Tag: Volunteer

Enjoy Prospect Park with a Winter Checklist

January 14, 2025

Brooklyn’s Backyard has fun to offer in every season, even on the coldest of days. Whether you’re looking for that perfect New Year’s resolution to lend a hand to your community this year, or searching for seasonal fun to make the most of colder temperatures, we’ve put together 7 activities in a Prospect Park Winter Checklist for a winter well-spent.

1. Sledding in Prospect Park

Both through nature and by design, Prospect Park’s landscape is dotted with rolling hills, which makes it prime territory for winter sledding on a snowy winter day. When conditions are right, make sure to check out the top sledding destinations in Brooklyn’s Backyard. See you on the next snow day!

2. Winter Birdwatching
Brush off the binoculars! While winter may seem like a quiet time, Brooklyn’s Backyard continues to be bustling with feathered friends throughout the park. Make the most of the season with leaf-less trees to spot exciting species that frequent the park in the winter. Learn more about the 250+ bird species that can be spotted in Prospect Park, and join an upcoming Saturday morning Introduction to Birdwatching Walk with the Brooklyn Bird Club.

3. Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside
Glide into the new year at Prospect Park’s two open-air ice skating rinks! Enjoy a day of open-air skating, take ice bumper cars for a spin, try your hand at hockey and more for cold weather fun.

4. Take a Winter Walk
If summer crowds aren’t your scene, the colder months are the perfect time of year to explore Prospect Park’s 585 acres of meadow, forest and Brooklyn’s only Lake. Take a look at our suggestion for a scenic winter walking route to take advantage of the season.

5. Volunteer in Prospect Park
Explore your park while giving back to the park you love. Join Prospect Park Alliance for Winter Corps volunteer events on Wednesdays from 10 am–1 pm through February 26. Assist in raking, minor shoveling, litter pick up, and other landscaping needs to help Brooklyn’s Backyard thrive this season.

6. Enjoy family fun at the Audubon Center
Don’t miss family friendly nature education activities! Visit the Boathouse for mid-winter recess from February 17–21 to get to know the plants and animals that call Brooklyn’s Backyard home through seasonal discovery stations, animal encounters and a winter wilderness walk and more. Plus, don’t miss upcoming school holiday hours at the Boathouse.

7. Fuel Up to Brave the Cold
Savor Prospect Park bites and eats during your time in the park. Stop by the two new Prospect Park concessions that opened in 2024—Poetica Coffee at the Willink Plaza Entrance of the park, or Purslane Cafe at the Prospect Park Boathouse. Don’t forget about the delicious pastries and sandwiches from WINNER, the authentic breakfast tacos from King David’s Tacos or a warm drink from Bluestone Cafe. Plus, keep an eye out for Lark by the Park in the Spring and check out fresh, locally grown produce and more at GrowNYC’s two year-round greenmarkets in Prospect Park.

Complete your 2025 Winter Checklist? Learn more about more upcoming events in Prospect Park.

c. Elizabeth Keegin Colley

8 Ways to Welcome Fall in Brooklyn’s Backyard

October 8, 2024

Fall has arrived in Prospect Park, and just around the corner is a vibrant display of red, orange, and yellow foliage. As the air turns crisp, Prospect Park Alliance has plenty of ideas for how you can celebrate the season in Brooklyn’s Backyard. Did you know the park is home to 30,000 trees and miles of woodland trails? Take a Fall foliage walk to truly enjoy the season. Also try your hand in birdwatching: according to a number of bird experts, this weekend alone hundreds of thousands of birds will pass through the City on their way south for the winter during a major spike in migration, which will continue all season long. Here’s your guide to experiencing the best of fall in our beloved park:

1. Fall Foliage Walks

Check out Prospect Park Alliance’s favorite walking route for fall foliage destinations this autumn. From vibrant vistas at the Peninsula, colorful hues on Lookout Hill, tall maples and London Planes along the Nethermead and Lullwater, and much more. Don’t miss the peak of fall foliage right around the corner, near the end of October!

