Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Dispatch From The McCarren Park Pool
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Criminal Activity, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
A person we’ll call “E” writes (in an email entitled “McCarren Pool/Hot Tip!” at 6:33 p.m.):
the pool is lovely. up until the lifeguards tried to get someone to stop doing something. lifeguard jumped in the pool. another got pushed in. fracas! punches were thrown, not too many people involved. they kicked everyone out and closed the poop an hour early. 2 squad cars and 2 unmarked cars were on the scene. alas, no photos.
Interesting/relevant fact: We used to have a Parks Enforcement Police “PEP” Officer in our district. The powers-that-be got rid of him. Happy Friday.
UPDATE, 8:33 p.m.: Here’s the 411 per 94th Precinct’s Community Affairs office:
No riot… Just a fight involving 3 people and then a lifeguard tried to intervene (and) got hit by accident (no injuries).
Thus, the person witnesses saw taken away in an ambulance was a lifeguard— and the above missive from the 94th intimates his injuries were not severe. Does this mean this incident isn’t worrisome? It is. What transpired today raises (in my opinion) a very important question:
Exactly what IS the protocol at the McCarren Park Pool for handling emergencies— be it a fight, a medical emergency, accident, etc.?
Unlike McCarren Park (or any park here, for that matter) pool users probably do not have cell phones handy to call 911 if /when an emergency arises— so who does? Thoughts/information, anyone?
P.S.: While I am fairly certain “E” meant “pool” in the third sentence, it gave me an opportunity to share one of my favorite parts of Caddyshack (and there are many). Such is one of the perks of being one’s own editor.
P.S. #2: Why is it whenever something bad happens at McCarren Park it is located in Greenpoint?
I’d really like to know.
Spotted On Franklin Street: Illegal Advertising On Public Property
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
It would appear that OSA, Open Space Alliance, is employing illegal “street art” advertisements on street signs for their concerts. In a landmarked district, no less. Given the litigious nature of this organization and the fact it is a “private/public partnership” I find this very interesting. The fact this was erected by Leviticus is pure gravy. When I want to feel dirty I read those passages.*
Miss Heather
*The best pornography I have ever read is found in the Bible. Period.
McCarren Park Rocker Watch: 9/4/2010
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Street Furniture, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
The McCarren Park rocker, as first seen a week ago, has since migrated to the rug.
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Defend Greenthumb Gardens!
Filed under: 10002, 10003, 10009, 10012, 11101, 11104, 11201, 11205, 11206, 11211, 11215, 11216, 11217, 11221, 11222, 11231, 11237, 11372
This item comes from a fellow flower lover in north Brooklyn. She writes:
The agreement between the City of NY and the NY State Attorney General that has been protecting community gardens for the past 8 years is set to expire in September.
The City of NY recently published Proposed Rules for community gardens under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Housing, Preservation, and Development.
The AG’s agreement referred to itself as a “protocol for preservation and development of GreenThumb gardens” — some community gardens were given up for development, some were “subject to development” and 198 community gardens were “offered to the Parks Department or land trusts for preservation as community gardens or open space.”
The word “preservation” appears nowhere in the proposed rules. In a nutshell, the rules essentially make new NYC community gardens not owned by land trusts or Parks subject to development after a review process.
This is a sea change for community gardeners. Though the city has said they do not intend to develop community garden sites, this is little consolation for gardeners who fear the protections that allowed their community gardens to thrive for the past 8 years are being stripped away.
Green Guerillas has been supporting the untiring efforts of the NYC Community Garden Coalition (NYCCGC) as they have negotiated with the city, mobilized community gardeners, and made a strong case for why community gardens can and should be preserved.
Green Guerillas also mailed out 550 copies of the rules to community garden groups across the city and co-sponsored with NYCCGC an information session to help community gardeners understand the issues so they can mobilize support in their neighborhoods.
We could make an emotional appeal for why you should voice your support for preserving community gardens, but we would not do a better job than the New York Times – read their editorial HERE.
