Tag: Capital Projects

New Vision for the Rose Garden

May 23, 2018

Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that sustains, restores and advances Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s Backyard, has announced the results of a year-long effort to develop a community-driven vision for the park’s former Rose Garden.

This initiative is part of a larger effort by Prospect Park Alliance to restore the northeast section of the park, which also includes the restoration of the Flatbush Avenue park perimeter, a major restoration of the woodlands, as well as path and lighting improvements to make this area of the park more inviting and accessible to the public.

“Prospect Park is one of the increasingly rare, truly democratic spaces where a wide variety of people of different nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, races and socio-economic backgrounds intermingle,” said Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Alliance President. “To make a more vibrant place for all of Brooklyn, we reached out to the many communities that use and border the park—particularly communities of color, young people, low-income families and new immigrants. Reaching out in multiple languages, in varied formats and at local venues ensured that people whose voices are often missing from local decision-making helped shape the future of this space.”

Prospect Park Alliance teamed up with Hester Street, a non-profit organization that works to ensure neighborhoods are shaped by the people who live in them, and Grain Collective, a landscape architecture and urban design practice, to engage local communities in the future vision of this little-known landscape. The Alliance engaged over 2,000 community members and local stakeholders over the course of this outreach effort, and gathered over 3,000 ideas. Ideas for the reimagined Rose Garden were gathered through a series of interviews, focus groups, “pop-up” events, in-person and online surveys, and workshops. This work was made possible through the support of the Altman Foundation.

The resulting, community-driven vision was informed by a set of guiding principles developed by community members and the Alliance to ensure any future improvements are in line with community priorities, as well as site and feasibility factors. Top priorities expressed were preserving the bucolic character of the space, and creating a welcoming environment to a broad array of communities.

“The many people we talked to were clear: the area must be open, accessible and inclusive of the diverse communities that border the Rose Garden and use the space,” reported Betsy MacLean, Executive Director of Hester Street, “and that community engagement and participation in the future design and programming of the park must be ongoing.”

View the findings of this year-long community engagement effort.

In the coming years, the Alliance will oversee related improvements to park’s northeast corner, including: the Flatbush Avenue perimeter restoration; path and lighting improvements; and the creation of two new entrances to the park. In the meantime, Prospect Park Alliance will further develop and refine design concepts for the former Rose Garden; determine the scope and budget for the project; and develop a broader fundraising campaign for the park to make this project a reality.

Learn more at prospectpark.org/reimagine.

Flatbush Avenue Groundbreaking

April 26, 2018

Today, Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue, NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and New York City Council Majority Leader Laurie A. Cumbo celebrated the start of construction of the restoration of the Flatbush Avenue perimeter of Prospect Park, and also unveiled the design for two new entrances to this important pedestrian thoroughfare to the park.

These projects are part of a broader focus by Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that sustains and restores the park, to improve the northeast corner of the park, which also includes a community outreach initiative to re-envision the park’s former Rose Garden, and restoration of its woodlands.

Flatbush Avenue Groundbreaking 4.26.18

“We are so grateful for the steadfast support of Borough President Adams and Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo, and I want to thank them for their funding of this important project, as well as the Parks without Borders program for making these new entrances possible,” said Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Alliance President. “Since our founding, the Alliance has been committed to restoring and enhancing the Park for the benefit of the community. Improving the Flatbush Avenue perimeter is an important part of this work.”

“The Flatbush Avenue perimeter of Prospect Park is finally getting the restoration it deserves. And with the addition of two brand new entrances, the northeast side of the park will be more welcoming and efficient for all visitors,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “Prospect Park was one of the highest voted projects for Parks Without Borders, and we can’t wait to make it even more accessible for the New Yorkers who treasure it.” 

Flatbush Avenue Groundbreaking 4.26.18 Adams
“Parks equity has been a priority of my administration, and my partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance has put equity first and foremost for the future of our borough’s crown jewel,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “The Flatbush Avenue perimeter will offer the same top-tier entrance as all visitors can expect to enjoy in Prospect Park. Along with our millions in investment for the Parkside Avenue and Ocean Avenue perimeters, the east side of Prospect Park will soon be the gold standard for a safe, sustainable, and serene park experience.”

