Author: Cornershop

Francisco Davila

Alliance at Work: Wintertime with the Arborists

February 16, 2017

In these cold winter months, some aspects of Park maintenance go into a state of hibernation, and many Alliance staff members wait patiently and plan for the upcoming spring season. Not so for arborists Francisco Davila and Christopher Gucciardo, who take full advantage of the opportunities afforded by the winter.

“Our job is year-round,” says Francisco Davila, Arboriculture Supervisor for Prospect Park Alliance, “and every season brings its own set of tasks.”  Prospect Park Alliance arborists have a big task set for them in the care and maintenance of the Park’s more than 30,000 trees, which represent more than 200 species. This is Brooklyn’s last remaining forest, and it is an important wildlife habitat that supports more than 250 species of birds, and countless other creatures.

So what exactly does an arborist do during this chilly time of year? “During the winter we focus on tree pruning and assessments. Since trees are without leaves, winter does provide us the luxury to very quickly spot issues such as cracks, rubbing branches and of course dead limbs. Winter is also a great time for us to scout and plan the future of our canopy by selecting planting sites for our Commemorative Tree Program.”

During this season, it isn’t uncommon to happen upon Davila and his crew taking down tree limbs or removing a tree altogether. So why are they doing this? “Being in a historic park such as Prospect Park we have a lot of beautiful mature trees. We are never happy to remove trees but when we do, it’s because of warranted reasons,” said Davila. When his crew or a Park visitor spots a damaged or unhealthy tree, they assess the situation, “we try to evaluate the tree’s integrity and potential risks to determine if we are going to remove it. The same goes for tree limbs. In making these decisions, overall safety always comes first.”

One of the most fun aspects of winter work for an arborist? “The new views you get from the canopy,” says Davila. “Since the trees have lost their leaves, when you are climbing you get new vast unobstructed views. It’s awesome.”

The life of a city tree is never an easy one, but the Alliance arborists work year-round to keep these Park residents happy and healthy, so next time you take a walk in the Park, look up! You might just see an arborist taking in the view.

Learn more about the Commemorative Tree Program.

Bianca Nelson

Corporate Volunteer Program: AllianceBernstein

Take it from the team at AllianceBernstein—weeding, painting and planting in Prospect Park can be a ton of fun. “Working in the Third Street Playground, my team scoured rust, weeded, painted a fence… it was awesome,” said Catherine Magyera, Director of Global/Multi-Sector Fixed Income. “I sit at a desk most of the time, so this project was really different from my day-to-day.”

AllianceBernstein is a participant in the Prospect Park Alliance Corporate Volunteer Program, an initiative that pairs corporate teams with volunteer opportunities in the Park. These outings serve as unique, active team-building opportunities, and the fruits of these labors make a real difference in the Brooklyn community. Magyera recalled one particularly enthusiastic community member: “As we were finishing up at the playground, a little boy came by and asked us what we were doing. I told him, ‘don’t worry, we’re making your favorite place to play even better’ and his face just lit up.”

“When you’re working in the Park, alongside colleagues planting or weeding, it’s a great way to work together outside of the formal hierarchy of the office,” said Lucy Spalton, CFA and Vice President at AB, “and it’s much more rewarding and fun than you might think. This type of work can’t happen without a lot of manpower, and with a group of Corporate Volunteers you can get a lot done.”

Indeed, the Park’s 585-acres require constant attention, and Corporate Volunteers are an invaluable resource, providing much-needed additional support for Alliance staff. “Resources are stretched thin in the Park, and often the projects undertaken by our Corporate Volunteers wouldn’t be completed otherwise,” said Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Alliance President, “this work has a huge impact on the Park and our visitor experience.”

The Prospect Park Alliance Corporate Volunteer Program offers a variety of packages that can be tailored for all group sizes and ages. “In our years with the Park, we’ve been able to pick great projects that we can get our team excited about, and that makes it easy for me as a leader,” said Magyera. Added Spalton, “the Alliance works with us on finding a common goal, on having a project that feels rewarding, and at the end we have a great time working along side the staff.”

Learn more about how your company can spend a day in the Park having fun and giving back to Brooklyn’s Backyard. 

Spotlight on Tennis Center’s Sebastian Brustein

The Prospect Park Tennis Center offers instruction for children of all levels of experience. The accomplished staff of tennis professionals gives players personal attention while they acquire game fundamentals and increase their skill level.