2. Soar Into Fall Migration Season

Fall bird migration is in full swing, and Prospect Park is the place to be. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, Prospect Park is a haven for birds in all seasons, with 200+ species of resident and migratory birds. Autumn is an especially notable time for bird sightings as countless feathered friends embark on their lengthy journey to warmer climates. The park is a crucial rest stop for these species providing a critical haven for migratory birds to fuel up on seeds, berries and insects and find valuable protection as they venture south. Join the Brooklyn Bird Club and Prospect Park Alliance for Prospect Park Fall Migration Walks on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in October.

3. Volunteer in the Park: Park Pitch-Ins, Fall Fix Ups + Junior Volunteer Corps

Free, RSVP Required

Fall also presents an amazing time to deepen your commitment to Brooklyn’s Backyard by becoming a volunteer. From one-day Park Pitch-in, Fall Fix Up and Junior Volunteer Corps events, to more committed opportunities to work alongside Prospect Park Alliance gardeners with our EcoZone Volunteer Crew, there are many ways to get involved, stay active and enjoy the park in peak fall foliage season.

4. Explore Nature at the Prospect Park Audubon Center

Learn more about nature with your little ones during free fall nature activities at the Audubon Center at the Boathouse Saturdays and Sundays through November. Make art out of fallen leaves, introduce your child to animals in the Audubon Center’s collection and explore on a fall nature walk to learn more about how the park’s insect and plant life prepare for seasonal changes. Plus, enjoy Friday Wellness Walks starting from the Boathouse and strolling through fall park beauty including scenic trails along the Lullwater, Peninsula, Midwood or Waterfall. Want to bring your little, little ones along? Join for Stroller Walks past park waterways and through fall foliage on Thursdays through November.

5. Enjoy Fall Carousel Rides

Take an autumn ride on Prospect Park’s beloved 1912 Carousel. Open Thursdays–Sundays, and holidays, 12–5 pm, this treasured historic attraction features magnificent carved horses, lions, giraffes and deer. Plus, don’t be scared when you see the Carousel haunted on October 22, 23 and 31! Take a spin on the spooky ride to your favorite Halloween jams at the beloved, magical landmark in the Children’s Corner.

6. View Public Art in Brooklyn’s Backyard

Visit the Long Live J’ouvert Pop Up Installation, on-view at the tollbooth outside of Lefferts Historic House through Sunday, November 3 celebrating the powerful traditions of the Caribbean diaspora and Carnival season. Plus, don’t miss ReImagine Artist in Residence, Adama Delphine Fawundu’s site specific installation Ancestral Whispers. The collection is informed by Prospect Park Alliance’s research into the lives of Africans enslaved by the Lefferts family. View the exterior installation daily + view the interior installation during open hours from 12–4 pm on Saturdays + Sundays through December 1.

7. Free Fitness Walks for Adults 60+

Free, RSVP

Join Prospect Park Alliance and Heights and Hills for Free Fitness Walks in Prospect Park for Adults Ages 60+ this fall on Thursdays from October 17 through November 7. Led by Matt Abrams, Director of the Park Slope Center for Successful Aging, these group walks are a great way to explore the park and get tips on how to stay active—especially for those with arthritis.

8. Ace the Season at the Tennis Center

Register for Programs

Prefer an indoor activity this fall? The indoor tennis season kicks off Monday, October 21 at the Prospect Park Tennis Center. Register little ones of any age and any level of experience for intensive group instruction through the Junior Development Program. Or work on your tennis skills on your own or with friends through the Adult Beginner Classes or the more advanced Adult Tennis Program. Sign up for a seasonal court or lessons today.

City of Forest Day in Prospect Park

Join Prospect Park Alliance at the third annual City of Forest Day on Saturday, October 26 in Prospect Park. Presented by Forest for All NYC in partnership with the Parks and Open Space Partners – NYC Coalition and NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, City of Forest Day is a day of activities across the city to raise awareness of the importance of the New York City urban forest, and the essential role New Yorkers play every day in caring for the “lungs” of our city. Prospect Park Alliance presents an array of activities to raise awareness and celebrate Brooklyn’s forest including tours of the park, nature education programming and a volunteer opportunity in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

Check out the full list of 80+ events happening across New York City!

