A blog about our Brooklyn neighborhood.
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Friday, March 16th, 2012
Spend time outside enjoying nature while helping to keep Prospect Park clean this weekend. Families can take a tour of the Park and its waterways and help keep it clean along the way.
Gloves, garbage bags and trash grabbers will be provided. Meet at the Audubon Center.
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Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
How should cars, bikes, and pedestrians use the road in Prospect Park so that it’s safe for everyone? Head to the meeting tonight to hear the Road Sharing Taskforce proposal, and be surrounded by a lot of agitated people and a ton of press.
Public Meeting: Sharing the Park Drives
Tuesday, February 28, 6pm
Picnic House in Prospect Park
For more information, contact Prospect Park at 718-965-8951 or info@prospectpark.org.
Thursday, February 9th, 2012
Blue Jay, originally uploaded by carryboo.
And that about does it for bird week (as I’m out of bird photos)! Now that you’ve seen some of the birds that are common in our neighborhood, why not see the broader spectrum that live in Prospect Park? If you’re a bird lover, consider heading to the park this Saturday and Sunday for the Great Backyard Bird Count, where you can enjoy the outdoors (bundle up) and help Audubon Naturalists track North American bird populations.
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
Prospect Park will have some great programming each day the kids are off from school from February 20-24:
* The Audubon Center is showing the Discovery Channel series Life at the Boat House all week. Stop by from 12-3pm to learn about the natural history of life on earth, from the strange to the mundane (but all fascinating). Limited seating; groups of 10 or more must call 718-287-3400 x303 for a reservation.
* The Lefferts Historic House is hosting Winter Festival: Coming in from the Cold each day (including the weekends before and after the recess) from 1-3pm. Step back in time and learn some board games that are still fun, even with the advancement of video games.
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Monday, February 6th, 2012
The next Prospect Park Litter Mob meets from 9am to 12pm tomorrow, Tuesday, February 7. Volunteers are always welcome and encouraged to join the effort to clean up the Midwood section of the park. Of course that’s tough for most people on a weekday, but if you’re available, do consider helping.
Contact Inge De Taeye at ingedetaeye [at] gmail [dot] com if can go, and see their website for more information and directions.
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Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
After a few high-profile accidents on the Park Drives in Prospect Park last year, the Road Sharing Taskforce was created to examine how the full range of Park users (runners, walkers, competitive cyclists, recreational bikers, etc.), use the Park Drives, and how it can be done safely.
On Tuesday, February 28 at 6pm, the Road Sharing Taskforce will present the recommendations it made to Parks and DOT on how Park users can safely utilize the Park Drives. If you use the Park in any way, you are welcome to attend the meeting.
Taskforce Members include:
• Department of Parks and Recreation (Prospect Park Administration)
• Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Fellowship For The Interests of Dogs & Their Owners (FIDO)
• Jack Rabbit Sports
• Kissena Cycling Club
• New York Police Department (78th Precinct)
• Office of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz
• Office of NYC Council Member Brad Lander (39th District)
• Park Enforcement Patrol
• Prospect Park Alliance Playground Committee
• Prospect Park Community Committee
• Prospect Park Senior Residence
• Prospect Park Track Club
• Transportation Alternatives
Public Meeting: Sharing the Park Drives
Tuesday, February 28, 6pm
Picnic House in Prospect Park
For more information, contact Prospect Park at 718-965-8951 or info@prospectpark.org.
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
Here’s another way you can give your loved one a tree this Valentine’s Day: You can dedicate one in Prospect Park.
You can choose to have the park plant a new sapling as part of their forest restoration program for $75, or for $100 you can contribute to the communal Arbor Day tree, which is open for multiple donors to contribute to, and all Arbor Day Tree donors will be invited to the tree planting on Arbor Day 2012 (4/27). All contributions are tax deductible. With each contribution, they will send you, or the recipient of the gift, a special Valentine’s Day certificate.
Orders must be placed by 12 noon on Thursday, February 9 in order for the paper certificate to be received by Valentine’s Day.
For more information contact Phyllis Sears at 718-965-8977 or psears@prospectpark.org, or visit the website.
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Friday, January 27th, 2012
February event cancelled due to heat! Winter Jam 2012 at Prospect Park, scheduled for February 4, has been cancelled due to the crazy “winter” weather we’ve been having (see: daffodils).
“It is simply too warm to make snow, and the long-range weather forecasts and current ground temperatures make it extremely unlikely that snow could be made,” Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said in a written statement.