“I am so excited to have been able to work with Borough President Eric Adams to see our vision to create a world-class entrance way come to fruition,” said New York City Council Majority Leader Laurie A. Cumbo. “The pedestrian-friendly design will encompass increased lighting and enhanced landscaping that is so fitting of Prospect Park and will also create a safer and more accessible perimeter along Flatbush Avenue that will welcome Brooklynites and visitors alike, to one of the most beautiful parks in the nation.”

Through $2.4 million in funding from Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and Council Member Laurie Cumbo, Prospect Park Alliance will restore the Flatbush Avenue perimeter from Grand Army Plaza to the Prospect Park Zoo to its original grandeur. Currently, the narrow, 20-foot-wide sidewalk has few functioning street lights, heavily cracked pavement, sparse and unhealthy street trees, and an incomplete and deteriorating iron fence along the park. 

Following the original design of the park’s creators, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the sidewalk will be expanded into a 30-feet-wide promenade. The Alliance will remove invasive plants that have overtaken the area, and plant native species of trees to create an allée reflecting Olmsted’s design. The Alliance will also install new decorative fencing, lighting and furnishings to provide a welcoming and inviting pedestrian experience. Construction is expected to be completed by fall 2018.

Funded with $3.2 million through NYC Parks’ Parks Without Borders program, Prospect Park Alliance is also creating two new entrances along Flatbush Avenue. These will be the first new entrances to the park since the 1940s. A major entrance will be created near the park’s former Rose Garden, and a secondary entrance will be created just north of the Prospect Park Zoo. This project, which received the most votes during the Parks Without Borders nomination period, is slated to break ground in spring 2019, and open to the public in spring 2020.

The entrances will feature new lighting, seating and trees, as well as new landscaping. The major entrance will align with a future DOT traffic signal and pedestrian crosswalk, intersecting a berm retained by a three-foot-high granite wall. The north end of the wall will open onto two levels of terraced seating that provides views of the surrounding woodlands. Stepping stones will lead to an informal running trail that sits atop the berm. On the opposite side of the entrance, the wall ends in a rock scramble of boulders sourced from the building site of nearby NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Settees will be installed along the paths and between the boulders. 

Additional improvements to the area include $2 million in funding from the Office of Mayor Bill de Blasio to enable the Alliance to restore approximately 1,200 linear feet of paths, replace park benches and add more lighting in the park’s northeast corner. Construction is slated to begin in fall 2018 and be completed by fall 2019.

Paul Martinka

Parade Ground Improvements: Adult Recreation + More

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.

Learn more about the full range of capital projects Prospect Park Alliance is undertaking in the Park.

Martin Seck

Alliance Transforms Historic Wellhouse into First Composting Toilets in a NYC Park

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.

Prospect Park Maintenance Compound

March 21, 2018

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.

Learn more about Prospect Park Alliance capital projects.

Prospect Park Archives

City Funding For Prospect Park Improvements Announced

July 24, 2017

Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that cares for the Park in partnership with the City, has announced that the City’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget includes more than $7.6 million in capital funding for improvement projects in Prospect Park. 

“We thank Mayor Bill de Blasio, the City Council and Borough President Eric L Adams for allocating these funds so that the Alliance can continue its work restoring and advancing the Park,” said Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Alliance President.  “We are so grateful for the support of our local elected officials so that we can improve the Park for the millions of community members who consider it Brooklyn’s Backyard.”

The following projects received capital funding:

Prospect Park Tennis House Restoration: Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council, led by Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the Brooklyn Delegation, have provided $5.1 million for Prospect Park Alliance to restore the historic Prospect Park Tennis House. Located along the Long Meadow near the Park’s 9th Street entrance, the Tennis House has been closed to the public for the last decade. This funding will allow the Alliance to restore this beautiful structure, which was designed by the same architect as the Prospect Park Boathouse, and originally served as a facility for lawn tennis players at the turn of the 19th century.

Parkside Avenue Perimeter Restoration: Borough President Eric L. Adams has provided $1 million in funding for the Alliance to restore the Parkside Avenue perimeter of the Park, including reconstructing the sidewalk, new lighting and street furniture, and planting new trees. This continues the Alliance’s work to restore the perimeter of the east side of the Park, including Flatbush and Ocean Avenue perimeters, which are also being funded by the Borough President, as well as Council Members Laurie Cumbo and Mathieu Eugene.

