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?

McGolrick Park Photos Du Jour: What Is Wrong With This Picture?

September 20, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

(Or: Heart Of Glass)

Ever had one of those moments when you’re like “Ah, that’s kind of neat!” and then you look more closely and find yourself muttering:

Holy shit!

Well last Saturday I had one such moment at the Bathtub Race at McGolrick Park.

I like bathtubs— and balloons!

Watching two of New York’s Finest remove an intoxicated individual (who, it should be noted was not a member of the Lion’s Club) is another matter altogether.

Our Park’s Czar/Executive Director of OSANB (Open Space Alliance North Brooklyn) Stephanie Thayer, was (fairly recently) paraphrased by the New York Times as saying (in regards to a public art project located in said park):

…that vandalism occurred in the park daily, and that someone had once poured concrete down the toilets*. “For no good reason,” she added.

I beg to differ. I have not seen vandalism per se at this park. What I have seen is (on any given day) is anywhere between 10-12 seemingly homeless people— many of whom appear to have addiction “issues”— and a manifold number of empty “baggies”.  The previous consider this park to be their living room (because, in fact, it is). Obviously drug dealers like to ply their trade here as well. I have also heard rumblings that used hypodermic needles have been found here. I have yet to find any. But I have seen gentlemen “nodding off” so obviously something is going on. As for concrete being poured down toilets all I have to say is this:

I make it a point to avoid the “comfort stations” at this park** if at all possible— because they are anything but. Comforting. They were and remain to be utterly disgusting. Perhaps this act of intransigence was a critique of the condition of said “facilities” and Ms. Thayer’s “management” of them? Who knows? Greenpoint works in mysterious ways.

Ms. Thayer (in the above-mentioned article) also opines:

Because this is such a good monument to humanity and compassion, it is really necessary to keep it in play.

While no one can argue with the above statement (It’d be sort of like saying “Yes, I’m all for clubbing baby seals!” and it was undoubtedly willfully and deliberately word-smithed for this chilling effect) I would like to humbly suggest Ms. Thayer get a better grip on the parks under her “watch” and the humanity who use and, in this case, inhabit them. Public art is nice (and I’m all for it) but this park (and many others in Greenpoint) have much more urgent matters requiring Ms. Thayer’s compassion. Some attention to the bathrooms— a very human amenity— and an acknowledgment that this park is a haven for people who clearly have substance abuse problems— if not out rightly homeless— would be nice for starters.

Miss Heather

*If my memory serves me correctly this came to pass well before Ms. Thayer came on the scene. I could be wrong. Verification/fact-checking, anyone?

**I hold it and go to Cooper. The bathrooms are always in a reasonable state of repair and the Parks employees there are very nice. For those of you who have heartier bladders I also recommend Maria Hernandez Park (always neat) or, best yet: Sternberg. The latter is— by north Brooklyn standards, anyway— plush.

New York Shitty Day Ender: Hanging Out To Dry

This vision hails from McCarren Park and is (hopefully) a harbinger of what some of our more, um, notorious “public servants” will experience after the votes have been tallied from tonight’s primary!

Miss Heather

Spotted On Franklin Street: Illegal Advertising On Public Property

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

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

Miss Heather

New York Shitty Street Seating Du Jour: McCarren Park Living Room Suite

The rocker I spied on Sunday is still there…

and it has been joined by a rug.

Miss Heather

LAST GASP: Pissy Poppins?

Macgyver /Mary Poppins public urination stealth mission.

Macgyver /Mary Poppins public urination stealth mission.

Macgyver /Mary Poppins public urination stealth mission.

These photographs (which hail from none other than north Brooklyn’s pride and joy: McCarren Park) come courtesy of Miss Mousey Brown who writes:

BTW dumbass, the pretty girls near the handball courts were laughing at your lame ass. The port-a-potties were closer than the distance you traveled to pee behind a patio umbrella on the fence line… Well done!

Indeed!

McCarren Park portos on a saturday night

000_2069

Of course given the state of one port-o-let (that has been thoughtfully provided by our local private/public “partnership”) can you blame him?

Miss Heather

New York Shitty Video Du Jour: A Fish Tale

August 24, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Newtown Creek 

It would appear someone caught a fish in Newtown Creek and employed it (along with some gray paint— or perhaps this substance too was derived the creek? I certainly wouldn’t rule it out, in any case.) for a little art project on Manhattan Avenue. Enjoy!

Does anyone have the 411 on this? If so, please share via comments or shoot me an email at: missheather (at) thatgreenpointblog (dot) com. Your identity will remain anonymous if you so desire. Thanks!

Miss Heather

UPDATE, 10:09 p.m.: It would appear this fish swam (or for those of you who believe in evolution: crawled) upstream… all the way to the Newtown Creek Nature Walk!

Laura (who took the above photos) writes:

Hi Heather! Evidently, the fish prints you found at Manhattan St. End Park, lead down to the Nature Walk. Mike and I ended up debating about them. At one point the fish appear on the wall of the NCWPCP. I like the fish. Mike doesn’t.

Are we Greenpointers witnessing the birth of a new species or is it spawning season in the Garden Spot? I can only hope so— on both counts. Given the contentious nature of our soon-to-be past summer our community could use a little love. In any case, prior to this fish tale this park has been utilized/repurposed as:

  1. A hamster burial ground
  2. A campsite/squat

I can hardly wait to see what’s next.

Williamsburg Video Du Jour: Après Moi le Deluge

August 22, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11211, Bloomblight, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

As yours truly inexorably creeps closer to middle age, I have achieved a certain level of acceptance about life. For example:

  1. I have grown to accept I will never be a millionaire. Money always has been and always will be a concern for me.
  2. I will never win the Nobel Prize. Not that I have really tried, mind you. I am, by my own admission a colossal UNDERachiever.
  3. I have pretty much (by)passed all the milestones people hold near and dear. All I have left to do is die— which brings me to the video you just watched.

I would like to take a moment to applaud the New York City Parks Department for awakening me from my existentialist funk by reminding me that I am in no hurry whatsoever to accomplish point #3. In fact, I have never felt so alive as I did this afternoon while patronizing this public lavatory at Jamie Campiz Playground and praying to god* I would not be electrocuted.

Sincerely grateful,

Miss Heather

*Given I am an agnostic this is truly noteworthy.

From The New York Shitty Inbox: Manhattan Avenue Park Squat Gets A New Addition

August 16, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Newtown Creek 

(Or: Greenpoint At Long Last Gets Some Affordable Housing!)

Laura (who the above photographs earlier this afternoon) writes:

The homeless camp at Manhattan Ave St. End Park is expanding. There’s a tent, laundry in the tree, and a small covered ditch which I suspect is the toilet.

(speechless)

Miss Heather

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