serve in Congress and a Brooklyn hero.

“Prospect Park Alliance is thrilled to welcome this important monument to Shirley Chisholm to the park,” said Sue Donoghue, president of Prospect Park Alliance. “It will be the focal point of the Alliance’s Ocean Avenue and Parkside Avenue entrance and perimeter restoration, and we look forward to working with the artist team to create a beloved destination for our diverse community to enjoy in Brooklyn’s Backyard.”

Renderings released show the team’s proposal for the monument that will grace Parkside Plaza. The design, called Our Destiny, Our Democracy, was selected through the City’s Percent for Art program. In the coming months, with additional community input and public review, the design will be developed to best suit the public and the park landscape. The monument is the first to be commissioned as part of the She Built NYC program, which seeks to expand representation of women in the City’s public art collection. The Shirley Chisholm monument will be installed in Prospect Park by the end of 2020.

“She Built NYC is transforming public art in our City by honoring the contributions of women who helped build and shape it,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. “Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm’s dynamic leadership and activism continues to inspire all who learn her story and her service deserves public recognition. This artwork will be bright, bold, and makes a statement – just like Chisholm herself.” 

This monument, which was announced in late 2018, will be a critical part of Prospect Park Alliance’s $9.5 million restoration of the Parkside and Ocean Avenue perimeters and entrance to the park, which is made possible through $6.7 million in funding by Mayor de Blasio, $2 million in funding from Borough President Eric L. Adams and $750,000 in funding from Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene. This large-scale restoration by the Alliance will include new sidewalks and paving, new historic lighting and street furniture, the planting of new trees and the addition of a protected bike lane. This project continues the Alliance’s work to restore the perimeter of the east side of the park, including the Flatbush Avenue perimeter, which is also being funded by the Borough President, as well as Council Members Laurie Cumbo and Dr. Mathieu Eugene. See more on the Capital Projects Tracker.

Martin Seck

Alliance Honored with Lucy G. Moses Award for Wellhouse

April 22, 2019

The Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards are given annually by the New York Landmarks Conservancy in recognition of the owners and stewards of historic buildings across the City, who have completed extraordinary restoration and reuse projects. This year, Prospect Park Alliance’s restoration and adaptive reuse of the historic park Wellhouse is a recipient of this top accolade.

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Prospect Park Alliance Architect Alden Maddry accepts Lucy G. Moses Award for the Wellhouse, c. The New York Landmarks Conservancy.

The Wellhouse, completed in 1869, is the only building created by the park’s original designers—Olmsted and Vaux—still standing in Prospect Park. It was built in the late 1860s as one key component of Prospect Park’s manmade watercourse system.

After a long period of disuse, this structure was restored by Prospect Park Alliance and has found a new purpose–a comfort station, home to the first composting toilets in an NYC park! Composting toilets only use 3 to 6 ounces of water per flush—97% less water than a conventional toilet. In addition, the project features a grey water garden, which uses water collected from hand sinks, janitor sinks and floor drains to irrigate the nearby landscape of native grasses and plants.

Prospect Park Alliance, having recognized the historic significance of this project, made every effort to preserve and accurately recreate the Wellhouse, while adding the eco-friendly amenities. Prospect Park’s Wellhouse reconstruction demonstrates that a beautiful historical building can be faithfully restored while being repurposed as a groundbreaking environmental facility open to the public.

The Lucy G. Moses Awards Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, April 23. Learn more about the fascinating history and adaptive reuse of the Wellhouse.

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The Prospect Park Alliance Design and Construction team at the 2019 Lucy G. Moses Awards, c. The New York Landmarks Conservancy. 

c. Prospect Park Alliance

The Park’s New Rustic Pergola

Prospect Park Alliance’s Lakeside gardeners made the most of the mild winter this year. While they waited for the busy warmer season, they built a new destination, much to the delight of park visitors. The new rustic pergola, built by LJ Philp, Lakeside Lead Gardener; Allison Loux, Lakeside Assistant Gardener; and Melissa Finley, Lakeside Assistant Gardener, is located off the Park Drive, just north of the LeFrak Center at Lakeside.