The Junior Program currently has a crop of talented young players coming up through the ranks including Sebastian Brustein. Brustein has been playing at the Prospect Park Tennis Center since the age of eight and competing in USTA sanctioned tournaments since the age of nine. He is currently ranked #2 in the United States Tennis Association metro region—with an overall record of 20-8—in the 12U Boy’s Singles Division. Brustein most recently won the Level 1 12U Boy’s February Challenger. With this win, he should have enough points to break the top 100 in the USTA Eastern Division (overall record 27-15). 

Brustein is also an accomplished quarterback, and has led his flag football team to 4 consecutive championships! When not playing tennis or football, he can be found honing his skills on Madden AND CSGO, and wishes someone would come out with a decent video game for tennis!

On February 27, the Prospect Park Tennis Center begins a new semester for the Indoor Junior Development Program. Take a look at our website and sign up for lessons! Your young tennis player will thank you. 

Prospect Park 150: The Creation of Prospect Park

January 18, 2017

In 2017, Prospect Park Alliance celebrates the 150th anniversary of Prospect Park. All year, we’ll be bringing you tales from the history of Prospect Park, from important milestones to untold stories. In this piece, learn about the creation of the Park. 

Robert Fulton’s steam ferry transformed Brooklyn into the world’s first commuter suburb in 1814, forever changing the docile farming existence of early towns and foreshadowing the need for an urban respite. In 1834, the City of Brooklyn was chartered, and during the next 30 years it became the third most populous city in the country, following only New York and Philadelphia. Successive waves of European immigrants settled in the growing city, and sprawling farms gave way to row homes, ferry lines quadrupled, and street grids emerged, devouring more and more of the rural landscape. At the same time, new concepts concerning the potential role of public parks in America were gaining popularity.

Beginning in 1858, the design team of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux had transformed more than 800 acres of jagged rock into Central Park across the East River in Manhattan. It was the first landscaped public park in the United States and introduced the term landscape architecture into the English language.

Soon, a movement grew in Brooklyn for a park of its own. Leading the effort was James S.T. Stranahan, a business and civic leader with considerable real estate interests in Brooklyn. In the early 1860’s Stranahan argued that a park in Brooklyn “would become a favorite resort for all classes of our community, enabling thousands to enjoy pure air, with healthful exercise, at all seasons of the year…” He believed that Brooklyn could become a great metropolis, and envisioned a Park not only as a public nicety, but also as a way to lure wealthy residents to the town. Stranahan would later serve as the first president of the Prospect Park Commission, and would oversee the Park project from inception to completion.

In 1861, civil engineer Egbert L. Viele proposed a layout for the new Park. Though Stranahan was impressed with Viele’s design, his own vision differed. In 1865, Calvert Vaux sketched Prospect Park’s present layout at Stranahan’s request. After Central Park, Vaux was ready for a new project, and his report persuaded Brooklyn commissioners to authorize the full purchase of the land for Prospect Park. Vaux convinced his partner Olmsted to join the effort, and together in 1866 they submitted a comprehensive plan for the development of Prospect Park.

Frederick Law Olmsted, who grew up on a farm in rural Connecticut during the 1820’s and ‘30s, had very strong beliefs about the function of public parks in people’s lives. To Olmsted, a great park should be a tranquil, rural landscape where people could recuperate from the incessant pace of city life. Prospect Park then, would provide a peaceful escape where weary Brooklynites might revitalize the mind, body and soul. Olmsted believed that these pleasures belonged to people of every social class, not just the wealthy who could afford to travel outside the city. Prospect Park would be for everyone, but especially Brooklyn’s poor who could find a bit of country—a place reminiscent of their homelands perhaps—right out their own backdoors.

Olmsted and Vaux designed an elaborate infrastructure for Prospect Park, and construction began on July 1, 1866, under their supervision. The principal features of the design included the Long Meadow, a heavily wooded area they called the Ravine and a 60-acre Lake. Olmsted and Vaux’s plan included rolling green meadows, meandering carriage drives with high elevation scenic lookouts, woodland waterfalls and springs, and a rich forest complete with maples, magnolia and cherry trees, among others. Original Park structures included rustic shelters and arbors, and sandstone bridges and arches. A Concert Grove House and Pavilion were built adjacent to the Lake so Park visitors could enjoy music in a pastoral setting, and there was a Wellhouse near Lookout Hill, and a Dairy complete with milking cows. The design team could not keep curious and delighted visitors away, and welcomed them inside for the first time on October 19, 1867, long before the Park was complete. In 1868, two million people came to enjoy what would come to be known as “Brooklyn’s Jewel.” 

