Tag: Prospect Park Alliance

Brittany Buongiorno

Alliance Considers the Forest (and the Trees)

May 14, 2018

On a recent spring morning, Prospect Park Alliance kicked off a survey of trees in Prospect Park as part of its work in caring for the Park’s natural areas. This project is funded through a $75,000 Urban Forestry Grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). 

As part of its mission to sustain, restore and advance Prospect Park, Prospect Park Alliance has been working to revitalize the Park’s natural areas over the past two decades, a more than 20-year, $15 million investment that has encompassed the planting of more than 500,000 trees, plants and shrubs. Alliance staff include trained arborists, horticulturalists, a forest ecologist and a Natural Resources Crew. The results of this investment can be seen in the transformation of these once-derelict areas into some of the Park’s most scenic destinations.

Over the past two years, through $1.2 million in grants from the National Parks Service through the Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Assistance Grant Program for Historic Properties, administered by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Alliance has been restoring the woodlands in two areas particularly devastated by Hurricane Sandy and other severe storms: the Vale of Cashmere in the northeast corner of the park, and Lookout Hill near the Nethermead and Peninsula (the Alliance lost 500 throughout the park due to Hurricane Sandy, with 50 alone in the Vale of Cashmere). This work was highlighted in a 2017 article in The New York Times, and brought to the park a crew of goats who helped clear the areas of invasive weeds in an environmentally friendly way. The work concludes this year with the planting of Lookout Hill.

The New York Times also highlighted the Alliance’s work to sustain the Park’s natural areas, announcing a partnership with the Natural Areas Conservancy to pilot a 25-year plan to enhance and protect New York City’s vital urban forests. The timing is ideal, since the Alliance is wrapping up its own 25-year plan to restore the woodlands, and these treasured natural areas are beset by new challenges, including climate change and the threat of invasive pests and diseases such as Emerald Ash Borer and Oak Wilt. This pilot program will enable the Alliance to share best practices with other parks citywide, and strengthen its expertise and knowledge base in woodlands restoration.

The Alliance’s work to restore the woodlands is also highlighted on the PBS program Metrofocus. View this video below:

Metrofocus Climate Change Shaping City Forests

With respect to the tree survey, a team of arborists from Davey Resource Group, a well-respected urban forestry consultant that has worked extensively in New York City, is collecting data on an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 trees in the Park, representing about half of the total tree population. The inventory will catalog the various attributes of Prospect Park’s trees—species, size and location to name a few. The survey will also include invasive insect, pest and disease detection to help the Alliance in its care of the Park’s trees, “the lungs” of Brooklyn. The inventory will focus on trees in the Park’s landscaped areas. The results of the inventory will help the Alliance, in partnership with the City, strategically maintain and enhance these trees to benefit generations to come.

“By tracking the Park’s trees, the Alliance can better care for these important natural resources, which play a big role in Brooklyn’s quality of life,” said John Jordan, director of Landscape Management at Prospect Park Alliance. “Trees cleanse the air we breathe; reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that reaches the city’s overburdened sewer system; provide shade that helps conserve energy by cooling buildings and paved surfaces; and even help people feel calmer and more quickly heal from sickness.”  

Love Prospect Park? Plant or adopt a tree to celebrate a special occasion or loved one.
 

c. Jordan Rathkopf

Summer Movies Under the Stars

May 8, 2018

Get your picnic blanket and basket ready, summer movies are returning to Prospect Park’s Long Meadow for four Wednesdays in July and August. A Summer Movie Under the Stars series, presented by Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and Prospect Park Alliance in partnership with Brooklyn’s Nitehawk Cinema, brings free family-friendly movies to Brooklyn’s Backyard to benefit the diverse communities who use the Park.

RSVP Today!

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“We are set to host a dazzling array of films and accompanying live entertainment in the heart of Brooklyn’s crown jewel, all celebrating the history of one of our borough’s most beloved movie theaters as it prepares to re-open as its most exciting iteration yet. I am excited to partner with my friends at Nitehawk Cinema and the Prospect Park Alliance for what has become a signature celebration of summer and the arts. Join us with family and friends under the stars on Long Meadow North to catch the stars of the silver screen!” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams.