Prospect Park Events:

Park Pitch In: City of Forest Day
11 am–2 pm
Willink Entrance, Free, Registration Required

In collaboration with BSE Global and National Grid, join Prospect Park Alliance for a Park Pitch In volunteer event on City of Forest Day, a city-wide effort to raise awareness and celebrate New York City’s urban forest. Prospect Park Alliance volunteers will plant over 300 trees and shrubs as well as perform weeding and tree bed care to restore Prospect Park’s beloved landscape, which has seen the loss of a significant number of ash trees since 2017 due to Emerald Ash Borer, a wood-boring beetle that is deadly to trees.

Each tree planted will count towards BSE Global and National Grid’s “Threes for Trees” initiative, which is committed to planting a tree in the Brooklyn community for every 3-point basket made by players from the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, Long Island Nets, and Nets GC during their regular season home games. Together we can help enrich our environment and provide green spaces for generations to come. Appropriate for groups, teens and adults.

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City of Forest Day: Nature Exploration
10 am–1 pm
Audubon Center, Free
Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Boathouse on City of Forest Day.

  • Leaf Art, 10–12 pm: Let’s have fun exploring the unique features of trees and their uniquely shaped leaves. Let your creativity flourish as you craft art inspired by nature.
  • Animal Encounter, 11 am–12 pm: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 11 am.
  • Fall Nature Walk, 12–1 pm: Join us as we discover the wonders of nature! Are you curious about how invasive insects, like the Spotted Lanternfly, prepare for winter? You’ll get hands-on experience in citizen science as we observe how insect and plant life prepare for seasonal changes. Plus, you’ll learn how to protect trees from pests. This program leaves the Audubon Center promptly at 12 pm.

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City of Forest Day: A History of Brooklyn’s Last Remaining Forest
10:30 am–12:30 pm
Prospect Park, Free, Registration Required
Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s largest and oldest forest, an important hotspot of biodiversity with over 30,000 trees of 200+ species. On this guided 1.5 mile walking tour with Prospect Park Alliance touring partner, Turnstile Tours, we will explore the history of the stewardship of this forest over the past 150 years, looking at some of the park’s oldest trees, exploring the management practices developed by park co-designer Frederick Law Olmsted, the work of the Alliance to restore these urban woodlands over the past 30 years, and contemporary challenges to forests due to climate change and invasive pests.

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Bangladeshi Ladies Club Nature Walk in Prospect Park
3–5 pm
Park Circle, Brooklyn, NY 11218, Free, Registration Required
Join the Bangladeshi Ladies Club, Council Member Shahana Hanif and Prospect Park Alliance for a relaxing and engaging nature walk in Prospect Park. Did you know that Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s last forest and only Lake? On this walk, members of the Ladies Club will take you through the park’s woodlands and lakeshore to explore the park’s beauty, including its many trees and birds. Following the walk, please join us for a reception with refreshments. Please note that this event is for members of the Bangladeshi community and the tour will be offered in English and Bangla.
The event is made possible through funding from Council Member Shahana Hanif.

বাংলাদেশি লেডিজ ক্লাব, কাউন্সিল মেম্বার শাহানা হানিফ এবং প্রস্পেক্ট পার্ক অ্যালায়েন্সের সাথে প্রস্পেক্ট পার্কে একটি শান্ত এবং আকর্ষণীয় প্রকৃতি ভ্রমণে যোগ দিন।আপনি কি জানেন যে প্রস্পেক্ট পার্কেই ব্রুকলিনের একমাত্র বন এবং হ্রদ অবস্থিত? এই প্রকৃতি ভ্রমণে, লেডিজ ক্লাবের সদস্যরা আপনাকে পার্কের বনাঞ্চল ও হ্রদের তীরভূমি পরিভ্রমণ করতে নিয়ে যাবেন, যেখানে আপনি বিভিন্ন গাছপালা ও পাখির সৌন্দর্য উপভোগ করতে পারবেন। এই ভ্রমণের পর আমাদের সাথে রিসেপশনে যোগদান করতে আমন্ত্রণ জানাচ্ছি, যেখানে হালকা নাস্তা এবং পানীয়র ব্যবস্থা থাকবে।

