Author: Cornershop

c. Jordan Rathkopf

Climate Week 2020: Events in Prospect Park

September 14, 2020

Join Prospect Park Alliance for NYC Climate Week 2020, September 21-27, 2020, and participate in a variety of events online and in the park. Prospect Park’s 585 acres of thriving ecosystems are home to hundreds of species of plants and animals, including: 30,000 trees, Brooklyn’s only lake and last remaining forest. It is an environmental treasure that benefits our health, our planet and our quality of life for millions of Brooklynites, who have the least amount of green space per resident in all of New York City.

Climate change poses serious threats to Prospect Park and our community, and its effects are already being felt in Brooklyn’s Backyard. This year, we’re excited to host a variety of events to in partnership with Natural Areas Conservancy, Turnstile Tours, WE ACT and more, to bring expert voices to the conversation with the public about climate change and equity in the park and beyond. Additionally, those looking to turn their activism into action can sign up to volunteer at cleanups in the park to help keep this green space healthy and vibrant. And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Prospect Park activities to teach kids about climate change and the environment from home. 

Events and Activities:

Virtual Panel: Equity and the Power of Parks
Online, Tuesday, September 22, 6 pm
Free, Register Today
COVID-19. Racial injustice. Climate change. Parks and open spaces have often served as a haven for New Yorkers in good and challenging times. Our parks are essential. They provide a safe and inclusive space to experience nature and come together as a community in celebration and in protest—while cleaning our air and improving our environment. As New York City works to become a more equitable city in the face of these growing challenges, what role do our parks and natural resources play in achieving that goal? Whether they’re mitigating the Urban Heat Island effect or simply providing safe and inclusive spaces to experience nature, our city’s parks need investment by our government, as well as community support, funding, and advocacy to be beneficial for all New Yorkers. Join the Natural Areas Conservancy, Prospect Park Alliance, and WE ACT for a virtual panel discussion as we share how our organizations are employing a wide range of strategies and solutions to advance equity and accessibility in New York City’s parks.

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Virtual Event: Tackling Climate Change in Prospect Park
Online, Thursday, September 24, 12:30 pm
Free, Register Today
Join Prospect Park Alliance, Natural Areas Conservancy and Turnstile Tours for a Climate Week NYC virtual program! Learn how climate change has affected Prospect Park and other natural areas in New York City and the projections for the future, including how Prospect Park Alliance and the Natural Areas Conservancy is using the best available science to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and preserve our urban forests. We will be joined by Prospect Park Alliance forest ecologist Howard Goldstein and Justin Bowers, Natural Areas Conservancy program manager for Natural Areas Restoration and the creator of Forest Identification and Restoration Selection Tool (FIRST), which helps forest restoration practitioners manage for and adapt to geographic and climate conditions.

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It’s My Park + Green and Go Kit Cleanups
Various Locations, September 21, 25, 26, 27
Free, Register Today
We need you to help keep the park clean and green! Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks have lost critical funding, and our seasonal workforce has been reduced. This combined with an increase in park visitors has led to the park getting much more love than it can handle. Sign up to pitch in and help clean the park landscape during NYC Climate Week, with special It’s My Park Day + Green and Go Kit opportunities. Volunteers are provided a trash grabber, garbage bags and gloves. You must be 18 years old to register, but children are welcome to accompany adults.

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Pop-Up Audubon Play and Go Kits
Parkside and Ocean Avenue Entrance, September 27, 12-4 pm
Free
Prospect Park Alliance presents Pop-Up Audubon Play and Go Kits, taking our favorite nature activities from this seasonal program in an easy-to-borrow kit with games and activities such as Bird Bingo, as well as a birdwatching checklist with binoculars, and much more. Families and children can enjoy nature on their own as they explore and learn more about the park. Kits can be borrowed for up to 45 minutes, and will be sanitized between sessions. Pop-Up Audubon is made possible through the generous support of Con Edison.

