New York Shitty Video du Jour: Live From McCarren Park

It would appear that the Vagina Tree’s parting gift, a felled lamppost, has been re-purposed as a skateboard ramp.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Presentation Regarding Concerts at East River State Park & The Northside Festival

Given the complaints tendered at the last Community Board meeting regarding the concerts at East River State Park (and banter about banning them) I feel compelled to pass along this item. On May 3rd starting at 6:30 p.m., our Parks Advocate/Parks employee, Stephanie Thayer, along with a few other folks from Open Space Alliance North Brooklyn and the New York City Parks Department will be giving a presentation regarding the concerts slated to grace north Brooklyn this upcoming summer. Those of you who have had issues with these events in the past or simply want to learn more about them should make it a point to attend— and ask questions!*

Parks & Waterfront Committee Meeting
May 3, 2011 starting at 6:30 p.m.
Swinging 60’s Senior’s Center
211 Ainslie Street
Brooklyn, New York 11211

Miss Heather

*Here are a few for those who might feel inclined to ask:

  1. What measures will be put in place so as to mitigate the impact on the surrounding community, e.g.; noise abatement, trash pick-up, crowd control, etc.?
  2. What measures will be taken to ensure that issues which may arise at other park spaces will be addressed in a timely fashion? Or to put it differently: with the summer being peak season (and as such is more likely to have maintenance issues), how will a balance be achieved between operating these concerts and managing our parks?
  3. Exactly how much money is raised by these concerts for our parks versus money/manpower outlay-ed? Ask for specific figures.
  4. How have the aforementioned funds raised been allocated to date?

New York Shitty Day Starter: The American Playground

March 26, 2011 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

Kicking off this sunny— if brisk— weekend I present to you this bit of leisure time captured at the American Playground yesterday.

For those of you who are wondering, the area adjacent to 49 Noble Street is still cordoned off due to falling debris. For those of you keeping track this makes over three months and counting.

It would appear, however, that some kind of detritus catcher has been put in place. What can we expect in the way of action to follow this most auspicious development?

If this (from the Department of Buildings web site) is any indication, I’d say not much.

Miss Heather

Reader Contribution Du Jour: Live From Seventh Avenue & 38 Street!

Jeff Williams (who took the above photograph at 8:00 a.m. this morning) writes:

NYC snow clean up. Fail.

Closing on a note of delicious irony I leave you, dear readers, with something I beheld at McCarren Park at 7:30 p.m. last night!

UPDATE, 6:15 p.m.: it would appear Jeff sent the wrong photo! He writes:

Oops, sent the wrong pic…that was 38th and Broadway….here’s the real fail at 38 and 7th!

Miss Heather

Quicklink: Ignoble Street

January 18, 2011 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

Greenpoint residents have a message for the shadowy owner of a waterfront lot — tear down this fence! The chain-link fence bars traffic or pedestrians from the western end of Noble Street, which offers wonderful views of Manhattan and access to the waterfront. It is owned by firebrand developer Joshua Guttman, who owns the former Greenpoint Terminal Market building and several other sites nearby. The warehouse building was the site of a massive fire four years ago, and some believe that lax security led to the arson…

My buddy over at Queens Crap writes in regards to the above passage from this story by the Brooklyn Paper:

He’s kidding, right?

Who’s to say? What I want to know is if our “community leaders” and/or “open space advocates” have asked Mr. Guttman when he plans to conduct repairs on 49 Noble Street. As some of you might recall this building’s losing battle against the elements; lack of proper maintenance; and/or gravity resulted in the closure of part of the American Playground last December.

For those of you who are keeping track this barricade has been in place for one month now.

Miss Heather


The Word On The Street: Something For The Kids

January 16, 2011 ·
Filed under: 11211, The Word On The Street, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

From Jaime Campiz Playground.

Miss Heather

American Playground Watch: Before & After

January 3, 2011 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

On December 30, 2010 our Parks person wrote:

…We are doing all possible with the resources at hand.   Right now, Mother Nature giving a few sunny, non-freezing days would be the most helpful thing possible.

On January 1, 2011 Miss Heather writes (on the Community Board 1 Yahoo Group):

Today I saw a tractor cleaning up the sidewalk in front of Jerzy Popieluszko Square and a group of sullen Parks employees with a truck equipped with a plow at McGolrick Park. One employee was complaining on her cell phone that it was cold. Perhaps when our Parks advocate(s) are done pontificating/congratulating themselves and/or making excuses they could see fit to send these people/equipment my direction?

It would appear that Mother Nature not only gave us a few days of mercifully temperate weather but also a snow plow. Thank you, Mother Nature!

Miss Heather

Spotted At Father Jerzy Popieluszko Square: Snow Removal

I know, it seems incredible but I’ll swear on a stack of Bibles/Talmuds/Korans/Telephone Phone Books— whatever you want— it’s true! Better yet, why not watch for yourself. Seeing is believing!

Perhaps when our Parks Person is done lavishing a little love on Bedford Avenue she could send this guy over to the American Playground? It’s a mess.

But this is not to suggest there isn’t humor to be found here: there most assuredly is! Many of you might recall a portion of this playground has been vacated by the Department of Buildings due to falling debris from an adjacent building. To this end (and in the interest of public safety) a barricade has been put in place. For those of you who are wondering: as of today it is still there.*

The owner of 49 Noble Street (the property in question) may be taking his sweet time to address his decaying building…

but at least he has seen fit to clean his sidewalk! This begs the question as to why our Parks Department has not done the same. No worries, dear readers, I will let our Parks Person herself tender an explanation.

So there have you.

Miss Heather

*Anyone care to place bets how long it will be in place?

Greenpoint Photos Du Jour: American Playground, Revisited

December 19, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

American Playground 12192010

Yes folks, it would appear that the area adjacent to 49 Noble Street has been cordoned off by our Parks Department. Exactly how long this barricade will remain in place is anyone’s guess.

Why I find this laudable, I would like to offer one piece of constructive criticism.

Signs in Polish and Spanish need to be put in place. It has been my observation quite a few patrons of this park are not fluent English speakers— much less English readers.

Just a thought.

Miss Heather

McCarren Park Rocker Watch: 9/4/2010

The McCarren Park rocker, as first seen a week ago, has since migrated to the rug.

Miss Heather

  • NYS Flickr Pool

    The One CrewSnowy SeagullsWalking the Dog in the Snow
  • Ads