April 19, 2018
Spring has arrived, and here in Prospect Park, that means plants and flowers galore! Feeling inspired by the flora? We’ve got gardening tips from Prospect Park Alliance’s horticulture crew to help you beautify your surroundings, whether it is your community garden, sidewalk tree pit or other green space.
April 13, 2018
Through the support of New York City Council Member Mathieu Eugene, Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that sustains the Park, is undertaking a $750,000 renovation of the Prospect Park Parade Ground to construct an adult fitness area and a cooling misting line along the heavily used soccer fields; fix drainage problems at Field 7; reconstruct the volleyball court; and add shade trees and new seating. The project is slated for completion by Spring 2019.
The adult fitness area will contain 12 types of fitness equipment, including ones that are accessible. There will be an open area for group classes, and custom concrete “step-up” blocks. The misting line will be installed along Fields 9 and 10. Set on timers, it will provide a cooling screen of mist when the artificial turf fields are at their busiest and hottest. No water will collect on the ground—the mist evaporates to cool the air.
“It is truly an honor to partner with Prospect Park Alliance as we work together to improve and maintain ‘Brooklyn’s Backyard’ for future generations,” said Council Member Mathieu Eugene. “Starting with the Parade Grounds, we are making a number of upgrades to the surrounding area that will benefit residents who frequently use the park. Providing free resources that make physical fitness accessible to the public is essential to the overall wellbeing of our community, and the addition of an adult fitness area is an important step in that process. This project is part of my ongoing commitment to the preservation and revitalization of Prospect Park, and I am excited about the positive impact it will have in the community for years to come.”
“We are deeply grateful to Council Member Eugene for his longstanding support of Prospect Park Alliance and our work to keep the Park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that consider the Park its backyard,” said Sue Donoghue, President, Prospect Park Alliance. “These improvements to the Parade Ground will make a strong impact on the Park and neighborhood residents’ quality of life.
April 10, 2018
On March 10th, 2018, Prospect Park Alliance held its 30th Annual Volunteer Recognition Brunch. This tradition, which is as old as the Alliance itself, recognizes the outstanding Prospect Park Alliance Volunteer Corps for their dedicated service. New York City Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, Mitchell J. Silver and New York City Council Member Mathieu Eugene joined Prospect Park Alliance Chief Operating and Financial Officer, James Snow and Volunteer Program Director, Jessica Jamhoury, in thanking over 100 individuals and representatives from partnering community organizations for their service.
At the event, twenty two unique volunteers were presented with awards recognizing their dedication to Prospect Park. Shirley Osgood received the Alan Thomson award for giving 2,500 lifetime volunteer hours to the Park. Osgood is a member of the ongoing weekday volunteer events and a dedicated horticulture volunteer who can be found in Carmen’s Garden, the flower garden in front of Litchfield Villa. She is one of only five Alliance volunteers ever to reach this level of dedication. This year, Prospect Park Alliance introduced the Tyrell Ingram Award to recognize the service of teen volunteers who give over 100 volunteer hours during the year. This eponymous award was presented to Tyrell for setting a standard for future teen volunteers.
In 2017 over 3,000 volunteers contributed more than 18,000 hours of service in the Park. Volunteers work in all areas of the Park on projects ranging from woodland restoration and horticultural projects to assisting with Education programs, Tennis Center programs, Park Greeters and various office administrative duties. The work of Prospect Park Alliance volunteers is essential and their dedication is evident in every area of the Park.
Learn more about volunteering in Prospect Park and sign up for one of our upcoming volunteer events.
March 31, 2018
Good news for history lovers…or anyone just trying to find a bathroom. Prospect Park Alliance has restored the Wellhouse, the last remaining building in Prospect Park by Park designers Olmsted and Vaux, into a comfort station with composting toilets—a first for any New York City park.
“It’s a beautiful little building, and it dates back to the time of Olmsted and Vaux in 1869. It’s the only building still remaining from the original park design,” said Christian Zimmerman, Vice President of Capital and Landscape Management at Prospect Park Alliance.
The original purpose of the structure, located by the lake at the base of Lookout Hill, was to pump water to feed the Park’s waterways—its pools, waterfalls and of course the Prospect Park Lake. At the time of creation, it was considered a great technological achievement—an underground viewing platform was created so that Park visitors could see the machinery at work. In the early 20th century, however, the Park was connected to the City water supply, and the Wellhouse became obsolete. Learn more about the history of the Wellhouse on a Turnstile Tour of Prospect Park.
Now, after decades of disuse, the building has being given new life and new purpose by Prospect Park Alliance.
“It is the first time the building has been open to the public in 80 years—it’s pretty exciting,” said Alden Maddry, Senior Architect with the Alliance, on a recent tour of the building. Composting toilets only use 3 to 6 ounces of water per flush—97% less water than a conventional toilet. In addition, the project features a greywater garden, which uses water collected from hand sinks, janitor sinks and floor drains to irrigate the landscape.