“A common problem in the park is desire lines,” says Philp, referring to the improvised and unintended paths made by park visitors. “We had a very noticeable one at Lakeside, so we decided instead of putting up another fence to keep people from walking through the planting, why not create an inviting destination for people to walk through and sit under.”

Much of the unmilled, untreated wood sourced for the pergola came from downed park trees. In the coming months, additional decoration will come in the form of native plantings, including American wisteria that will grow over the structure. “I’m proud of our work and very happy to have had the opportunity to expand my carpentry skills,” says Finley, “the pergola is an aesthetically pleasing and useful addition to the Lakeside landscape, which is as naturalistic as possible.”

This new pergola carries on a tradition of rustic landscape features that date back to 18th century. Rustic work, which features unmilled wood, had been very popular in the grand English estates of the time period. Park designer Calvert Vaux’s early mentor and business partner, Andrew Jackson Downing, was one of America’s foremost landscape designers in the mid-1800s, and had popularized this style of building with his American clientele.

Calvert Vaux adopted this style to great acclaim, and when Prospect Park opened in 1867, the public was delighted by his rustic-style thatched shelters, romantic arbors and scenic overlooks nestled throughout the park. They became beloved destinations, and can be seen in many early photographs and postcards of the park.

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Rustic viewing platform in Prospect Park ravine, circa 1890. Prospect Park Archives/Herbert Mitchell Collection

None of these original structures have survived into modern times, but the rustic style can be seen throughout the park, notably at the Summerhouse on the lake shore near the Parkside and Ocean Avenue entrance; Binnen Bridge near the Boathouse; and the railings through the woodlands created and maintained by the Alliance’s Natural Resources Crew and the Woodland Youth Crew.

And as for the reception of the park’s new pergola? “It seems like park users love it,”  says Loux. “It feels great when someone walks by and says thank you, or that it’s beautiful, or asks how we made it.”

So, on your next run or walk on the Park Drive, make sure to stop and enjoy this exciting new addition to the park, and learn more about how Prospect Park Alliance is advancing the park.

Smorgasburg Returns for 2019 Season

March 27, 2019

Everyone’s favorite outdoor food market is back in Prospect Park! Kicking off the season on April 7, Smorgasburg Prospect Park, presented by Brooklyn Flea in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, is back every Sunday through October on Breeze Hill. 

This beloved market features over 80 food vendors and crowds of hungry customers, ready to sample flavors from across the globe. While many of last year’s favorite foods purveyors are returning, this year’s crop of new vendors is not only the market’s largest yet, it’s also the most diverse. New additions include:​

  • NFL player Derrell Smith brings Amazeballs meatballs and special sauces inspired by his Nana.
  • The Blue Chicken joins Smorgasburg with a perfect sous vide chicken sandwich.
  • Borrachito serves up thick handmade tortillas, made with organic, local corn as the base for these delicious tacos. 
  • Crack’d’s mouth watering four different egg sandwiches are all based on Japanese tamagoyaki.
  • Try Fluffies’ thick soufflé pancakes inspired by the fluffy versions of Japan and Asia.
  • Gourmet by Nuno features Portuguese sandwiches, slow cooked to perfection.
  • Cantonese dim sum from Jing Fong, established 40 years ago on Elizabeth Street in Chinatown is the original cart palace.
  • Kochin’s dazzling dazzling dessert concoctions combine reunited Vietnamese friends’ east and west flavors.
  • La Tropikitchen’s Colombian snacks and homemade sauces including tamales are delicious on the tongue plus easy on the eyes.
  • As 2018’s “Rookie of the Year” Vendy winner, Nansense’s Afghan comfort food joins the Smorgasburg outdoor lineup.
  • Petisco Brazuca serves Brazilian snack foods based on the ubiquitous Rio de Janeiro street food known as coxinha.
  • You’ll think you’re relaxing on the beach with Sons of Thunder’s Hawaiian and California inspired cuisine focusing on poke.
  • Focused on Japanese Miyazaki black wagyu, Tojo’s Kitchen uses the world’s best beef to make wagyu “sushi”.
  • The brand new East Village shop, Smør, specializes in smørrebrød, the open faced Nordic staple sandwich. 
  • Yumpling creates a “hot chicken” version of the giant Taiwanese chicken steak, and yum it is!