এই ইভেন্টটি কাউন্সিল মেম্বার শাহানা হানিফের অর্থায়নে সম্ভব হয়েছে।

 

c. Caroline Ourso

City of Forest Day in Prospect Park

September 20, 2023

Join Prospect Park Alliance at the second annual City of Forest Day on Saturday, October 14 in Prospect Park. Presented by Forest for All NYC in partnership with the Parks and Open Space Partners – NYC Coalition and NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, City of Forest Day is a day of activities across the city to raise awareness of the importance of the New York City urban forest, and the essential role New Yorkers play every day in caring for the “lungs” of our city. Prospect Park Alliance presents an array of activities to raise awareness and celebrate Brooklyn’s forest including nature education programming and a volunteer opportunity in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

Check out the full list of 70+ events happening across New York City!

Prospect Park Events:

Park Pitch In: City of Forest Day
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Free, Registration Required
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a Park Pitch In volunteer event on City of Forest Day, a citywide effort to raise awareness and celebrate New York City’s urban forest. Prospect Park Alliance volunteers will plant over 100 native trees to restore Prospect Park’s beloved landscape, which has seen the loss of a significant number of ash trees since 2017 due to Emerald Ash Borer, a deadly wood-boring beetle. Tree planting and other greening opportunities will be focused on the park entrance on Flatbush Avenue near Empire Boulevard, adjacent to the park’s Children’s Corner, and the surrounding park perimeter. This event is suitable for groups, teens and adults.

Park Pitch In: City of Forest Day is made possible thanks to funding from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Urban and Community Forestry Program, NYS Environmental Protection Fund and the USDA Forest Service.

City of Forest Day: Nature Exploration
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Free, no advance registration necessary
Join Prospect Park Alliance and Audubon New York for nature exploration activities at the Prospect Park Audubon Center on City of Forest Day, a citywide effort to raise awareness and celebrate New York City’s urban forest. Prospect Park is home to over 30,000 trees of more than 175 species. Each of these trees is an important part of our thriving wildlife habitat and home to many species of mammals, birds and bugs.

  • Morning Bird Walk, 9 – 10:30 am: Join Audubon New York for a bird walk starting and ending at the Prospect Park Audubon Center. This program leaves the Audubon Center promptly at 9:00 am. Binoculars will be provided but attendees are encouraged to bring binoculars if you have them.
  • Nature Around Us, 10 am – 1 pm: Enjoy different seasonal discovery stations and nature themed activities that will introduce you to the plants, insects and animals that call the park home. Learn how to use the iNaturalist App and identify species throughout our park ecosystem, view a trailer of a new documentary Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut, and more. Plus, visit the Audubon New York table from 10:30 am – 12 pm to learn more about birds and how to help them thrive.
  • Animal Encounter, 11 am – 12 pm: Join Prospect Park Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 11 am.
  • Family Nature Walk, 12 – 1 pm: Prospect Park is a stopping point for hundreds of bird species each year! Join us as we search for these amazing creatures and other nature around the park. Binoculars and bird guides are provided. This program leaves the Audubon Center promptly at 12 pm.
c. Martin Seck

September is Tree Appreciation Month!

September 6, 2023

September has arrived and Prospect Park Alliance is ringing in Tree Appreciation Month!

Be a Park Champion and help us extend our Summer of Stewardship into the fall. Prospect Park is home to over 30,000 trees of over 175 varieties—and each plays an essential role in keeping our human and wildlife communities healthy and happy. Take a look at some of the ways you can help celebrate and support the beloved trees of Brooklyn’s Backyard this season:

  • Remember to #BeAParkChampion: While the park’s trees may appear big and strong, like all living things they are susceptible to injury and disease. With over 10 million visitors in the park each year, the trees in Prospect Park need all of our support. Please do not hang hammocks or decorations from our trees, and avoid climbing or breaking branches. Remember to also stay on designated paths in the woodlands to protect fragile wildlife habitats to help our trees thrive for generations to come!
  • Fall Volunteering in the Park: Want to take a hands-on approach to caring for the park and its trees? Prospect Park Alliance has a full slate of fall volunteer opportunities. From our weekend Park Pitch In events to Junior Volunteer Corps for kids and families, there are many ways to lend a hand in your park. Plus, mark your calendars for City of Forest Day to celebrate NYC’s urban forest on Saturday, October 14!
  • Soar Into Fall Migration: Wonder what makes Prospect Park the best bed and breakfast in town for migrating birds in the fall months? Learn about the trees that provide birds with essential fuel and protection as they make their journey to warmer climates and learn about bird watching opportunities with the Brooklyn Bird Club.
  • Enjoy the Health Benefits of Nature: Get active outdoors in Prospect Park by taking part in one of the many free wellness opportunities offered this fall, from nature walks for adults ages 60+ and a fun-filled pop dance class, there is something for everyone to get active this season. 

Want to invite friends and family to join the fun? Send an Rx for Nature Today!

c. Elizabeth-Keegin-Colley

August is Waterways Appreciation Month

August 1, 2023

Did you know? The watercourse that flows through Prospect Park is a haven for fish, birds, turtles, frogs and plants. This August, we hope you’ll join us in being a Park Champion as we celebrate Waterways Appreciation Month.

Lend a Hand  in Brooklyn’s Backyard
All month long, Prospect Park Alliance has opportunities for you to lend a hand and support the park ecosystem. Join an upcoming Green + Go Kit or It’s My Park Day event to explore the park while tackling litter and helping with other greening opportunities throughout the park. Sign up to volunteer.

 

Enjoy Family-Friendly Waterway Exploration at Pop-Up Audubon
Visit the Prospect Park Audubon Center’s Pop-Up Audubon in August to enjoy a family-friendly waterway walk through the Ravine and learn about the many species of plants and animals that live alongside the park’s woodland waterfalls.

Fish Responsibly
Fishing is permitted in the Prospect Park Lake, and we ask all who participate to be Park Champions and follow the essential rules:

Explore 6 Tips on How to Care for the Lake with Every Visit
Wonder how you can help support the health of Brooklyn’s only Lake with each visit to the park? Check out 6 Lake stewardship tips, including carrying out litter, admiring animals from afar and more. Please remember that while the Lake is a cherished part of Brooklyn nature, it is not intended for swimming. Please take caution when near any waterbody and only swim at city pools and beaches where and when lifeguards are on duty.

Send a Loved One an Rx for Nature
Invite a loved one to join you for a visit to Prospect Park’s Watercourse and enjoy the health-boosting benefits of nature together. You and your Rx recipient will be entered to win a Prospect Park Alliance Family Supporter Level Membership so you can make the most of Brooklyn’s Backyard all year long!

Pledge to Be a Park Champion
Prospect Park is essential to the health and wellbeing of millions of community members and the hundreds of species of plants and wildlife that call Brooklyn’s Backyard home. Today, take an important step and pledge to Be a Park Champion, and enter to win great prizes.

Learn about the Park’s Watercourse
Take a free, self-guided audio tour of Prospect Park’s watercourse—a marvel of nature, history and eco-innovation. Prospect Park’s watercourse is a natural wonder but also a feat of engineering: home to the borough’s only Lake, the park’s watercourse is fed by the New York City water supply. The free, self-guided audio tour  provides a new perspective on the natural and human-made ecosystems found in Prospect Park, and its connection to New York City’s water supply.

Learn much more about being a Park Champion in Prospect Park.

Commemorate MLK Day in Prospect Park

January 2, 2023

Join Prospect Park Alliance to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Prospect Park with programming to give back to your community and learn about the environment around us in Brooklyn’s Backyard. Sign up for a volunteer opportunity to help keep Prospect Park vibrant, then make the most of the school holiday with family-friendly nature exploration opportunities including a winter wilderness walk, animal encounters, and more at the Audubon Center.

Day of Service: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Between 10 am – 1 pm, Music Pagoda, Free, Registration Required
Commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a day of service in Prospect Park. Make a difference on this official day of giving back to honor Dr. King’s legacy alongside communities across the country.