It’s been a weird year for winter weather around the country. Are you missing the snow?
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
It’s too soon to know if Winter Jam NYC 2012 will have any natural snow on the ground, but they’ll make sure there is plenty of the machine-made stuff so you can enjoy winter sports in Prospect Park. The free annual festival takes place the first Saturday of February (the one weekend the Q train work is taking a break).
You can try out winter sports like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, skiing, and snowboarding for the first time, right in our backyard. Equipment is provided at no cost, or bring your own. More experienced skiers and snowboarders can register to compete in the Prospect Park Jam, hosted by Red Bull.
There will also be some vendors selling snacks at the Pride of New York Winter Market, a Zagat Warming Lounge, and information about NY state ski resorts.
Winter Jam NYC
Saturday, February 4, 11am to 4pm
Prospect Park Long Meadow (by the Picnic House)
Monday, January 23rd, 2012
Littering doesn’t stop during the winter months, so neither does the Prospect Park Litter Mob, who will be meeting tomorrow morning to clean up the Midwood section of the park.
The weather should be fairly mild, so if you are available, please consider joining their efforts. Surgical gloves are provided, so is hand sanitizer, but bring your own warm or work gloves.
The Litter Mob meets tomorrow, Tuesday, January 24 at 9am on Center Drive (directions here). Please contact Inge De Taeye at ingedetaeye [at] gmail [dot] com if you’ll be going.
The next Litter Mob will meet on February 7.
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Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
If you didn’t make it to Cortelyou Road with your old electronics this fall, you can bring them to Prospect Park this Sunday, January 15 between 10am and 4pm for the Lower East Side Ecology Center’s 9th Annual “After the Holidays” e-waste event.
The drop-off point is on the other side of the park at Prospect Park West and 3rd Street. A list of what is and isn’t accepted can be found here.
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Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
A head’s up for those with kids looking for wintertime activities and those looking for a Prospect Park pit stop: The Prospect Park Audubon Center and the Lefferts Historic House will be closed to the public for a month, from January 3 through February 3. Both will reopen February 4.
For alternatives, take a look at the Kensington Library events calendar for kids activities, and the Prospect Park interactive map for restroom options.
Thursday, December 22nd, 2011
We live in an amazing area where neighbors foster growth and improvement with endless encouragement and support. If you have someone who appreciates this neighborhood as much as you do, the best gift for them might be something that makes the neighborhood even better. Here are some organizations that could use your charitable donations this holiday season:
Cortelyou Library Friends Group
What it funds: Your donations can help support: new furniture in the children’s area, a drop-box container to return library items, and more.
How to donate: You can donate on behalf of someone in your life, and CLFG will send them the holiday e-card pictured above. Checks should be made out to Brooklyn Public Library, emphasis on memo line: Cortelyou Library Friends Group. Additional instructions can be found on this downloadable form.
CAMBA
What it funds: Donations go toward providing nutritious meals for families in need, keeping families safe and moving forward in the wake of domestic violence, and more.
How to donate: You can donate easily online, or by phone or mail–and note that if the company you work for has a gift matching program, you may be able to apply it to this, or any of these, donations. Check with your HR department.
Sean Casey Animal Rescue
What it funds: Donations fund their incredible rescue efforts, which this year included medical expenses for saving a snapping turtle that was hit by a car in Staten Island, along with the care of several other abused and neglected dogs and cats. And they’re still trying to raise money for a second, larger shelter.
How to donate: Donations can be made easily and securely online via PayPal.
Prospect Park
What it funds: Help the Park improve resources for children, revive the Park’s landscape (remember how many trees were lost during the hurricane?), promote community involvement, and raise the additional funding needed to augment a dwindling share of city and state tax dollars.
How to donate: Gift memberships to the Prospect Park Alliance can be made online or by phone or mail, and there is still an opportunity to buy a tree in someone’s name, though it’s too late to receive a certificate before Christmas.
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Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
Be a part of the Audubon’s 112th Christmas Bird Count this Saturday, December 17 at 12 and 3pm at Prospect Park.
For three weeks starting today, volunteers around the country brave the cold to do a bird count, and engage in a little friendly competition. The data is used by the Audubon and other organizations to assess the health of bird populations, and to help guide conservation action.
Christmas Bird Count
Prospect Park’s Audubon Center
Saturday, December 17, 12 & 3pm
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Monday, December 12th, 2011
The first Prospect Park Litter Mob of December is tomorrow, and if you’re free, the help is needed. Contact Marie if you can make it, and she reminds everyone to dress warmly! Here are the directions, and info on how to contact her.