Today, just about 150 years later, the Prospect Park Alliance staff work to continue to advance the vision of Olmsted and Vaux. This is achieved through restoration of historic structures, the creation of innovative new amenities like the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, and in partnership with the City, the daily upkeep of the landscape. It is a year-round efforts that keep this space an essential resource for the millions of visitors every year. 

Learn more about the Prospect Park Alliance, and how you can become a steward of this great Park.

c. Virginia Freire

PPA Profiles: Mitchell J. Silver, Commissioner of NYC Parks

This year, Prospect Park Alliance celebrates the 150th anniversary of Prospect Park, and we’re sharing stories from community members about the impact the Park has had on their lives. Interested in contributing your own? We’re partnering with the Brooklyn Public Library to collect your Prospect Park stories, visit our website to submit your story or visit the Central Library on Sunday, January 29, to record your story, which will be archived in the Brooklyn Collection as part of the Our Streets, Our Stories oral history project. Portrait by Virginia Freire.

“There! That corner right there is where I played little league.” Gesturing to the Parade Ground on a recent January morning, Mitchell J. Silver, Commissioner of NYC Parks, recalled his early experiences in Prospect Park. 

“I first visited the Park when I was two months old,” said Silver. “The Park was like my backyard, I spent so much time here. Once I started riding a bike, the Park really opened up to me. By the time I was 11 I knew almost every path.” 

As Prospect Park enters its 150th year, Silver reflected on the evolution he has seen in the Park during his lifetime. “Growing up here in the mid-1970’s, Prospect Park wasn’t always such a pleasant place, and it wasn’t as well cared for as it is today.” However, the intervening decades and work of the Prospect Park Alliance has made a difference. “Coming to the Park now, just to see the LeFrak Center at Lakeside and the quality of the Park and to see the transformation thanks to the work of the Prospect Park Alliance, has been so amazing for me.” 

As Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Silver is an important partner to Prospect Park Alliance in its management of Prospect Park. He oversees nearly 30,000 acres of parkland citywide, which also includes playgrounds, beaches, marinas, recreation centers and wilderness areas. “Parks don’t sit in isolation,” said Silver, “they are part of the overall system of the city. Density and open space go together. Period.”

In March 2014, Silver was picked to be the new Parks Commissioner by Mayor Bill de Blasio, who called Silver a “visionary” and praised his passion for “fairness and equality.” Prior to returning to his native New York City as Parks Commissioner, Silver had served as the Chief Planning & Development Officer and Planning Director for Raleigh, NC. When he and his family returned to New York, one of Silver’s first steps was to assess all parks throughout the city—large and small. 

“We decided to take a data-driven approach, and we looked at the parks where we’ve invested less that $250,000 during the last 20 years. We found that about 134 parks were hiding in plain sight, that’s where we had to focus first.” By October 2014, Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Silver had launched the Community Parks Initiative—a program to revitalize under-resourced public parks located in New York City’s densely populated and growing neighborhoods with higher-than-average concentrations of poverty. As part the Community Parks Initiative, Prospect Park Alliance is providing pro-bono design work for the renovation of three underserved neighborhood parks. 

“The Community Parks Initiative work is really an extension of our mission,” said Alliance President Sue Donoghue. “We have decades of experience designing and building innovative and award-winning playgrounds in Prospect Park. The chance to share our expertise, and improve recreational opportunities for neighboring communities is an important park of our work.”

Another one of these visionary projects is the Parks Without Borders initiative, which seeks to make parks more open by improving entrances, transforming underutilized areas, and creating vibrant public spaces. In 2016, Prospect Park Alliance was awarded funding through Parks Without Borders to create two new park entrances along Flatbush Avenue, and enhance a third, after receiving the highest number of nominations from the public. “Parks Without Borders has engaged thousands of New Yorkers, who shared ideas for park improvements online and in person. That’s proof positive of how excited New Yorkers are to increase accessibility and openness in their favorite parks,” said Silver. 

No matter how many parks the Commissioner oversees, he will always have a special place in his heart for Prospect Park. “I learned to ice skate in the Park, I ran track in the Park, we held our family functions here at the Peristyle by the Lake,” said Silver. “It just has this very sentimental feeling for me, like it’s home. Literally, like my backyard.”