Join Prospect Park Alliance to care for your park by focusing efforts around the Music Pagoda in Brooklyn’s Backyard and spreading wood chips, raking leaves, removing litter and more. Families, teens and adults are welcome.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day School Holiday at the Prospect Park Audubon Center
12-4 pm, Prospect Park Audubon Center, Free
Join Prospect Park Alliance for indoor and outdoor nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.

  • Discovery Pack, 12–3 pm: Bundle up and explore Prospect Park with our Discovery Packs, a ready-to-go kit filled with nature activities for families.
  • Animal Encounter, 2–3 pm: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 2 pm.
  • Winter Wilderness Walk, 3-4 pm: Curious about animal tracks in the snow, how trees survive without leaves, or how bugs stay warm? Join an Alliance Naturalist for a tour of how plants and animals live in the winter months. This program leaves from the Audubon Center promptly at 3 pm.

Re:New Volunteers Tackle Summer

August 8, 2022

Volunteers with Prospect Park Alliance’s Re:New Initiative have been hard at work all summer long to keep Brooklyn’s Backyard green and vibrant. The Re:New initiative was launched in May of 2021 as a way to serve our community and meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the surge of visitors and increased use of the park. Since the program’s inception, Prospect Park Alliance has seen enthusiastic engagement from community members looking to lend a hand in Brooklyn’s Backyard. So far in 2022 alone the team has completed 20 Re:New volunteer events with over 145 participants– an ever-increasing number with weekly events throughout the year.

For over two years, the Re:New Volunteer Corps has met weekly in different locations to help with a variety of essential projects to improve and sustain Brooklyn’s Backyard and make marked change across the park. Tyrell Ingram, Prospect Park Alliance’s Volunteer Services Program Coordinator, works closely with the Re:New initiative and shared just how essential the volunteer corps has been to the park this season. “Even during this especially hot summer season we’ve had, volunteers have completed so much in their work. These projects work towards a broad range of maintenance and restoration: the group helps maintain the Alliance’s donor trees by regularly applying mulch where needed, removing litter and invasives, edging paths, painting benches and containers and much more.”

A transformational recent Re:New project where volunteers focused on the Lincoln Road Playground to place sand in the sandbox, remove weeds, and collect litter to beautify the playground. 

Volunteers recently mulched paths on Lookout Hill, edged paths along center drive, and removed bags of litter from the area with the Re:New Corps.

Volunteers at a recent July Re:New Volunteer Corps Event where the team focused efforts around Parkside + Ocean Avenue. Volunteers painted, removed over 20 bags of weeds and 30 bags of trash.

Want to get involved? Join Prospect Park Alliance this Fall at an upcoming  Re:New Volunteer Event held every Tuesday afternoon through November 22 and Friday mornings through August 26.

Learn more about volunteer opportunities in Brooklyn’s Backyard and get involved.

July is Lake Appreciation Month

July 6, 2022

Did you know? Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s only Lake, a 60-acre haven for numerous species of fish, birds, turtles, frogs and plants. The Lake also attracts plenty of human admirers, and this July, we hope you’ll join us in being a Park Champion as we celebrate Lake Appreciation Month.

Volunteer at the Lake
All July, Prospect Park Alliance has opportunities for you to lend a hand during Park Pitch In days! Join us for clean up projects on select Saturdays and Sundays—volunteers will be given grabbers, nets, and bags to help fish out trash from along the shoreline of our Lake. Appropriate for supervised youth ages 4-13, Teens and Adults. Sign up to volunteer.

Fish Responsibly
Fishing is permitted in the Prospect Park Lake, and we ask all who participate to be Park Champions and follow these simple rules:

Learn more on our Fishing page. 

Pledge to be a Park Champion
Prospect Park is essential to the health and wellbeing of millions of community members, and the hundreds of species of plants and wildlife that call Brooklyn’s Backyard home. Today, take an important step and pledge to Be A Park Champion, and enter to win great prizes.

Learn much more about being a Park Champion in Prospect Park.

Re:New Initiative Returns for 2022

May 9, 2022

Prospect Park is the place to be for our community, which is why Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit that sustains Brooklyn’s Backyard, is continuing the Re:New Prospect Park initiative for a second year. These efforts help serve our community to meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge of visitors in the park.