“The Parkside Avenue perimeter, as part of the greater eastern border of Prospect Park, is crucial to bringing greater equity to the open space experiences all Brooklynites seek,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “I am proud to support this restoration through my capital budget.”

Long Meadow Ball Fields 2 and 3 Restoration: Council Member Brad Lander contributed $750,000 to complete the Alliance’s ongoing restoration of the Long Meadow Ball Fields. Through the support of the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office, Council Members Brad Lander and Stephen Levin, and the New York City Council Brooklyn Delegation, the Alliance has already restored Fields 1, 6 and 7, and Fields 4 and 5 are currently in the design phase. The project includes new drainage to better handle storm water runoff, restoring the playing fields, new pathways, lighting and benches, dedicated clay storage bins and shaded dugouts.

Parade Ground Restoration: Council Member Mathieu Eugene dedicated $734,000 for the Alliance to replace the turf on Field 9 at the Parade Ground, a beloved destination for sports in the Park. The fields at the Parade Ground see heavy use, and replacing the turf at Field 9 will make it safer and more enjoyable for all who use it.

To learn more about improvement projects in the Park, please visit the Prospect Park Alliance Capital Projects Tracker.

 

Martin Seck

Community Weighs In on Future of Rose Garden

June 13, 2017

On a recent Saturday afternoon, Prospect Park Alliance gathered Brooklynites of all ages in the Prospect Park Boathouse to reimagine the Park’s Rose Garden. Suggestions, written on colorful cards and placed in a 3D model of the space, ranged from the practical—bathrooms and event spaces—to the fanciful—outdoor kitchens and trampolines!

Interested in sharing your vision for the Rose Garden? Take our survey!

This community visioning session was an opportunity for Park lovers to share their ideas for the Rose Garden, one of the Park’s hidden gems. Prospect Park Alliance is working with Hester Street Collaborative, a non-profit organization focused on improving the physical environment in underserved NYC neighborhoods to engage the community in the future vision for the Rose Garden—the first step in the Alliance’s plans to restore this landscape in the Park’s northeast corner.

The 2.5-acre landscape is tucked away in the northeast corner of Prospect Park in a heavily wooded area that is surrounded by steep hillsides. The area was originally designed by Park creators Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as a Children’s Playground, complete with play equipment and a horse-driven carousel. In 1885, as part of the City Beautiful Movement, the landscape was transformed into a rose garden, featuring beautiful flowering trees and plants, and three pools with goldfish and lilypads. Over the years, the area fell into disuse. A 1960s attempt to restore the pools was unsuccessful, and the area has gone largely unnoticed and underused—until now.

“Since its founding, Prospect Park Alliance has been focused on renewing the Park for the enjoyment of all of Brooklyn,” said Sue Donoghue, president of Prospect Park Alliance. “Through this innovative community engagement process, we are looking to involve all of the diverse communities that consider the Park ‘Brooklyn’s Backyard’ in the future vision of this corner of the Park, one of the few remaining landscapes untouched by restoration.”

During the June 10 design workshop, visitors of all ages were asked to give their opinion of what should occupy the Rose Garden. Interactive models of the 2.5-acre space filled up quickly with idea-covered stickers, and over 40 attendees participated in a visioning activity to discuss the potential opportunities with members of their community. At the end of the event, Turnstile Tours, which operates walking tours throughout the Park, brought participants to the Rose Garden to learn about the history of the space, and see it firsthand. Dozens of suggestions were collected as a result of the event, and popular suggestions included an outdoor classroom, a flower garden and a cafe.

The project is possible thanks to the generous support of the Altman Foundation. “The Altman Foundation—which celebrated its centennial in 2013—has an historic interest in ensuring that individuals and families living in the city have access to resources that help them thrive, and we believe that well-maintained parks and open spaces are critical to the well-being of each of us and New York as a whole,” said Deborah T. Velazquez, Associate Director at the Altman Foundation.  “Projects like these that allow local stakeholders to be engaged in planning that shapes how capital is deployed lead to strong results, and help long-standing institutions remain vibrant and dynamic.”