“The project will save about 250,000 gallons of water a year from going into the city’s sewer system,” noted Maddry.
In addition to the installation of the composting toilets, the $2.34 million project, funded by the New York City Council, provided for the restoration of this historic structure. This included the installation of a new roof, brickwork repairs and—based on historic photos—the recreation of a beautiful portico in period-appropriate colors.
As part of the restoration of the Wellhouse, Prospect Park Alliance excavated the top of the structure’s original cistern wall. As a final phase of the project, the revealed portion of the wall will be cleaned, repaired and capped with bluestone to create a seating area that highlights the history of this distinctive Park structure. In addition, the retaining wall behind the Wellhouse will also be restored. These projects are presented by American Express.
The Wellhouse is just the latest of Prospect Park Alliance’s acclaimed restoration projects in the Park, from the historic Prospect Park Carousel, Boathouse and Bailey Fountain at Grand Army Plaza. “The Wellhouse will perform a vitally needed function, and is vitally important from an historic perspective,” said Zimmerman.
The facility’s permanent residents—thousands of worms—are now busy at work in the composting tanks, and in a few years time, the Wellhouse will produce live-enriching compost. In 2019, the Alliance was awarded the Lucy G. Moses Award for the Wellhouse, an accolade from the New York Landmarks Conservancy in recognition of the owners and stewards of historic buildings across the City who have completed extraordinary restoration and reuse projects.
March 21, 2018
Smorgasburg Prospect Park, presented by Brooklyn Flea in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, is ready to roll on starting April 1, with 100 food vendors each Sunday on Breeze Hill in Prospect Park.
The 2018 season marks the 10th anniversary of Brooklyn Flea, which began April 6, 2008, at Brooklyn Flea’s original Fort Greene location. Over the last decade, Brooklyn Flea has grown to become the biggest incubator of small businesses in New York City.
Visit Smorgasburg Prospect Park during Opening Weekend on April 8!
Smorgasburg is also one of the largest zero-waste events in America. Last season alone, 867,000 pounds of solid waste were diverted from landfills to compost through its markets, due in part by a ban on any canned or bottled beverages. This year, Smorgasburg will continue to provide free, cold-filtered water in compostable cups and more innovations are coming soon.
On the vendor front, this year there are more than a dozen exciting new additions to the market, including the debut of a fried-cookie-dough collaboration between market veterans Big Mozz and Do, and two Smorgasburg LA veterans expanding to Brooklyn. Among the new vendors:
504 HN Market: traditional Honduran baleadas, made with a fresh flour tortillas and topped with refried beans, Honduran cheese and cream, and avocado. Other varieties include eggs and chorizo.
Big Mozz x DO: The folks behind Smorgasburg’s famous mozzarella-stick stand, Big Mozz, has teamed up with DO to create a deep fried cookie dough! Each piece of cookie dough is battered and deep fried, creating a warm crispy shell with a melty, gooey middle. The ultimate weekend indulgence!
Bonsai Kakigori: Perfectly fluffy Japanese shaved ice, made with a vintage machine imported from Japan, and flavored with housemade syrups and toppings. For the perfect light summer treat, try the Strawberries & Cream or the Matcha Persimmon. The texture is everything!
Btarts: Canada’s favorite dessert is now at Smorg! Btarts bakes the classic Canadian specialty, butter tarts, made with organic butter (of course!) and eggs, plus Canadian maple syrup.
Dashi Fried Chicken: Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) served with housemade dipping sauces and fried to order! Crispy, perfectly seasoned, and so delicious.
Frico Italia: A traditional Italian “pie” made with potatoes and three Italian cheeses then pan fried to create a crispy crust on the outside that gives way to a soft, creamy inside. Take one home or eat on the spot.
King St. Kitchen: Baked goods from a former pastry chef at Eleven Madison Park. Top sellers from her menu include a peanut butter + chocolate fudge brownie, golden oat cookies, and olive oil + citrus bundt, which is also gluten free.
Lobsterdamus: One of the most popular stands at Smorgasburg Los Angeles, Lobsterdamus mesquite grills whole lobsters, which are topped with garlic butter, lemon and parsley, and served over noodles. They’ll also have lobster truffle fries and lobster nachos!
PopdUp: Also from Smorgasburg Los Angeles (one of two new vendors!) PopdUp makes delicious cold brew teas. Tea leaves are sourced from a partner farm in Taiwan and steeped for 24 to 48 hours, depending on the variety.
Ya Ya Noodz: Szechuan rice noodles made from a machine imported from China, steamed and rolled with fillings like shrimp, pork, or butternut squash.