Virtual Prospect Park: Climate Week Activities
Free
Enjoy a variety of virtual activities for environmental heroes including games and DIY projects that will teach your all about our planet and the importance of protecting it.

Alliance Tackles Isaias Storm Damage

August 12, 2020

On August 4, 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias pummeled the NYC area, with 70 mph winds causing widespread damage and power outages in the region. Prospect Park was not spared the effects of the storm, and Prospect Park Alliance is now dealing with major tree losses and damage throughout the park. While a complete survey of the park is still underway, a preliminary report tallies roughly 60 trees down, 54 trees with severe damage, and many more with loss of major limbs. 

“This is the worst wind event we’ve had since Superstorm Sandy in 2012,” said Christian Zimmerman, Prospect Park Alliance Vice President of Capital and Landscape Management. “We’re seeing the loss of a number of very old trees, smaller trees ripped completely out of the ground, and many trees where the loss of a limb and stripped bark will leave them exposed to pests and disease.”

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According to Zimmerman, trees of all species and ages were affected, and the Midwood—the forested area behind the Prospect Park Carousel and along the East Drive—was particularly hard hit. The Alliance works with NYC Parks Brooklyn Borough Forestry crews to respond to the largest and most dangerous tree situations, but the City received over 21,000 tree-related service calls, and the Forestry units are dealing with many high-risk tree situations throughout the borough. As a result, the Alliance’s Natural Resources Crew and Woodlands Youth Crew have been focused on storm damage cleanup in the park, in a summer that has already seen resources pushed to their limit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We’re going to need a few more weeks to get a handle on the situation in Prospect Park,” said Zimmerman, “and in the meantime, we need the support of our community to help us through this.”

Here are ways you can help Prospect Park recover from Tropical Storm Isaias:

  • Call 311: Notice an impacted tree or branch that needs be be addressed? Call 311 to let them know the situation and location—it will help the City decide how to prioritize the deployment of their Borough Forestry crews and bring them to the park sooner.  
  • Respect Park Workers: If you see Alliance and City Crews out clearing debris in the park, give them their space and thank them if you are able—tree removal is taxing and difficult work.
  • Use Common Sense: Avoid dangerous situations—stay away from areas cordoned off by caution tape, and do not climb on recently fallen trees or limbs. These are precarious situations and not worth risking your safety. 
  • Donate to the Alliance: Prospect Park Alliance is a nonprofit organization, and any donations go directly into caring for Brooklyn’s Backyard. Make a gift today to support your park and help in the recovery from Tropical Storm Isaias.

View more storm damage photos below, taken by Mary Keehbauch, Prospect Park Alliance Deputy Director of Landscape Management.

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Woodlands Youth Crew is Back for Summer Season

As with so much this year, the fate of Prospect Park Alliance’s Woodlands Youth Crew was looking uncertain—until we collaborated with NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital to offer our beloved youth employment program this summer. 

Through a grant from NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, the Alliance is providing six weeks of employment to a crew of 30 local high school students, including children of front-line health care workers. They are spending the summer working in the park, beautifying the woodlands and learning valuable skills. 

The Woodlands Youth Crew, which has existed in various iterations since 1997, sits at the intersection of the Alliance’s natural resources work and community engagement mission. The program provides local teens with employment, along with training, mentorship and professional experience in environmental conservation and park stewardship.

“This is such an important program,” said Kate Abrams, Prospect Park Alliance Natural Resources Crew Youth Programs Manager. “The crew takes on essential restoration work which helps the park, but more so these local teens get a summer job that teaches them valuable skills. The horticulture field isn’t as diverse as it should be, and we’re educating the next generation of park and environmental stewards and exposing them to these skills and professions.”

This summer, the Woodlands Youth Crew has a sizable project to tackle—working on the watercourse in the park’s Ravine to clear the streams and waterfalls of debris, help with erosion control, and beautify the landscape by removing old fencing and encouraging native plant growth. Crew members also work with the Alliance’s Lakeside crew, helping to care for the 26 acres of native plants that sustain the park’s southeast corner.