Share your Prospect Park story.

PPA President Sue Donoghue Recognized by City & State

Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue was recently named one of Brooklyn’s most influential people in politics and policy. City & State is a publication devoted solely to covering government and politics in New York, and their annual list, which does not include politicians, is a compilation of community leaders, activists and heads of institutions that “really make Brooklyn a special place to live and work.”

Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue was selected this year for her work in Parks, both currently and previously in her professional life. “Sue Donoghue has dedicated her career to making sure the city’s parks thrive, both at the Parks Department and through her work on Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC,” noted City & State. “In 2014 she took over as head of the Alliance and has been laser-focused on its maintenance, making sure it remains a gem of the borough.”

Also included on the list were Prospect Park Alliance Board members Rudolph F. Crew, head of Medgar Evers College; Steve Hindy, the Co-Founder of the Brooklyn Brewery; and Andrew Kimball, CEO of Industry City.

Bianca Nelson

Restoring Prospect Park’s Evergreen Trees

December 14, 2016

There are many ways to contribute to Prospect Park—you can volunteer your time, donate or become a member of the Prospect Park Alliance, or even buy a ticket for a ride on the Park’s historic Carousel. The newest way to make a difference in Brooklyn’s Backyard? Plant an evergreen tree! 

This year, the Alliance has launched a commemorative evergreen tree program, allowing individuals to donate these hardy year-round species to the Park. Prospect Park is home to 30,000 trees of more than 150 species, the vast majority of which are deciduous, meaning that they lose all their leaves for part of the year. These deciduous species get plenty of attention for their flowers, fruits and fall foliage, but this new program shifts the focus to an oft-overlooked set of species.

“The Park needs evergreens for a variety of reasons,” says John Jordan, Director of Landscape Management at the Prospect Park Alliance. “They give winter interest and they provide habitat for a wide variety of species. Furthermore, many of the previous evergreen species planted in the Park (such as Austrian pines and Northern Hemlock) have been dying out, and we do not want to lose the evergreen presence.”

While Prospect Park Alliance arborists are still determining which species of evergreens will come to the Park, two that are likely to be included are the white pine (Pinus strobus), a native to eastern North America that can easily live to be 200 years old, and the American holly (Ilex opaca), whose berries attract a variety of songbirds. 

“The program is a great way to give back to the park and to help us maintain a diversity of tree species,” says Jordan. “A diverse forest is a healthy forest.”

Ready to gift the Park a commemorative evergreen? Take a look at a map of proposed locations, and contact us for more information.

Brittany Buongiorno

A Guide to Winter Activities in Prospect Park

Temperatures are hovering around freezing, the first snowflakes have fallen and here in Prospect Park, we say, “let it snow!” Are you ready for the cold-weather activities that we wait all year to enjoy? Here is our roundup of winter activities in the Park. 

Ice Skating
Strap on a pair of skates: the ice skating season at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside is in full swing! Come with friends for freestyle laps around the two rinks, or sign up for Skate School and learn the fundamentals of skating. Plus, Prospect Park Alliance members at the Supporter level or above can take advantage of Member Wednesdays and skate for free.

Sledding
When the city gets more than a few inches of snow, head to the Park to be among the multitudes that get a rush from sliding down our steep slopes. Bring a sled, toboggan or whatever your preference and check out a list of our top sledding spots in Prospect Park. 

Curling
Ready for a round of… curling? Believe it or not, the LeFrak Center at Lakeside is home to the official Brooklyn Lakeside Curling Club, which offers classes and tournaments. This sport, best known as an event in the Winter Olympics, is played in teams by players wearing shoes with grippers. Learn more about curling at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside. 

Figure Skating 
In addition to regular ice-skating, figure skating has found a home at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside. Figure skaters are encouraged to take to the ice in freestyle sessions, classes or during one of the shows, such as the Ice Spectacular, taking place Sunday, December 18. Learn more about figure skating at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside.

Cross-Country Skiing 
While not an “official” sport, cross-country skiing enthusiasts can’t wait for enough snow to strap on their skis and head out with smooth strides into the Park. Expanses like Long Meadow and the Nethermead are excellent locations to bring this traditionally rural pastime into city parks. 

Hockey 
Grab your pucks and pads! You can get into the game at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside with clinics, open hockey sessions, and (new this season!) Youth and Adult league play. Don’t know how to skate, but want to score a goal? Try Broomball Friday nights at Lakeside, played in sneakers on ice. Learn more about hockey at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside.