These free outdoor film screenings on Prospect Park’s Long Meadow North will feature live musical entertainment followed by films chosen by Nitehawk Cinema. This selection will showcase films that exhibited at the Sanders Theater / Pavilion Theater in the 1930s, 1950s, 1960s and 1990s over its 90 year history. Located on Bartel-Pritchard Square, the theater will re-open this summer as Nitehawk Prospect Park.

“Prospect Park is Brooklyn’s Backyard, and what better way to gather with friends and neighbors than a free summer movie under the stars,” said Sue Donoghue, president of Prospect Park Alliance. “A big thanks to the Borough President, who has been a steadfast supporter of the Park, and also to Nitehawk Cinema for creating such a wonderful line up of movies.”

The full line-up and pre-film musical acts are as follows:

Wednesday, July 18 – The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Get lost in the Land of Oz with Dorothy, Toto and the rest of the gang.
Musical entertainment: Highline Chamber Ensemble’s jazz trio playing 1930s and 40s standards and songs from the soundtrack.

Wednesday, August 1 – West Side Story (1961)
An updated adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, Tony and Maria fall in love in 1950s New York.
Musical entertainment: Inspired by the vibrant score and soundtrack, Skyline Salsa Band will get the audience on their feet with salsa numbers.

Wednesday, August 8 – Space Jam (1996)
The Looney Tunes seek out Michael Jordan to help them win a basketball match.
Musical Entertainment: 80s and 90s R&B, hip hop and dance hits provided by Brooklyn’s own DJ Dr. Israel.

Wednesday, August 22 – Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Join us for this rain date screening as young Alice stumbles into Wonderland and meets a cast of characters in her quest home.
Musical entertainment: Morricone Youth provides some pre-film psychedelic tunes.

Neighborhood partners will also provide onsite activities before the screenings. All musical entertainment will start at 7 p.m. and films begin shortly after sundown at Long Meadow North, located nearest to the Grand Army Plaza entrance at Eastern Parkway. The closest subway station is the Eastern Parkway Brooklyn Museum stop on the 2, 3, and 4 lines. There are no rain dates in the event of inclement weather. 

Learn More and RSVP!

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A Summer Movie Under the Stars is made possible with additional support from Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, HBO, Oppenheimer Funds, Ponce Bank and Boxed Water.

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.

Smorgasburg 2018 Vendors Announced

March 21, 2018

Smorgasburg Prospect Park, presented by Brooklyn Flea in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, is ready to roll on starting April 1, with 100 food vendors each Sunday on Breeze Hill in Prospect Park. 

The 2018 season marks the 10th anniversary of Brooklyn Flea, which began April 6, 2008, at Brooklyn Flea’s original Fort Greene location. Over the last decade, Brooklyn Flea has grown to become the biggest incubator of small businesses in New York City. 

Visit Smorgasburg Prospect Park during Opening Weekend on April 8!

Smorgasburg is also one of the largest zero-waste events in America. Last season alone, 867,000 pounds of solid waste were diverted from landfills to compost through its markets, due in part by a ban on any canned or bottled beverages. This year, Smorgasburg will continue to provide free, cold-filtered water in compostable cups and more innovations are coming soon.

On the vendor front, this year there are more than a dozen exciting new additions to the market, including the debut of a fried-cookie-dough collaboration between market veterans Big Mozz and Do, and two Smorgasburg LA veterans expanding to Brooklyn. Among the new vendors:

504 HN Market: traditional Honduran baleadas, made with a fresh flour tortillas and topped with refried beans, Honduran cheese and cream, and avocado. Other varieties include eggs and chorizo.

Big Mozz x DO: The folks behind Smorgasburg’s famous mozzarella-stick stand, Big Mozz, has teamed up with DO to create a deep fried cookie dough! Each piece of cookie dough is battered and deep fried, creating a warm crispy shell with a melty, gooey middle. The ultimate weekend indulgence!