The Alliance is looking to gather input from a wide variety of communities that border the Park and use the Park regularly. Over the course of the summer and fall, the Alliance and Hester Street Collaborative will be reaching out to the community in a variety of settings to help determine the future design of this space. In the month of July, a community art project—The Connective Project—will bring an immersive art installation to the area. During that time, July 7-17, the public will be able to give input on the future of the Rose Garden. 

Want to make your voice heard? Learn how you can get involved in this Rose Garden planning process.

Reimagining the Rose Garden

June 1, 2017

In timing with Prospect Park’s 150th anniversary, Prospect Park Alliance—the non-profit organization that sustains the Park—announced the launch of its restoration plans for one of the Park’s hidden gems, a former Rose Garden in the Park’s northeast corner. The first phase of the process is to engage the public in the future vision for this landscape, including a June 1 open call for an immersive art installation, The Connective Project, conceived by AREA4 and Reddymade Architecture + Design, which invites the public to submit photos, artwork, prose or verse inspired by their love of the Park; and a June 10 community design workshop led by Hester Street Collaborative.

Submit your photos, artwork, prose or verse starting June 1 for the community art installation. 

“Since its founding, Prospect Park Alliance has been focused on renewing the Park for the enjoyment of all of Brooklyn,” said Sue Donoghue, president of Prospect Park Alliance. “Through these innovative community engagement initiatives, we are looking to involve all of the diverse communities that consider the Park ‘Brooklyn’s Backyard’ in the future vision of this corner of the Park, one of the few remaining landscapes untouched by restoration.”

Rose Garden Restoration

Prospect Park Alliance is working with Hester Street Collaborative, a non-profit organization focused on improving the physical environment in underserved NYC neighborhoods (and currently working on the City’s cultural plan), to engage the community in the future vision for the Rose Garden—the first step in the Alliance’s plans to restore this landscape in the Park’s northeast corner. The Alliance is looking to gather input from a wide variety of communities that border the Park and use the Park regularly. Over the course of the summer and fall, the Alliance and Hester Street Collaborative will be reaching out to the community in a variety of settings to help determine the future design of this space. To kick off the community engagement process, Prospect Park Alliance and Hester Street Collaborative are hosting a Community Design Workshop on June 10. Learn more and RSVP. 

The Connective Project

The Connective Project is an immersive art installation created from thousands of pinwheels to create an evolving, undulating wave of color and beauty that blankets the two-and-half acre Rose Garden from July 7-17, 2017. On June 1, the Alliance will launch an open call for submissions from the public to share artwork, photos, verse or prose that expresses their love of Prospect Park. All submissions will be featured on an online gallery, while select pieces will be printed and transformed into one of 7,000 pinwheels that will be showcased in the Park and constructed of weather-resistant biodegradable paper made from stone dust. Learn more and submit your pieces. 

The designer Suchi Reddy of Reddymade Architecture + Design designed an installation that would engage the public in a dialogue about the importance of public space, but also generate wonder and play. Full of color and whimsy, The Connective Project is a nod to the creative spirit that pervades Brooklyn and Reddy’s practice. The engagement with the community began with an open call to emerging artists, curated by the Brooklyn Council of the Arts, the Brooklyn Museum, BRIC Arts & Media, PIONEER WORKS, MoCADA, and Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation.

The Connective Project is funded in part by Bloomberg Philanthropies, with additional support from NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and Tesla, Inc.

About the Rose Garden

Originally the “Children’s Playground,” the Rose Garden, a 2.5-acre landscape in the northeast corner of the Park, featured parallel bars, swings, and seesaws with a croquet lawn and maze. It also was home to the Park’s first, horse-powered carousel. During the City Beautiful Movement in the late 1800s, the prestigious firm of McKim, Mead and White transformed the landscape into a Rose Garden with three lily ponds, which was a popular attraction before the creation of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Over time, like most of Prospect Park prior to the founding of Prospect Park Alliance, this area became neglected, and the roses, long gone.

Today, Prospect Park Alliance maintains the landscape with the help of its landscape crews and volunteers. It is also the focus of the non-profit’s next major restoration efforts in the 26 acres that comprise the Park’s northeast corner. This spring, the Alliance is continuing work on restoring woodlands in the Vale of Cashmere, a lush landscape adjacent to the Rose Garden. Through a grant from the National Parks Service, administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Alliance is using goats as an environmentally friendly way to remove invasive weeds prior to planting new trees. The Alliance will also conduct historic restoration work on an existing pool.