A Walk in the Park
There is no easier way to enjoy the serene and snowy season than with a walk in Prospect Park, no special skates, sticks, pads or gear required. Wander through the Park’s 585-acres, or let our curated Winter Walk guide your way on a tour up Lookout Hill, with views only available during this time of year. Learn more about the Winter Walk. 

Indoor Tennis
Snow and ice not quite your scene? Don’t worry; the Prospect Park Tennis Center has got you covered with heated indoor courts through mid-May. Participate in a variety of classes and leagues, or simply book a court to use with a friend. The Center will also offer special holiday programs during the Winter Recess. Learn more about the Tennis Center. 

c. NYC Parks Department

Alliance Participates in NYC Tree Mapping

November 17, 2016

Last year, Prospect Park Alliance partnered with NYC Parks in support of TreesCount! 2015, a citywide street tree census and an ambitious effort to better care for our leafy neighbors. The Alliance committed to mapping 100 block edges for the count, and recruited and trained a dedicated group of 192 volunteers to examine street trees, identify the diversity of species and look for signs of tree health and stewardship using mapping software. 

After about a dozen TreesCount! 2015 expeditions, the Alliance succeeded in mapping 3,412 trees around the entire perimeter of the Park and surrounding neighborhoods. Curious about the amount of air pollutants removed by the London Plane tree on the corner of 10th street and Prospect Park West? 3 pounds. How about the number of trees in all of Windsor Terrace? 2,188. The interactive map created by NYC Parks can give you a general snapshot of the trees in your area, or provide you with granular data about the health of the American elm outside your window.

Thanks to this census, we can say that the monetary value of these shady neighbors is over $111 million annually, which includes values for intercepted stormwater, energy conserved and carbon dioxide reduction. Which is to say nothing of the intangible benefit one gets from walking down a tree-lined street this time of year as the colors change. 

“The Alliance was proud to participate in this endeavor, and thanks our dedicated Volunteer Corps, as well as NYC Parks, the Park Slope Civic Council, and our partners on the Community Committee for their help with this project,” said Alliance President Sue Donoghue. 

Take a closer look at the trees in your area. 

c. Paul Martinka

Welcome Winter at the Lefferts Historic House

November 16, 2016

What to do when the days become shorter and fall turns to winter? For the members of the Lefferts family, this season was an opportunity to gather together indoors for crafts and games. Quilting, candle making and board games were all a part of traditional life in 19th century Brooklyn, and this year the Prospect Park Alliance is bringing these activities to the modern day with a variety of programming at the Lefferts Historic House.

Starting in late November, with programs such as Winter on a Flatbush Farm, visitors to the house can learn about the cold-weather pursuits of a Brooklyn family in the mid-1800s.

We asked Rafe Shaffer, the Alliance’s Supervising Educator at Lefferts Historic House, for details about some of these activities.

Quilting

“Young women would have grown up learning to sew and quilt as part of their domestic responsibilities and many children would help in the making of thread and yarn,” said Rafe. “We are currently displaying a silk ‘crazy quilt’ made here in Brooklyn in the late 19th century, as well as contemporary work by the Brooklyn Quilters Guild as part of our exhibition.”

Games

“Cards, dice and board games were very popular pastimes before the introduction of electricity. Here at the Lefferts house we love the board game ‘9-Man Morris’. Visitors in December will get to make a game board to take home. Additionally, on display is a set of 19th-century playing cards thought to have been used by the Lefferts family.”

Candle Making

“Candle making was a traditional indoor task in the 18th and 19th century, and is very popular with modern visitors.  We make candles exclusively as part of Winter on a Flatbush Farm which focuses on tasks that would be done to prepare the homestead for winter. Candle making as well as olycooks a traditional Dutch fried bread were often made in the winter months

Turns out, there is a lot to be done during a Brooklyn winter aside from binge-watching your favorite show! And what is Rafe’s favorite winter activity at Lefferts?

“Helping feed St. Nicholas’ horse carrots when he comes to hand out chocolates and oranges to our guests at Winter on a Flatbush Farm,” said Rafe. “However, the thrill of a close game of 9-Man Morris or having a game with replica playing cards is hard to beat!”

RSVP today for Winter on a Flatbush Farm, Coming in from the Cold: Event for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Bones of an Old Dutch House Tour and more.