“You see the kids grow in so many ways during their time in the Woodlands Youth Crew,” says Abrams. “In confidence, in skill, in leadership and in teamwork. They start off not knowing each other and they learn to work together towards a goal, it’s pretty cool. And they really develop their interests. Some of them are more into wildlife, some kids are into landscape maintenance —everyone has a different favorite tool, and some of them become keenly interested in conservation. It’s cool to see what interest this sparks in them and what route they take.”

Learn more about the Woodlands Youth Crew.

c. Virginia Friere

Play and Go in Prospect Park!

July 23, 2020

There is a new way to have fun in Prospect Park this summer! Join Prospect Park Alliance at locations around the park and surrounding neighborhoods as we bring our favorite activities from the Prospect Park Audubon Center and Lefferts Historic House on the road in easy-to-borrow play and go kits.

The  Pop-Up Lefferts Play and Go Kit  includes historic games and toys, including a DIY kits to make a nine-man morris game board and Mamantuhwin, a Native American (Lenape) dice game, which you can take home with you. There is also a wooden egg and spoon and potato sacks for races with your friends and family. A small library of children’s books can also be borrowed along with your kit on a first-come first-served basis. Learn more about dates and locations.

Pop-Up Audubon Play and Go Kits features a range of fun nature activities and games, as well as a birdwatching checklist with binoculars, and much more. Families and children can enjoy nature on their own as they explore and learn more about the park. Learn more about dates and locations.

Kits can be borrowed for up to 45 minutes, and will be sanitized between sessions. 

Pop-Up Audubon is made possible through the generous support of Con Edison.

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Pop-Up Lefferts is supported NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

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Stavros Niarchos Foundation Short

New Dog Run Opens In Prospect Park

July 6, 2020

Today, Prospect Park Alliance joined elected officials and community members for a “pawsome” occasion for Brooklyn’s Backyard’s four-legged friends. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Council Members Brad Lander and Dr. Mathieu Eugene, Prospect Park Alliance VP of Capital, Christian Zimmerman, and representatives from the Kensington Dog Run Association, Community Board 14, and FIDO cut the ribbon on the new Kensington Dog Run at the Prospect Park Parade Ground.

Get directions to the new Kensington Dog Run. 

The dog run, located in the Parade Ground along Coney Island Avenue, includes 7,000 square feet of fenced-in space, separated areas for large dogs and small dogs, and features an innovative canine-friendly turf, a first for a New York City park. The surface is low maintenance and durable, and boasts superior drainage thanks to a porous backing which allows rainwater and dog waste to flow through the material. The turf also incorporates an antimicrobial agent woven into its fibers that reduces the need for detergents or deodorizers. 

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The dog run also features benches made of reclaimed wood from downed park trees. Additional enhancements include waste receptacles, water fountains and new plantings of trees and dog-waste-resistant shrubs. The $405,000 project was funded by Borough President Adams and City Council Members Lander and Eugene, advocated by local groups Brooklyn FIDO and the Kensington Dog Run Association, and designed and project managed by Prospect Park Alliance. The Kensington, Windsor Terrace, Ditmas Park, Flatbush and Midwood areas are home to about 20,000 canines, according to a 2015 report by the NYC Department of Health. The project reached completion in timing with the lifting of the city-wide closure of dog runs due to COVID-19.

“Prospect Park Alliance is excited to share this new destination with the canines in our community,” said Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance. “In under a year, we have transformed this space into a state-of-the-art amenity for dogs and their owners to enjoy. This is exactly what our community needs right now, and with dog runs reopening citywide, the timing couldn’t be better.”