In the mood for tasty breakfast treats all week? Visit King David’s Tacos at Grand Army Plaza!
Prospect Park Alliance has designed and is constructing a new maintenance and operations building in the Prospect Park Maintenance Compound, located inside the park at Prospect Park West and 7th Street. The $2.62 million building is funded through former Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council.
This new facility will provide a central location for offices and storage for Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks Landscape Management and Maintenance & Operations crews. These crews are currently housed in facilities around the Park, including the soon-to-be restored Tennis House. The project will not only relocate staff operations to an area already designated for park operations, including the main vehicle and equipment storage area, but will enable the Alliance to remove a series of storage containers that currently occupy the park’s Center Drive, and also bring back the Tennis House to public use.
This energy efficient building is modeled after the forms and proportions of the existing historical buildings in the Maintenance Compound, including a former stable and workshop buildings. The facility is located on a slope between the lower yard and the upper yard of the Maintenance Compound, allowing the stacking of containers and the construction of a two-story building, one floor of which will be accessed on the upper level and one floor will be accessed on the lower level.
March 19, 2018
As winter slowly turns to spring, observant eyes might find snowdrops and crocuses poking up through the soil, followed closely by daffodils, tulips, forsythia and flowering cherry and dogwood trees that announce the arrival of the new season. Soon the entire park will blossom into a floral display of vibrant colors. To help you make the most of this floral celebration, we’ve compiled a list of our top bloom destinations, both hidden treasures and classic favorites.
Grand Army Plaza is Prospect Park’s formal entrance, and features some of the park’s most impressive architecture, and ornamental flowers and trees. Among them, early-blooming cherry trees and daffodils are the first to arrive, along with colorful tulip displays. April welcomes Eastern redbud and pink-flowering cherry trees that give way to the white Silverbells in May. As summer approaches, watch for the clustered flowers of the bottlebrush buckeye.
At Lakeside, the spring blooms attract park visitors and wildlife alike! Park goers who visit the greenroof at Lakeside in early spring will be able to catch the vibrant yellows, oranges and reds of Witch Hazel. As April advances, Lakeside receives a fresh coating of delicate white blossoms from the many Serviceberry, Chokeberry, Witch Alder, and Foxglove Beardtongue that are buzzing with activity, as well as blooms of yellow from the Fragrant Sumac and Spicebush. Late spring brings with it a crescendo of flowering dogwoods and dewberries, and those with a keen eye might just spot a few of the subtle, deep purple blossoms of Lakeside’s paw paw trees!
The historic Litchfield Villa is a well-known destination for flower lovers. In April, tulips electrify Carmen’s Garden, located directly in front of the pre-Civil War-era mansion, heralding the arrival of warm weather. In May, blossoming crabapple and hawthorn trees paint the landscape in pinks and whites, while annual displays replace the fading tulips. Be sure to head around back to see cream-colored flowers of the Korean dogwood trees.
Passing through the Meadowport or Endale Arch in mid-April, visitors are welcomed by the peach and white bouquet of magnolia and dogwood trees that line the Long Meadow’s north end. The warmer weather brings out lilacs, as well as the hanging flowers of the yellowwood tree. Later in the season, enjoy the view under the shade of a flowering linden tree, and take in the sweet scent of the oakleaf hydrangea near the Picnic House.
Those with an adventurous spirit should head across Binnen Bridge and past the Nethermead to the Park’s woodland Ravine. Look for spicebush with its clusters of white flowers and small red fruits that are rich in nutrients for small birds. Marshy areas are home to chokeberry, a deciduous shrub native to New York, and also American elder. Both shrubs feature berries that attract a variety of wildlife, making them instrumental in the health and diversity of Prospect Park’s natural habitats.
Prospect Park is home to a few dedicated flower gardens. In addition to Grand Army Plaza and Carmen’s Garden, Bartel-Pritchard Square features a variety of springtime blooms. The arching beautybush sprouts small pink flowers with a reddish bud, and it’s hard to miss the old-fashioned weigela, an ornamental shrub with beautiful trumpet-shaped lavender flowers.
February 9, 2018
As the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games heat up, many of us are feeling inspired to satisfy our own Olympic ambitions. At the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park, visitors can try figure skating, hockey and even the more obscure sport of curling, without ever leaving Brooklyn!
Curling
Curling is a sport which suffers from the popular misperception that it is easy. While slow moving in comparison to many of its Olympic compatriots, this sport requires balance, precision and a knack with a broom. Originated in medieval Scotland, curling is a game in which players, wearing grippy shoes, slide polished, 44-pound granite stones toward a circular target marked on the ice. Long popular in Canada, curling has been enjoying a wider revival since being added to the Olympic games in 1998, and has sparked a devoted following in Brooklyn.