Bonsai Kakigori: Perfectly fluffy Japanese shaved ice, made with a vintage machine imported from Japan, and flavored with housemade syrups and toppings. For the perfect light summer treat, try the Strawberries & Cream or the Matcha Persimmon. The texture is everything!

Btarts: Canada’s favorite dessert is now at Smorg! Btarts bakes the classic Canadian specialty, butter tarts, made with organic butter (of course!) and eggs, plus Canadian maple syrup.

Dashi Fried Chicken: Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) served with housemade dipping sauces and fried to order! Crispy, perfectly seasoned, and so delicious.

Frico Italia: A traditional Italian “pie” made with potatoes and three Italian cheeses then pan fried to create a crispy crust on the outside that gives way to a soft, creamy inside. Take one home or eat on the spot.

King St. Kitchen: Baked goods from a former pastry chef at Eleven Madison Park.  Top sellers from her menu include a peanut butter + chocolate fudge brownie, golden oat cookies, and olive oil + citrus bundt, which is also gluten free.

Lobsterdamus: One of the most popular stands at Smorgasburg Los Angeles, Lobsterdamus mesquite grills whole lobsters, which are topped with garlic butter, lemon and parsley, and served over noodles. They’ll also have lobster truffle fries and lobster nachos!

PopdUp: Also from Smorgasburg Los Angeles (one of two new vendors!) PopdUp makes delicious cold brew teas. Tea leaves are sourced from a partner farm in Taiwan and steeped for 24 to 48 hours, depending on the variety.

Ya Ya Noodz: Szechuan rice noodles made from a machine imported from China, steamed and rolled with fillings like shrimp, pork, or butternut squash.

In the mood for tasty breakfast treats all week? Visit King David’s Tacos at Grand Army Plaza!

Prospect Park Maintenance Compound

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.

Jonathan Grassi

Prospect Park Soiree Announced!

February 5, 2018

Don’t Miss Out on a Magical Evening of Dining and Dancing Under the Stars in Prospect Park
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Tickets on Sale February 13

The most anticipated party of the year is back! Prospect Park Alliance will host the Prospect Park Soiree on Saturday, June 23, a magical, one-night-only celebration in Brooklyn’s Backyard. Tickets will go on sale to the public on February 13 at 9 am.

We provide the entertainment and breathtaking setting, while guests gather with thousands of Park lovers in festive attire, prepare a delicious feast, bring their favorite bottle of wine, and dine and dance under the stars in one of the Park’s most scenic locations, the Peninsula.

Guests are encouraged to show off their creativity with a show-stopping topper—a fabulous hat or headpiece of your choosing—as well as table décor that celebrates the beautiful surroundings, and raise your glass in a toast to Brooklyn’s Backyard.

Individual tickets are $45, and table packages for groups of ten come with two complimentary bottles of wine. Proceeds benefit the non-profit Prospect Park Alliance’s mission to sustain, restore and advance Prospect Park.

Visit www.prospectpark.org/soiree for more information and tickets. Please note that guests must be 21 and over.

Prospect Park Alliance is the non-profit organization that sustains, restores and advances Prospect Park, “Brooklyn’s Backyard,” in partnership with the City. The Alliance provides critical  staff and resources that keeps the Park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home.

c. Joseph O. Holmes

Winter Guide to Prospect Park

January 11, 2018

Temperatures have dropped and snow is in the air—time to head to Prospect Park! We’ve collected everything you could possible need to enjoy a frosty trip to the Park, whether you’re a skater, sledder, hiker or historian. Image c. Joseph O. Holmes.

Winter Activities

Winter at Prospect Park Alliance

Winter Through the Ages

Terry Christensen and Leslie Beller at the Prospect Park Alliance’s 1998 Woodlands Ball

In Memoriam: Prospect Park Alliance Advocates Terry Christensen and Leslie Beller

November 10, 2017

This month, Prospect Park Alliance mourns the passing of two individuals, Founding Board Chair Terry Christensen and longtime Board Member Leslie Beller. These dedicated members of our community leave a lasting legacy on Prospect Park. 