In addition, through funding from Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and Council Member Laurie Cumbo, the Alliance is in the design phase of restoring the Flatbush Avenue perimeter from Grand Army Plaza to Ocean Avenue, with broadened sidewalks, new trees and street furniture. Through the City’s Parks Without Borders Initiative, the Alliance will also create two new entrances on Flatbush Avenue, and improve the entrance on Flatbush Avenue at Empire Boulevard.

Learn more about improvements on the East Side of the Park.

Reimagine Prospect Park is made possible through the generous support of The Altman Foundation.

 

Dog Beach Restoration

July 13, 2016

The Prospect Park Alliance has begun the restoration of Dog Beach—a popular swimming area for dogs during off-leash hours. Located at the Upper Pool, where the Long Meadow meets the Ravine, Dog Beach is not only a place for dogs to stay cool in the summer months, but a scenic spot to enjoy nature.

“Improving Dog Beach will ensure that park visitors will have a beautiful amenity to enjoy, while we enhance the health of the lakeshore for wildlife,” said Sue Donoghue, President of the Prospect Park Alliance. “We thank our elected officials for providing funding for this project and for their continued dedication, which in the coming year alone represents a number of new projects in the Park.”

The project, which is part of a larger restoration of the Long Meadow Ball Fields and surrounding landscapes, was funded by the Brooklyn Borough President’s office, Council Members Brad Lander and Stephen Levin, and the Brooklyn Delegation.

The planned renovations will beautify Dog Beach by replacing the existing pavement with stone slabs, sourced from a quarry in upstate New York and reminiscent of streambeds found in the Adirondacks or Catskills. Cable and mesh fencing will replace the existing chain link fencing, providing a low profile and durable barrier that is safe for animals. The Alliance will also fortify the health of the watercourse by removing invasive aquatic plants along the shoreline. Boulders and native plants will then be installed, stabilizing the pool edge and improving aquatic habitats.

The project will kick off with a fish and turtle rescue to ensure that the Park’s wildlife isn’t impacted when the Upper Pool is drained for the restoration work. Dog Beach is slated to reopen next spring, just in time for the warmer weather.

City Budget Invests in Prospect Park

For the millions of Brooklyn residents who consider Prospect Park their backyard, exciting changes are on the horizon. The Prospect Park Alliance is delighted that, thanks to the support of Brooklyn’s elected officials, the recently approved city budget includes significant capital investments in the Park.

  • Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the Brooklyn delegation of the City Council have pledged $2.5 million to restore Lefferts Historic House.
  • As part of the Alliance’s focus on improving the northeast corner of the Park, Mayor de Blasio has set aside $2 million for pathway improvements.
  • Borough President Eric Adams and Council Member Mathieu Eugene dedicated $1,750,000 to restore the Ocean Avenue perimeter.
  • Council Member Brad Lander contributed $750,000 for the ongoing restoration of the Long Meadow Ballfields.
  • Council Member Laurie Cumbo funded $500,000 to restore the historic Carousel.
  • Council Member Stephen Levin contributed $100,000 for a pilot program to improve the Park Drive’s running lane with a stretch of softer surface material that also improves drainage.
  • Through the participatory budgeting process, Council Members Eugene and Lander teamed up to fund a new aquatic weed harvester, and joined Borough President Eric Adams to fund a new dog run at the Parade Ground. Lander also funded new freeze-resistant, year-round drinking fountains and Eugene funded new community barbecue sites.

This funding comes after the recent announcement that Prospect Park was awarded funding through NYC Parks’ Parks Without Borders initiative, which will improve and open new entrances to the Park along Flatbush Avenue. Prospect Park Alliance staff will begin to design and plan this wide variety of projects in 2016, and will be busier than ever improving many areas of the Park over the coming years.

“We are fortunate to have such wonderful support from our local elected officials,” said Alliance President Sue Donghue, “and we are thrilled that these funds will be used to make Prospect Park even greater.”

The Alliance’s work to keep the Park green and beautiful continues, even while these restoration projects are underway. This critical work would not be possible without the support of our members, donors and volunteers. To join us in our mission to sustain Prospect Park, learn more about ways to get involved.