The LeFrak Center is home to the official Brooklyn Lakeside Curling Club, and currently the LeFrak Center is offering weekly classes for those interested in trying the sport. Learn more about Curling at Lakeside.
Figure Skating
If you love watching figure skating in prime time, you’ll enjoy it even more in person at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, spangled spandex costumes encouraged! The third annual Lakeside Open Competition takes place on February 25, and members of the public are invited to watch this exciting event free of charge. Figure skaters can take to the ice in freestyle sessions, sign up for lessons or perform in the Spring Show. Learn more about Figure Skating at Lakeside.
Hockey
Hockey isn’t just for the pros! You can get into the game at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside with clinics and open hockey sessions, and Youth and Adult league play. Sessions are coed and hockey enthusiasts of all levels can gain experience. Learn more.
Broomball
Don’t know how to skate, but want to score a goal? You’re in luck! Broomball, on offer Friday nights at the LeFrak Center, is played in sneakers on ice.
And, if organized sport isn’t your preference but you want to get out on the ice, the LeFrak Center at Lakeside is open for ice skating seven days a week. Learn more about visiting the LeFrak Center at Lakeside.
February 5, 2018
Don’t Miss Out on a Magical Evening of Dining and Dancing Under the Stars in Prospect Park
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Tickets on Sale February 13
The most anticipated party of the year is back! Prospect Park Alliance will host the Prospect Park Soiree on Saturday, June 23, a magical, one-night-only celebration in Brooklyn’s Backyard. Tickets will go on sale to the public on February 13 at 9 am.
We provide the entertainment and breathtaking setting, while guests gather with thousands of Park lovers in festive attire, prepare a delicious feast, bring their favorite bottle of wine, and dine and dance under the stars in one of the Park’s most scenic locations, the Peninsula.
Guests are encouraged to show off their creativity with a show-stopping topper—a fabulous hat or headpiece of your choosing—as well as table décor that celebrates the beautiful surroundings, and raise your glass in a toast to Brooklyn’s Backyard.
Individual tickets are $45, and table packages for groups of ten come with two complimentary bottles of wine. Proceeds benefit the non-profit Prospect Park Alliance’s mission to sustain, restore and advance Prospect Park.
Visit www.prospectpark.org/soiree for more information and tickets. Please note that guests must be 21 and over.
Prospect Park Alliance is the non-profit organization that sustains, restores and advances Prospect Park, “Brooklyn’s Backyard,” in partnership with the City. The Alliance provides critical staff and resources that keeps the Park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home.
January 16, 2018
Park visitors may have noticed a few large additions to Prospect Park’s landscape: two colorful steel sculptures inside the Grand Army Plaza and Bartel-Pritchard Square entrances. These abstract and playful shapes are the creation of local artist Fitzhugh Karol, whose works are on view in Prospect Park and Tappen Park in Staten Island through the NYC Parks Art in the Parks program, in collaboration with Prospect Park Alliance We spoke to Karol about his influences, process and having his pieces on display in his own community.
What is your connection with Brooklyn, Prospect Park and Prospect Park Alliance?
I have lived in Park Slope for 11 years and have spent countless hours in Prospect Park, I really regard it as my backyard. It’s the most dynamic park in all the five boroughs because it has the scale, the romance and the variation that no other park does. I’ve just recently connected with Prospect Park Alliance through this project and now intend to support that organization in any way I can, and I love that they have been making a push for public art in the park over the past few years.
What inspires you as an artist and what, specifically, did you draw on in these works?
Interpreting the landscape has always been the strongest force behind my work. I am especially interested in the human imprint on landscape through the ages. The works on view in Prospect Park use arching forms, cutouts and divided spaces to promote playful interaction as viewers move within, around and through them. Searches at Grand Army Plaza was conceived to relate to the Soldier and Sailors Arch. Reaches at Bartel Pritchard entrance was conceived to be even more playful: the reach of the overhanging arm follows the roadway, as if propelling itself counter-clockwise around the park loop, something I’ve done many times on foot.
Tell us about the process for the creation and fabrication of Searches and Reaches.
These works started out as cardboard models—I’m constantly working this way, and as the models pile up I pull out favorites and make them into small sculptures in wood or metal. I then scaled the models up to roughly 20-foot heights. Once we had the shapes scaled, we laid out each massive plane on a grid of steel sheets, drew the shapes and cut them out by hand with a plasma cutter. Each plane then got welded together and we bent and attached the edge banding that gives the sculptures their rigidity.
What aspect of this installation is most exciting to you?
The scale and the locations of these works are the most exciting parts of the project to me. When I conceived of the installation two years ago, I walked around the park and dreamt of how the sculptures might take shape. And now, to have my largest works to date on display in my neighborhood, and to have so much interactivity within my community, is thrilling.
See Karol’s pieces, Searches and Reaches, on view in Prospect Park, now through Spring 2018.