Additionally, Marie, who has been leading this group of volunteers to clean up litter in the Midwood section of the park, will not be able to organize the group again until February. If you can commit to a few Tuesday morning trips, and maybe send out a recruitment email, take a few photos, and update the Litter Mob blog, please let her know.
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Tuesday, December 6th, 2011
Grab your Santa hats and running shoes! There’s still time to register for the annual Jingle Bell Jog, a four-mile race around Prospect Park organized by the New York Road Runners.
Proceeds benefit NYRR’s Youth Programs, and the entry fee includes a long-sleeve tech shirt, bells for your shoes, and post-run seasonal snacks and beverages. They’ve even put together a list of holiday songs that you might want to turn into the soundtrack for your run.
Jingle Bell Jog
Saturday, December 10, 9am
Prospect Park, starts on Center Drive
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Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
To try to get cyclists to slow down, hopefully preventing any more accidents with pedestrians, police say they will start handing out tickets to speeding bikers in Prospect Park. According to Park Slope Patch, the 78th Precinct will start by distributing flyers that outline the rules of the main drive this weekend…and then come the tickets, which will be issued for reckless riding.
In case you need a refresher, here are some of the biking rules of the park drives:
• Pedestrians always have the right of way.
• Cycling is permitted only on the main Park roadway, Center Drive, and Well House Drive. Cycling is not permitted on Park paths.
• The speed limit on the Drive is 25 mph.
• Cyclists must travel in a counter-clockwise direction and obey all traffic signals.
• When the Park Drive is closed to motor vehicles, use traffic lanes – the recreation lane is for runners and walkers.
• When the Park Drive is open to motor vehicles, use the right half of the recreation lane.
• By law, bicycles must be equipped with bells or similar warning device. Helmets are required for children under 14, and are suggested for everyone.
• By law, bicycles must be equipped with front and rear lights when operating before dawn and after dusk.
• Do not wear headphones.
• Signal for turns and lane changes. Be cautious when passing others and warn them of your presence.
• Only one rider per bicycle.
• Do not bike with dogs on a leash.
• Carry ID at all times.
Monday, November 28th, 2011
If you’ve got a holiday shopping list, I’ll bet there’s somebody on there that is impossible to shop for. You ask what they might like for a gift, and they say “world peace.” Well, if they enjoy Prospect Park, consider giving them the gift of a tree this year.
After a tough year that included a damaging hurricane, the Park could use your help, and who wouldn’t appreciate knowing there’s a tree out there planted on their behalf?
$75 Woodlands Restoration Sapling: You can dedicate a small sapling planting, which will be acknowledged with a special certificate, sent to you or the gift recipient. The sapling and its location will be selected by the Prospect Park Natural Resources Crew according to the needs of the forest restoration program. Note that due to the large scale of the planting projects, donors will not know the sapling’s location or species.
$100 Communal Arbor Day Tree: Each Arbor Day, a communal Tree is planted in Prospect Park. This tree is open for multiple donors to contribute to, and all Arbor Day Tree donors will be invited to the tree planting on Arbor Day 2012 (4/27/2012). Your gift will be acknowledged with a special certificate, sent to you or the gift recipient.
For more information, visit the Prospect Park Alliance website, or call 718-965-8977.
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Monday, November 21st, 2011
Last week’s Prospect Park Road Sharing Taskforce meeting drew around 100 people, and the discussion was heated–the road, which has been the site of several accidents recently, was compared to the Wild West and a bare-knuckle cage fight, reports the New York Times.
They also note that the cones, which were put in place as part of a new safety plan, seem to be confusing for some (the reporter saw an inline skater crash into a cone), but that they’re also helping to raise awareness of the safety problems. Has anyone been around the drive since the cones started being used? What do you think?
Meanwhile, one recent victim of an accident in the park is suing the city for $3 million, the Post reports. Windsor Terrace resident Dana Jacks was walking on West Drive in June when she was struck by a cyclist, putting her in critical condition with brain trauma and face and skull fractures, from which she is now recovering. Her suit claims the park has become dangerous and hazardous. She also sued the cyclist, David Sonenberg, who has counter-sued her for walking outside of the crosswalk and causing him injuries.
One hopeful idea raised at the meeting that a neighbor noted on the KWT Yahoo Group was for the possibility of a traffic study–not for cars, which was actually done a few years ago, but to measure cyclists, runners, and walkers who use the main drive. If nobody knows how many people use it, and how, then it’s difficult to determine the best way to serve them all, while keeping it safe.