Plus, on ​Sunday, June 16, Smorgasburg is partnering with CaribBEING and Prospect Park Alliance to celebrate Caribbean Heritage month with special pop-up food and culture vendors (including Peppa’s of Crown Heights) serving jerk and other island specials, plus DJs throughout the afternoon.

See you Sundays at Smorgasburg, from 11 am to 6 pm on Breeze Hill in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. 

Still from "Chisholm '72," courtesy of Realside Productions

Chisholm Monument Designs Unveiled

Make your voice heard!

View and comment on the five preliminary artist proposals for the new monument to Shirley Chisholm in Prospect Park, the first artwork to be commissioned as part of the She Built NYC initiative to bring more monuments honoring women to New York City’s public spaces.

This open call for feedback on the proposals by artists Firelei Báez, La Vaughn Belle, Tanda Francis, Mickalene Thomas and the team of Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous will continue through Sunday, March 31.

She Built NYC kicked off in June 2018 with an invitation for public nominations, and Shirley Chisholm was selected in November in recognition of her role as a political trailblazer who was both the first black Congresswoman and the first woman to seek the Democratic presidential nomination. The monument is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2020 and will be installed at the Parkside entrance to Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

This monument will be the centerpiece of Prospect Park Alliance’s restoration of the Parkside and Ocean Avenue perimeters and entrance to the park,made possible through funding by Mayor de Blasio, Borough President Eric L. Adams and Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene. The Alliance will improve the sidewalks and paving, add new historic lighting, street furniture, trees and plantings. There will also be a new protected bike lane. This project is expected to be completed by Fall 2021.

Learn more and view the designs at women.nyc.

c. Martin Seck

Discover Hidden Park Treasures

March 20, 2019

Spring is here, and Prospect Park Alliance and Turnstile Tours have an exciting schedule of new tours in the park! Discover hidden treasures, natural wonders and little-known tales on these interactive guided tours of Prospect Park in the heart of Brooklyn. Private group tours are available seven days a week, and public tours are offered every Sunday from April 28 through November 24. Prospect Park Alliance member enjoy 25% off park walking tours, learn more at prospectpark.org/join. 

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Our tour season will kick off April 28 with these new themed excursions:

Hidden Treasures of Prospect Park: Explore some of the little-known corners of Prospect Park in this tour that uncovers some of the park’s hidden treasures. Once prime attractions, these areas  are currently the focus of Prospect Park Alliance restoration efforts to revitalize the Park. The tour includes the Rose Garden and Vale of Cashmere in the park’s northeast corner, and well as a guided walk through Brooklyn’s last remaining forest, the 150-acre Ravine. This tour takes place on the first Sunday of each month.

Waterways and the Wellhouse: Prospect Park is an engineering marvel, designed around an ingenious drainage system and a chain of manmade streams and ponds that terminate in Brooklyn’s largest lake. This tour will follow the park’s scenic watercourse and delve into how Prospect Park Alliance maintains and supports this complex system. The tour will end with a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most unique features of the park: the 1869 Wellhouse, the park’s last remaining building by park designer Calvert Vaux, which once housed the machinery that fueled the  watercourse and was recently restored by the Alliance and converted into the first composting restrooms in a NYC park. This tour takes place on the second Sunday of each month.

Park Art and Architecture: For over 150 years, Prospect Park has been a showcase for beautiful public buildings and artwork, with representations from eras including Beaux-Arts, City Beautiful, the New Deal Modernism and contemporary LEED-certified projects. This tour will examine some of the fine architectural details and ongoing restoration work, from the era of Vaux and Olmsted to the present day. This tour takes place on the third Sunday of each month.