What can you do?
…Attend the upcoming public hearing: The city will be holding a public hearing on August 10th at 11 AM at the Chelsea Recreation Center at 430 W. 25th Street (between 9th & 10th Avenues) – closest trains are the C, E at 23rd Street or A at 34th Street. (To testify, you must notify Associate Counsel, Ms. Laura LaVelle at the Arsenal via telephone at (212) 360-1335 or e-mail at laura.lavelle@parks.nyc.gov by August 9, 2010.)
View and comment on the rules on the City of NY website HERE.
If you prefer to put pen (or ink cartridge) to paper, submit comments to General Counsel, Mr. Alessandro G. Olivieri, Department of Parks and Recreation, The Arsenal, Central Park, 830 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10065.
Call 311 and tell them you would like to comment on the Proposed Park Rules as published in The City Record.
As arduous and boring as this legalese is you should read it. Especially this passage:
Given tour Parks Person (and “Open Space Advocate”) has seemingly seen fit to obstruct Nick’s Garden/Red Gate Garden’s Greenthumb paperwork it makes one wonder who she’s serving. Is it the people using said parks? I think not.
The dead tree that graces the beginning of this post is a testament to her folly. It was one of the many trees planted by the Boy Scouts of America last April at her behest and due to neglect (no watering) and poor placement (being pissed on by humans and canines) died. They since have been removed. I suppose our “Parks Person” finds “carpet-bagging” concerts and fund-raisers more compelling? I can’t blame her. She has no public administration or horticultural knowledge at all. She formerly hails from Wall Street. It”s all about the money.
Which is, I can assure you, what this revision of the Greenthumb rules is about. Cashing in.
Miss Heather
Now At McGolrick Park: Baggies & Dead Squirrels
Filed under: 11222, Criminal Activity, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic
I have long been remiss in checking out how things are shaking across McGuinness Boulevard. Namely, McGolrick Park. Fortunately I got a much-needed reminder via an email from an anonymous tipster. He/she writes:
…Used needles are being found in the woody garden areas of McGolrick by Nassau. That’s the scarey part, but I am awaiting confirmation because this was third hand info…
I decided to go down there and see if I could find any. First up, the good news: I didn’t.
And now the bad news: it became all too clear from the get-go someone has a pretty brisk business selling and/or consuming illegal intoxicants— especially around Nassau Avenue and Russell Street. Without further ado here is a slide show featuring the rainbow assortment of baggies I found on my sojourns. I have tossed in a few shots of dead squirrels I found as well. Why, you ask? Because one would think the Parks Department would be “on” that kind of thing. Enjoy!
Miss Heather
Update, 6:12 p.m.: I have received an email regarding “activity” at McGolrick park from someone who wishes to remain anonymous. He/she writes:
I live on McGolrick Park and have seen more drug activity lately- came home from work one day to a woman nodding out in her car parked in front of my apt.- car door was wide open and she was seriously messed up. I called the cops and they were uninterested. I asked them to come because I figured if she tried to drive in her condition it would be dangerous. They asked if I had “seen her commit a crime” and I said no, but obviously they might want to check into the situation and they refused.
Spotted At Barge Park: A Royal Flush
No, make that two royal flushes!
It looks like we have finally gotten our temporary crappers, Greenpointers!
What’s more they’re actually clean! Will the wonders ever cease?
Miss Heather
P.S.: I have also word from Miss Mousey Brown two port-o-lets have been placed by the handball courts at McCarren Park. Click here and see ’em for yourself! On a related note, Monday, July 26, at 4:00 p.m. Parks Moms will be having a walk-through at McCarren Park. What’s the purpose, you ask? Here’s the 411 per the email I received:
THE IDEA IS TO WALK THE WHOLE PARK, POINT OUT, AND LIST THINGS THAT NEED FIXING/IMPROVEMENT (both short and long term) AND DETERMINE WHAT IS NEEDED FROM OSA/PARKS/THE COMMUNITY/PARKS GROUPS TO GET THESE THINGS DONE. This meeting has a practical, get-things-done and work-together intent. Right now we will try to especially focus on “the “low hanging fruit” as Kate Z. so succinctly put it- things that can realistically get done now to improve McCarren!