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“The new Kensington Dog Run is a testament to what our community can achieve when it comes together over a shared interest, like providing a space for our canine companions to enjoy. I was so proud to work with my colleagues in government and the local community to help fund this project through the participatory budgeting process. Amid an unimaginably difficult period for our city, it’s a small — but powerful — reminder that empowering communities at the grassroots level can deliver results,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

“I want to thank the Prospect Park Alliance, led by President Sue Donoghue, my colleagues in government, and members of the  Kensington Dog Run Association for their advocacy on behalf of this wonderful new green space,” said Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene. “I have been working for many years to allocate funding for initiatives that revitalize and improve the Prospect Park Parade Grounds for present and future generations of New Yorkers. This project in particular is of immense importance to the pet owners who reside in this area because it provides them with a safe and protected setting to enjoy leisure time with their pets. I know that residents are extremely excited about this addition to the neighborhood and are eager to use it. The Kensington Dog Run represents an investment in this community that promotes a healthier living space for everyone, especially during the current public health crisis we are facing. I am honored to be a part of the community partnership that made this dog run a reality, and I am looking forward to supporting similar endeavors in the near future.”

“Congratulations to the Kensington Dog Run Association who championed this project through the participatory budgeting process, and to the Parks Department and Prospect Park Alliance for successfully getting this project done on schedule to provide timely relief for cooped up pups,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “The Kensington Dog Run won’t protect us from COVID, advance racial justice, or make our community safe for all. But it felt pretty great to cut the ribbon this morning and remember that democracy can deliver public goods that transform our neighborhoods based on grassroots vision.”

“It’s a win for the community, and a win for the dogs too! Pups deserve open space, and now more than ever, it is a joy to celebrate a new space for our dogs to run, play, and do their business too,” said NYC Parks’ Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Martin Maher. “This brand new dog run is a reflection of the community advocacy including Community Board 14, the Kensington Dog Run Association and FIDO, as well as our elected officials. A special thanks to our partners at Prospect Park Alliance for the fantastic design and project management to bring this new amenity to life.”

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“The Kensington Dog Run is the result of several years of advocacy by our neighbors,” said Salvatore Garro, President, Kensington Dog Run Association. “The Kensington Dog Run Association banded together over our shared love of dogs and community. We engaged with our leaders and proudly campaigned for our four-legged friends who needed a place to play, exercise, and have fun. We are truly impressed by the beautifully executed design by Prospect Park Alliance, and we are forever grateful for the funding provided by our Council Members through the Participatory Budgeting process, as well as the Brooklyn Borough President. This park encapsulates community and will forever be an example of what civic engagement can achieve.”

In addition to the dog run, Prospect Park is a haven for dogs, offering acres of green space for off-leash hours (5 am–9 am and 9 pm–1 am) at the Long Meadow (except ballfields), Nethermead and the Peninsula. Dogs can also beat the heat and go for a swim at the beloved Dog Beach, which the Alliance restored in 2017. Learn more at prospectpark.org/dogs.

c. Aaron Almendral

Plan Your Prospect Park Wedding—Virtually!

June 23, 2020

The pandemic has thrown a wrench into the wedding season, with nuptials postponed while we wait for the all-good to gather in person. While the parties are pending, many couples are moving ahead in planning their special day. In Prospect Park, we are helping couples plan their weddings—virtually! 

Contact us to set up your virtual Picnic House 

Prospect Park holds one of Brooklyn’s favorite wedding venues, the Prospect Park Picnic House. We spoke to Cat Feliciano, Prospect Park Alliance’s Rentals & Event Planning Coordinator for the Prospect Park Picnic House, about the current state of weddings in the park and her virtual tours.

Hi Cat! What is the new process for setting up a virtual tour of the Picnic House?

Couples can get in touch with us through our website contact form, and then we will contact you to set up a virtual tour of the Prospect Park Picnic House, usually on Thursdays between 11 am – 2 pm.

Great, once you set up a tour, what happens next?

We will send you a link to a video meeting, and we do a walk through of the space using the 360 degree tour we have of the facility. I start at out front of the building, just like I would if we were in person, and walk you through the whole space, pointing out amenities and the outdoor areas that are part of the rental. During the tour, I take questions about everything you could want to know about having a wedding at the Prospect Park Picnic House. After the tour, I follow up with photos of previous weddings and celebrations, and give you lots of information about our caterers and preferred vendors.

