Urban Artifact: 13 Days & Counting…

stillthere

may120131142am

It’s almost two weeks now and as of this morning (11:42 a.m.) the McCarren Park Hypodermic Tree is still in effect. My dedication to documenting this caught the attention of a passerby. He too took a moment to capture this curiosity with his camera.

takingaphoto

 

After asking me how long this had been there (I told him “about two weeks”) he noted it had been used and added:

Kids could get their hands on this. That’s not good.

Precisely.

Urban Artifact, Part II: Seven Days & Counting…

sevendays

Yup…

From The New York Shitty Inbox: Live From Channel 12

April 7, 2013 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

Lining Up

As posted on the North Brooklyn Comunity Yahoo Group and forwarded to me by the colossal Greenpoint badass that is Laura Hofmann:

Got call from news channel 12 Brooklyn (channel 156 Time Warner Cable).   They  wanted to interview  us  on  the  Museum’s  land  about the eminent  domain.  They are showing us on the Museum’s land today on tvnew… 10 pm Sunday night.  They put a vote on their website do you want  a park or museum?  We didn’t know they were going to  do this.  I called them and said it is not either or.  There will be a 27 acre park and 1 acre for museum.  Check the link to their site below and vote for the Museum.  Pass this around.

Janice and George

Done!

Greenpoint Photos Du Jour: Still There

swastika

skins

For those of you who are keeping count, the above missives (if they can be called that) have graced Java Street Pop-Up Park for just over two weeks now. I find one this rather fascinating given the the furor over swastika earrings which were for sale hereabouts almost a year ago. Perhaps someone should heirmark a donation to our local Parks Conservancy group (which ostensibly oversees this piece of public space) for a gallon of primer to cover this crap up?

In any case, I would like to give a big New York Shitty shout-out of gratitude to the folks at the 94th Precinct, Deputy Inspector Hurson and Detective Komar foremost among them, for taking this rather ugly matter quite seriously. Thanks guys!

UPDATE, 3:31 p.m.:

receiptOSA

 

Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: On The Waterfront

December 20, 2012 ·
Filed under: 11222, Fuck This Shit, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

This missive was captured today, December 20th 2012 at the Java Street “Pop-Up” Park. Words honestly fail me (please humor yours truly: she’s sick and her site appears to be as well). Methinks “disgusting” will suffice…

UPDATE, December 21, 2012: I have brought this to the head of the 94th’s attention. Deputy Inspector Hurson has assured me they are going to look into it.

New York Shitty Day Starter: Waterfront Feral Furniture Watch

The Java Street “Pop-Up Park” non-materialistic sofa is still there…

albeit with some additional “wear and tear”.

In all seriousness, folks: this “park” (to my understanding) was funded by $15,000 generously donated by our Borough President. He entrusted OSA, Open Space Alliance North Brooklyn, with these funds to (ostensibly) create a park in partnership with the owner of the property.

This is what we got. And to think some of my neighbors are actually surprised— much less outraged— that McCarren Park is not getting an ice rink this winter? Really?

 

New York Shitty Day Ender: On The Waterfront

September 11, 2012 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

Taken September 11, 2012.

From The New York Shitty Inbox: North Brooklyn Parks Administrator Wanted

This item was brought to yours truly attention by a lass named Christine. Yours truly found the following passage of particular interest:

Qualification Requirements:

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of full-time experience in one or more of the following fields: technical maintenance and operation of park facilities, policy formulation and implementation, or business promotion, at least 18 months of which experience must have been in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity, or in supervision of professional, technical, administrative or maintenance staff working in one or more of the above mentioned areas; or

Education and/or experience equivalent to “1” above. However, all candidates must have at least 18 months of administrative, managerial, executive supervisory experience, or experience in supervision of professional, technical, administrative, or maintenance staff as described in “1” mentioned above…

Interested parties (or simply the curious) can read this listing in its entirety by clicking here. NOTE: the deadline for applications is September 19, 2012.

Quicklink: “Two Boots”

It would appear my intelligence was correct: not only have the folks at Open Space Alliance (“OSA”) deemed a change in leadership was in order, but we are currently without a Parks Administrator here in Community Board 1. I suspect I speak on the behalf of many when I wish Ms. Thayer the best of luck in her future endeavors. The responsibilities she shouldered as both our Parks Administrator and Advocate (via OSA) were a herculean task. These should have never been delegated to a single person.* Moving forward, I hope this change will:

1. be a valuable first step in addressing the manifold number of management and maintenance issues in our parks.
2. help heal the rift between Parks administration and public they serve (and contrary to what Mr. Kavanaugh’s comment intimates, this is a big problem).
3. serve as an impetus to motivate our Community Board (and foremost its Parks & Waterfront Committee— hear me, Mr. Caponegro?) to take a more aggressive role in advocating the public’s interests in regards to our open spaces.

(You can read the Post’s tome by clicking here.)

*What’s more, it posed a colossal conflict of interest.

New York Shitty Day Ender: Clean!

On a lark today I decided to see how Java Street’s feral furniture fest (READ: illegal dumping) was progressing. You can imagine my shock and subsequent delight when I beheld this. Not only is everything spic and span (all things being relative), but the much-beleaguered trash receptacle has been divested of its contents.

What a difference a visit from the Department of Sanitation makes!

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