Due to the pandemic, Prospect Park Alliance lost critical funding which resulted in a reduced workforce and resources. This combined with an increase in park visitors led to the park getting much more love than it can handle. However, thanks to the support of our community of donors and volunteers over the past two years, the park has been able to weather the storm, and the Alliance is placing much-needed funds to continue our Re:New efforts in time for our busiest season.

“Prospect Park has been so important for all of us these last two years. Our community has supported the park as volunteers, donors and advocates, and enabled us to sustain this essential green oasis,” said Prospect Park Alliance Interim President James Snow. 

“During the pandemic, it was made abundantly clear just how vital parks are to the health and wellbeing of this city,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “As we continue to recover, our priority is to ensure that parks in all neighborhoods are clean, green and safe. We are so grateful for the support of our partners at the Prospect Park Alliance who share in our commitment through programs like the Re:New Initiative.”

Critical support for this initiative is made possible through generous funding from Amazon, and many generous individuals and community members who make annual contributions to the Alliance. Learn more about Prospect Park Alliance membership.

Re:New Prospect Park Initiatives

Park Maintenance
Prospect Park Alliance has partnered with ACE New York, a non-profit that empowers the homeless, to provide additional maintenance resources to help clean the park on peak weekdays and weekend evenings through October. In addition, the Alliance has brought on board four groundskeepers to help supplement NYC Parks maintenance crews during this busiest time of year. The crew is partially funded via a grant from Amazon.

“Prospect Park is a local gem offering healthy outdoor recreation to Brooklyn families,” said Carley Graham Garcia, Amazon’s Head of Community Affairs in New York. “This creative initiative offers new job opportunities, while ensuring Prospect Park continues to serve our local neighborhood especially as we head into the summer months. Amazon is thrilled to renew this partnership for Summer 2022.”

To support these efforts, Prospect Park Alliance is encouraging park visitors to carry out their trash via promotional signage at all park entrances. The Alliance has also installed large trash receptacles in key areas of the park.

Park Improvements
The Alliance will continue the re-investment in the park to tackle important improvement projects through funding from our community of donors. Work will take place to improve pedestrian pathways, repair stonework at the Lakeside esplanade and locations throughout the park, install new picnic tables at the Wellhouse barbecue area, and improve drainage throughout the park—an increasingly critical tool in improving the resilience of the park against major rain and flooding events.

In 2021, the Re:New initiative successfully brought improvements to every corner of the park. The Lincoln Road comfort station received a complete makeover, new barbecues, furnishings and fixtures were installed at the popular Picnic House and Bandshell barbecue areas, new benches were added to the beloved Drummer’s Grove, and broken ornamental brickwork at the historic Boathouse terrance was repaired.

Volunteer Opportunities
Prospect Park Alliance has brought back the popular Re:New Volunteer Corps—a weekly volunteer program that tackles park improvement projects made necessary by the high volume of visitors. The crew works alongside Alliance staff to maintain playgrounds, painting over unsightly graffiti, weed areas overgrown with invasive plants and repaint park benches and railings.

In 2021, the Re:New Volunteer Corps was a great success and the crew worked on a variety of park improvement projects. Over the course of the season, they removed 2.6 tons of invasive vines and weeds; filled 250 holes on the Long Meadow; replenished all playground sandboxes; and sanded and painted 270 linear feet of hand railing, 121 benches, 46 entrance bollards, and the 10 storage containers on Center Drive.

About Prospect Park Alliance
Prospect Park Alliance is the non-profit organization that sustains, restores and advances Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s Backyard, in partnership with the City of New York. The Alliance provides critical staff and resources that keep the Park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home. Learn more at prospectpark.org. 

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

About ACE
ACE was founded in 1992 and provides job-readiness training, work experience, all around support, and much more to New Yorkers who have histories of homelessness, incarceration and addiction. At ACE, men and women overcome barriers through hard work to reach their goals of full-time employment, economic self-sufficiency, and family reunification. Over 3,000 men and women have secured full-time employment through ACE’s programs. Learn more at acenewyork.org.