What questions always come up on these tours?

Everyone is asking, “when are you going to be open?” and of course we don’t know, but we’re optimistic that it will be soon since we’re already in Phase 2 of the reopening. More intimate gatherings may come back first before we are able to be at full capacity. People like to know about the amenities at the Picnic House, about the House Manager that comes with the space, and about our vendors and caterers. 

When are people booking their weddings for?

Right now we’re seeing a lot of people booking dates in 2021 or 2022. We know that is far off, and if you want to hold a date, we give you a courtesy hold of five days so that you can reach out to vendors, speak with your family, and figure out if it works for you.

Do you anticipate holding in-person showings of the Prospect Park Picnic House soon?

Yes, the in-person showings will soon be starting back up. We’re following all precautions to keep our staff and our patrons safe and we’ll keep holding the virtual tours so that people don’t have to worry about putting themselves at risk. 

Learn more about having your wedding or special event at the Prospect Park Picnic House.

 

c. Christian Zimmerman

Prospect Park Construction Updates

With New York City now in the first phases of re-opening, Prospect Park Alliance is back up and running on a number of park improvement projects, from the Flatbush Avenue perimeter to the Long Meadow Ball Fields. Construction completion dates are currently being finalized. Learn more about park improvements on our Capital Projects Tracker.

Concert Grove Pavilion
Through funding from former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council, Prospect Park Alliance is undertaking the $2 million restoration of the Concert Grove Pavilion. This pavilion was closed to the public in 2014 due to structural damage. The Alliance is restoring this historic structure and add new lighting to return this cherished community space to public use. 

Flatbush Avenue Entrances 
This $3.2 million project, funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio through the Parks without Borders program, enables the Alliance to create two new entrances along the park’s Flatbush Avenue perimeter: the first new entrances to the park since the 1940s. A major entrance is being created in the northeast section of the park near the Rose Garden and a minor secondary entrance is being created just north of the Prospect Park Zoo. The entrances feature new lighting, seating and trees, as well as new plantings. The major entrance will feature two levels of terraced seating that provides views of the surrounding woodlands. Stepping stones will lead to an informal running trail atop a berm; and the landscape will also feature a rock scramble of boulders sourced from the building site of nearby NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.

Kensington Dog Run  
Prospect Park Alliance has created a dog run in the Prospect Park Parade Ground along Coney Island Avenue, which is very close to completion. The $452,000 project was funded by Borough President Adams and New York City Council Members Dr. Mathieu Eugene and Brad Lander, and advocated by local groups Brooklyn FIDO and the Kensington Dog Run Association. The project includes 7,000 square feet of fenced-in space, separated areas for large dogs and small dogs, and features an innovative canine-friendly turf, a first for a New York City park. The dog run also will feature benches made of reclaimed wood from downed park trees. Additional enhancements include waste-receptacles, water fountains and new plantings of trees and dog waste-resistant shrubs.

 Long Meadow Ball Fields 4 and 5 Restoration 
New York City Council Member Brad Lander provided $1.25 million in funding toward the ongoing restoration of the Long Meadow Ball Fields, a 34-acre site. To date Fields 1, 6 and 7 have been restored. The project includes restoring the fields and providing additional drainage to keep the fields in good playing condition; adding new pathways and benches, dedicated clay storage bins and shaded dugouts.

c. Jonathan Grassi

Sounds of Prospect Park Summer

With New York City still in the early stages of reopening, Prospect Park Alliance has had to cancel many of the beloved summer events that bring us together as a community in Brooklyn’s Backyard. But all is not lost! You can still celebrate summer, and we’ve got playlists from our friends at the New York Philharmonic, caribBEING and Lola Star’s Dreamland Roller Disco to bring the sounds of Prospect Park summer to you, wherever you are.