Wednesday, November 16th, 2011
Following a high-profile accident between a pedestrian and cyclist, Prospect Park Administration reports that they are working with the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure the safe enjoyment of the Park Drives by everyone. In an effort to slow cyclists at crosswalks and remind them to yield to pedestrians, the DOT has introduced a pilot program on Prospect Park’s West Drive between Center Drive and Wellhouse Drive:
* Orange traffic barrels have been placed along the drive, narrowing the right lane of vehicle/cycling traffic into one lane.
* The narrower travel lane is expected to both slow traffic and alert drivers and riders to the upcoming pedestrian crossing.
* In addition, signs have been posted to alert cyclists that the intersection of West Drive and Wellhouse Drive (near Vanderbilt Playground) is a pedestrian crossing, as well as to remind pedestrians to use the crosswalk.
* This week, DOT will be placing a high visibility crosswalk at the intersection.
* NYPD is planning roving enforcement of yield-to-pedestrian laws as well.
Additionally, a reminder that tonight there is a meeting of the Prospect Park Road Sharing Taskforce at the Prospect Park Picnic House at 6pm. The public is welcome, so if you can, please attend and speak up about any concerns you may have.
Monday, November 14th, 2011
Following another terrible accident in Prospect Park in which a pedestrian was struck by a bicycle, leaving the pedestrian in critical condition and a medically-induced coma, the Prospect Park Road Sharing Taskforce will meet this Wednesday to discuss safety along the Park Drives.
The Taskforce was created earlier this year in response to a number of accidents between pedestrians and cyclists. One such incident over the summer led to a petition for better safety measures, like better yielding devices and more enforcement.
The meeting is open to the public, so if you’ve got concerns, please show up and voice them.
For more information, contact Eric Landau, Vice President of Government and Community Affairs, Prospect Park Alliance, at 718-965-8953 or elandau@prospectpark.org.
Prospect Park Road Sharing Taskforce Meeting
Prospect Park Picnic House
Wednesday, November 16, 6pm
Monday, November 7th, 2011
Bats are known to roam Prospect Park–during each of the past few summers, naturalist Paul Keim has led Twilight Tours that feature bat sightings–but has anyone else ever seen them outside of the park?
People are understandably nervous about bats, what with the potential for rabies, but bats do provide some ecological help, like keeping down the mosquito population (maybe we need more bats in the park?). For the curious, here are some tips for building your own bat house, which helps bats find homes as their habitats dwindle.
Friday, November 4th, 2011
More opportunities to be asocial in a public park are now available courtesy of AT&T. Beginning today, you can access free AT&T WiFi at the Prospect Park Picnic House. Now freelancers can hunker down in the shade of trees, and families don’t have to interact at an outing if they don’t want to.
The free WiFi is also available now at Pier 1 at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Marcus Garvey Park in Manhattan. The launch is part of a five-year digital initiative to provide free WiFi at 26 locations in 20 New York City parks across the five boroughs. It’s currently available at about half of them.
Monday, October 24th, 2011
People who have flexible schedules and a love of Prospect Park take note: the 13th Prospect Park Litter Mob meets tomorrow morning next Tuesday (rescheduled) to clean up the beautiful Midwood section of the park.
Litter Mob 13
Tuesday, November 1, 9am
Prospect Park (directions and RSVP info)
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Monday, October 10th, 2011
It’s My Park Day is an opportunity for neighbors to spruce up parks across the city. You can find a list of events at their volunteer site, but there aren’t any listed for our area. However, there are a couple not on the list that I know of, and if you are aware of any others, please list them in the comments.
West Midwood Fall Bulb Planting
Saturday, October 15, 10am – 12pm
The West Midwood Neighborhood Association’s Fall Bulb Planting Event will bring neighbors together to plant daffodil bulbs on the Glenwood Mall between Coney Island Avenue and the subway tracks. Lots of hands on deck are needed. RSVP to Joanne Finkel at 347-661-7100.
Prospect Park
Saturday, October 22, 10am – 2pm
If you’re unavailable every other Tuesday to help with the Litter Mob, then this is your weekend chance to clean up the park. On It’s My Park! Day, volunteers will gear up with brooms, shovels, rakes and trash grabbers to clean up Lookout Hill. Meet at Wellhouse Drive. Enter the Park at Prospect Park Southwest and Vanderbilt.
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