Family Fun in Brooklyn’s Backyard (includes Zoo and Carousel admission): Prospect Park is an oasis for people – and animals! Park lovers of all ages can discover the native habitats and inhabitants of the park, and explore the past and present of recreation, animals and ongoing conservation efforts of Prospect Park Alliance. This tour includes an interactive scavenger for children and adults, and ends at the park’s Children’s Corner, with a special visit to Prospect Park Zoo and tickets to ride the historic Carousel. This tour takes place on the fourth Sunday of each month.

The 2019 Tour Season begins on April 28, get your tickets today!

 

C. Prospect Park Archives/Bob Levine Collection

Highlights from the Bob Levine Collection

February 18, 2019

You may recognize from past Throwback Thursdays that many of Prospect Park Alliance’s archival materials come from one person: Bob Levine. His collection spans more than a century of Brooklyn’s Backyard and includes thousands of archived postcards, photographs, maps and drawings of the park. But who is this collector extraordinaire? 

Take a look at some of the highlights of the collection, selected by Bob Levine himself. 

A Brooklyn native and Prospect Park enthusiast, Levine has, in his own words “circled Prospect Park.” He grew up on Ocean Parkway, lived as a young man along Ocean Avenue and is now settled in Park Slope. “I always loved nature,” says Levine of his connection to the park, “it just felt like a natural draw.” As a child in the 1960s, he played little league at the Parade Ground and explored the park’s vast nature trails. When, in his teens, he developed an affinity for collecting remnants of the past, it was only natural that Prospect Park was a subject he gravitated towards.

Levine initially made a connection with Prospect Park Alliance in the 1990s. At the time, he ran a program that helped autistic members of community find work. The Alliance had a call out for volunteers, and Levine and his group helped clean the Lake. Levine then made a connection with Alliance archivist Amy Peck to share his bounty of archival findings. 

Today, Levine is still actively adding to his collection of Prospect Park historic materials, and much to the delight of Prospect Park Alliance and the park community, still contributing to the Prospect Park Archives.

Park Checklist: 7 Ways To Enjoy Winter

January 15, 2019

Every season is wonderful in its own way, and we love winter in Prospect Park! From snow-day activities to school break programs, here are 7 recommendations from Prospect Park Alliance to get you out of the house and into the park this season.

  1. Head to the LeFrak Center at Lakeside: It’s time to get out on the ice in Prospect Park. From a day of skating with friends, to  curling, hockey and more, visit the park’s state-of-the-art skating rink this season while the weather is still cold. 
  2. Enjoy family fun at the Audubon Center and Lefferts Historic House: Prospect Park’s beloved Audubon Center and Lefferts Historic House have plenty of exciting programming coming up this winter. Stop by both sites for Lunar New Year activities, including paper-lantern making at Lefferts, and a variety of activities during Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the Presidents Week school break.  
  3. Take a Winter Walk: If summer crowds aren’t your scene, the colder months are the perfect time of year to explore the park’s 585 acres of meadow, forest and lake. Take a look at our suggestions for winter walks that take advantage of the season. 
  4. Tennis, anyone? It can be hard to suit up for exercise in sub-zero temperatures, but the Prospect Park Tennis Center has you covered, literally. Heated, indoor courts are the perfect place to get a work out, with friends or in classes, while supporting Brooklyn’s Backyard.  
  5. Winter Birdwatching: Brush off the binoculars, because winter is the perfect time for birdwatching in Prospect Park! With the leaves off the trees throughout the park, spotting birds is easy–and Prospect Park is a world-renowned location to spot our avian pals. Learn more about birdwatching in the park, including upcoming birdwalks in January and February.
  6. Sledding in Prospect Park: While our winter is off to a mostly snow-free start, our fingers are crossed for flurries in the forecast and plenty of sledding days in the park. Check out our list of top Prospect Park sledding locations, and see you next blizzard!
  7. Take in our Prospect Park exhibition at Brooklyn Historical Society–last chance! An offsite checklist suggestion, head to the Brooklyn Historical Society to check out The Means of a Ready Escape: Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, an exhibition presented in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance that celebrates the founding vision of the Park, and traces its social and historical trajectories. Hurry, this exhibition closes February 10!

Learn more about upcoming events in Prospect Park.