NY Philharmonic Concerts in the Park Playlist
“As a New Yorker, nothing makes me prouder than the Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks,” said New York Philharmonic President and CEO Deborah Borda. “Performing in our beautiful parks is both a highlight of the summer and a great way to connect directly with our community, made possible through the remarkable generosity of Didi and Oscar Schafer. The entire Orchestra can’t wait until we can resume this vibrant tradition and return to our enthusiastic Prospect Park audience next summer!” Tune in on June 25 for the NY Philharmonic’s virtual Concert in the Parks celebration.

caribBEING Soiree Playlist
Prospect Park Alliance’s annual summer Soiree was canceled this year, but you can still celebrate summer with help from our friends at caribBEING and DJ Tony Gold: “For me Soiree always marks the beginning of summer,” says Shelley Worrell, founder of caribBEING. “Always a magical evening…I remember last year’s epic fête as if it were yesterday! Our tables had a ‘Tropical Chic’ theme with catered food and beverages from Black-owned Caribbean businesses Labay Market, Kafe L’ouverture and Peppas.” Enjoy weekly virtual events with caribBEING x Pop-Up Lefferts through July 12.

Here are Shelley’s tips on the perfect soiree (most businesses listed below are located in Little Caribbean NYC):

Lola Star’s Dreamland Roller Disco Playlist
While it might be a little while till we can boogie together on the roller rink at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Lola Star has put together a high-energy playlist so you can disco solo: “I had so much fun making this feel-good playlist designed to help you survive the roller coaster ride of 2020 and dance through the turmoil into a better world full of love, health and unity,” says Lola Star, founder and host of Lola Star’s Dreamland Roller Disco. “Until we meet on the Dreamland Roller Disco dance floor together again we can dance alone in our bedrooms in roller disco solidarity!”

Caribpolitan, Andrea Pippins for I AM CARIBBEING

Pop-Up Lefferts Launches with caribBEING Partnership

June 10, 2020

Prospect Park Alliance has announced the launch of Pop-Up Lefferts, which brings free family programs focused on Brooklyn’s rich culture and history, starting virtually this June with its second annual partnership with caribBEING, a Flatbush-based cultural organization that builds awareness and fosters Caribbean heritage, as part of National Caribbean-American Heritage Month.

In June, virtual programming will feature Caribbean-centered cooking, fitness, maker workshops and storytelling. Pop-Up Lefferts will then continue at locations around Prospect Park and surrounding neighborhoods while Lefferts Historic House undergoes a $2.5 million restoration funded by the New York City Council. 

Check out the scheduled events below and RSVP!

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Pop-Up Lefferts is supported in part by NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. 
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Virtual Pop-Up Lefferts: caribBEING Cooks
Sunday, June 21, 2 pm
All ages, Free
Join Prospect Park Alliance and caribBEING to explore culinary traditions of Brooklyn. First, take a virtual tour of the Labay Market in Flatbush’s Little Caribbean to learn about the spices of the Caribbean, and then join us for a cooking demonstration with Nuyorican local makers Breukelen Rub, followed by a moderated conversation on Caribbean culinary traditions. 

Virtual Pop-Up Lefferts: Caribbean Fitness in de Park
Sunday June 28, 2 pm
All ages, Free
Learn how to utilize the park to improve your fitness, strength and endurance in this workshop led by Trinidadian-American, Flatbush-based performance coach, Marlon Jude, and then join him for a moderated conversation where he can answer your questions about getting fit and healthy in the park.  

Virtual Pop-Up Lefferts: Caribbean Candle Making
Sunday July 5, 2 pm
All ages, Free
Relax and enjoy a guided candle-making class with local maker Perry Boyce (Guyanese-American). Participants will try their hand at every step of the candle making process and create a custom candle of their very own, and then join Boyce for a moderated conversation about growing up in Flatbush, her art and practice.