WE WANT TO MAKE A “QUICK” WALK-THROUGH AND THEN FOLLOW UP WITH (OPTIONAL) COFFEE/HAPPY HOUR AT LOKAL FOR ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION/NETWORKING OR JUST PLAIN RELAXING.
Park Mom’s McCarren Walk-Through
July 26, 2010 starting at 4:00 p.m.
McCarren Park, meet at the corner of Bedford Avenue and Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: Transmitter Park
While hardly the most comely of open spaces (although has attained some popularity with a certain segment of the population, as seen above) I have it on very good intelligence WNYC Transmitter “Playground” could be shuttered as early as next Tuesday, August 27. Why, you ask? Because they will need time to make preparations for the ground-breaking ceremony that will come to pass August 3, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. Who knew wood chips needed so much fussing over?
WNYC Transmitter Park Groundbreaking Ceremony
August 3, 2010 at 11:30 a.m.
Greenpoint Avenue and (roughly) West Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222
In closing it has been brought to my attention that a fig tree graces this site. For those of you who are not in the know (I didn’t) apparently fruit-bearing trees are not allowed on city park land. If you are interested in giving this tree a forever home please shoot me an email at: missheather (at) thatgreenpointblog (dot) com. I will forward it to the appropriate parties. Thanks!
Miss Heather
Spotted In McCarren Park: Call-A-Head
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Dung of the Day, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Other Shit, Vomit, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
As I mentioned in this post we, the people of north Brooklyn, have been promised by the peeps of OSA (Open Space Alliance North Brooklyn) a handful of port-o-johns to help augment the rather inadequate— and in some cases downright disgusting— facilities which currently grace our public parks. While not what I consider to be an ideal solution (they should be repairing and upgrading existing facilities; and breaking ground for new ones) today I had a glimmer (or would that be a whiff) of hope. At the corner of North 12 and Berry Street to be precise.
Not one, not two, but three port-o-potties! But wait— there’s a catch.
All save one are locked! Perhaps to be dispatched to elsewhere? I can only hope so. In any case I decided to check out the one that was open to the public.
If it is any consolation, dear readers, this smelled worse than it looks.
Methinks another inspection is in order. But why cry over spilled vomit?
Shortly thereafter I discovered that Bushwick Inlet Park has received its promised privy! Two down, two to go…
Miss Heather
Image Credits: The photograph gracing the beginning of this post hails from Sergeant Dougherty Playground and was taken by yours truly.
From The New York Shitty Inbox: More About Abate
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Remember L, the guy who was complaining about homeless people sleeping and urinating at the Abate Playground? Well, he’s back— and not the least bit happy. He writes:
Hey, so I’ve been taking pictures of the Vincent V. Abate playground for the last month to show how gross the park has become, literally the same garbage and litter has been in the same place for almost a month now and I see parks people with their little garbage sticks at the park everyday and nothing happens??? What the hell do they do when they’re there?? Here are some pics if you want to use them on your site (note, none of them are from July 4 or 5th, that seems to be the excuse all the time, “oh well these are obviously the day after such and such holiday”)
Without further ado here they are. Enjoy!
Miss Heather
Quicklink: $86,528 A Year
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
That’s what we— the taxpayers— are paying to look at such niceties as what you see to the left: a man surrounded by rubbish urinating on a tree on a Saturday evening at McCarren Park. My favorite excerpt:
…In 2008, Stephanie Thayer became director of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn – and the Parks Department’s director of North Brooklyn Parks.
Records show Thayer got $86,528 from the city. She said her work for the nonprofit is voluntary.
“I’m still fighting the good fight,” she said. “I’m just doing it in a different way.”
Miss Heather
Photo Credits: Miss Mousey Brown
NYS Flickr Pool
You must be logged in to post a comment.