Virtual Pop-Up Lefferts: Stories from the Caribbean
Sunday July 12, 2 pm
All ages, Free
Hear a selection of wise and witty Caribbean stories, as told by beloved storyteller Tammy Hall, then join us for a moderated conversation with Hall about the inspiration for these stories.

Lefferts Historic House is an 18th-century farmhouse that features a working garden, historic artifacts, period rooms and exhibits. The museum focuses on the lives of the people that lived and worked on the land including the Lenape, Dutch settlers and enslaved Africans. The museum is jointly operated by Prospect Park Alliance and the Historic House Trust of New York City. Starting in 2020, Prospect Park Alliance will undertake the restoration of the house, which will include capital improvements—replacing the roof, restoring the exterior of the building, and repairing paths and drainage surrounding the house—as well as re-envisioning the public programming to provide a living history of Brooklyn from the 18th century to present day.

About caribBEING
Founded in 2012, caribBEING builds cultural awareness and fosters Caribbean heritage through Film + Art + Culture. This creative hub is a fully-integrated, award-winning group that has partnered with Brooklyn Museum, the James Beard Foundation and other cultural partners. Learn more at caribbeing.com.

About Prospect Park Alliance
Prospect Park Alliance is the non-profit organization that sustains, restores and advances Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s Backyard, in partnership with the City of New York. The Alliance provides critical staff and resources that keep the Park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home. Learn more at prospectpark.org.

About NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital has been providing outstanding medical care to the surrounding communities for over 130 years. Located in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the 591-bed teaching hospital is affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine and provides specialized services in advanced and minimally invasive surgery, neurosciences, orthopedics, digestive and liver disorders, and cancer and cardiac care. Learn more at nyp.org/brooklyn.

c. Anna Watts for The Wall Street Journal

Taking Care of Brooklyn’s Backyard in a Pandemic

May 18, 2020

As is the case for so many, work looks a little different these days for Prospect Park Alliance. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our team has had to find ways of caring for the park with limited staff and a high number of visitors, while meeting the challenges of our current socially distanced moment. 

Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit that cares for the park in partnership with the city, provides critical staff and resources that keep Brooklyn’s Backyard green and vibrant. As highlighted in a recent report, the pandemic has resulted in a loss of critical funding for parks across the city. For Prospect Park Alliance, the closure of park amenities like the Prospect Park Tennis Center and LeFrak Center at Lakeside, and also the cancellation of fundraising events like Party for the Park, has resulted in nearly $3 million in lost revenue.

This loss in funding has impacted the Alliance in terms of our ability to hire seasonal staff, roughly 20% of our total workforce, for horticulture work, summer weekend cleanup crews and woodland restoration. In addition, the city has reduced its workforce to respond to cuts to the city budget, and the Alliance’s essential volunteer workforce of nearly 4,000 has been placed on hold due to safety concerns around the pandemic.

No matter the impact, nature goes on, and so does the work of the Alliance. In the past few months, Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks staff have been at work in the park performing basic maintenance. For our landscape management team, the Alliance had to forgo its normal spring planting season of more than 5,000 trees, plants and shrubs throughout the park’s 585 acres, and instead is focused on picking up trash in sensitive woodland areas, weeding and repairing fencing. In addition, Alliance staff who are home due to PAUSE New York have been volunteering in the park to support our essential NYC Parks workers, helping to clean the park and perform basic repairs.

With the Audubon Center and Lefferts Historic House shuttered, Alliance educators have taken their curriculums online! In a normal season, these  park destinations are home to hundreds of  free public programs for tens of thousands of community members each year. Now, these activities are going up online at Virtual Prospect Park—so you can experience the park from the comfort of your own home. 

With the summer months close at hand, and the city’s pools and potentially beaches closed to the public, the Alliance is bracing for a busier than usual summer season with limited staff and resources. Want to make a difference in your park? Consider becoming a member of Prospect Park Alliance with a limited-time discount. In addition to benefits that enhance your enjoyment of the park, you will feel good knowing that your support will make an immediate difference in your park. Join today!