Henry “Terry” Christensen III
The Founding Board Chair of Prospect Park Alliance, Terry Christensen passed away on November 3, 2017. He founded the Alliance with Tupper Thomas in 1987 and served as Chair of the Board of Directors for 20 years, until he stepped down in 2007. He first became a supporter of Prospect Park in 1983 when he gave $100 to the Alliance’s precursor—Prospect Park Tree Trust—and instantly became the Park’s largest individual donor. 

Christensen lived across the street from the Park, and enjoyed its acres with his four children. “I love everything about Prospect Park,” Christensen reminisced in a 2015 interview. “I have so many memories in the Park, picnics in the Park with our children, walking around the watercourse… It’s a place of unending beauty. That’s why it’s so important, it’s the backyard for all the people of Brooklyn.”

Tupper Thomas, as Prospect Park’s first Administrator, reached out to Christensen to ask for his help in the Park, and in 1987 they launched the Alliance with the blessing of Mayor Ed Koch. They called their new organization an “Alliance” rather than a “Conservancy,” because in their view they were not “conserving” the Park, but rather bringing together the public and private sectors in innovative new ways. The model that they created has been widely admired and adopted throughout the country.

During Terry’s tenure the Alliance grew its annual operating budget from $40,000 to $10 million—the Alliance now provides a majority of the staff and resources to care for the Park. Overseeing the restoration of the Park’s 1912 carousel was his first project as Board Chair, and restoring Brooklyn’s last remaining forest was his last. While everybody loves the Carousel, which was dedicated to him in 2007, the forest and the park’s landscape were his real passion.

As Al Garner, who succeeded him as Board Chair, has said, “Terry set the bar for truly effective leadership” while making it look easy and brought a rare combination of vision and practicality to the task. Quite simply, the Alliance would not exist without Terry’s leadership, for that we—and millions of Brooklynites—will forever be grateful. His legacy lives on through our beloved Park, which he called his “fifth child.” 

An attorney with Sullivan & Cromwell and then McDermott Will & Emery, Terry led an extensive international practice advising multinational families, family offices and trustees. In addition to his service to the Alliance, Terry was actively involved in community and cultural life. He served as a member of the BAM board for 25 years and provided steady guidance to many other organizations’ boards including Theater for a New Audience, The Rita + Alex Hillman Foundation, the American Council for Oriental Research and many others. 

Christensen passed away at the age of 72. He is survived by his wife Constance—they celebrated their 50th anniversary this summer—as well as his children Alexander (Susan), Gus (Courtney Booth), Elizabeth and Katherine, four grandchildren and a sister, Karen Cheeseman.

Read more about his life in The New York Times.

Leslie Beller
A longtime Board Member of Prospect Park Alliance, Leslie Beller passed away on October 30, 2017. For more than 27 years, Beller served on the Prospect Park Alliance Board of Directors, including as Secretary, co-chair of the Development Committee, and a member of the Operations and Design + Construction Committees. She was deeply committed to making Prospect Park a safe and vibrant destination and was an avid park-goer herself, spending many weekends on the Long Meadow and the Parade Ground as her children grew up playing on the sports fields.

Her boundless enthusiasm touched so many corners of the Park and the lives of so many Brooklyn families. Beller championed the restoration of some of the Park’s most iconic features, including the woodland Ravine and historic Boathouse, while campaigning for dramatic improvements, such as the celebrated Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Center at Lakeside. The LeFrak Center was a particularly significant milestone for her. As she herself said, back in the early 1980s when she was teaching her daughter to skate at the former Wollman Rink, she could only dream of an organization that could think that big and create something as beautiful as Lakeside.
 
A magnetic personality and fearless fundraiser, Beller helped grow the Alliance from a small grassroots organization into a professional and renowned leader in the field, while never losing sight of the importance of engaging the community and all of the neighborhoods surrounding the Park. She constantly inspired new friends and neighbors to become involved with the Alliance. Leslie was a true force of nature—loyal, passionate and generous—and a great friend. The Alliance was able to celebrate her legacy, along with former Board Chair Al Garner’s, at its 2015 Gala.

Leslie also served as a board member of The Brooklyn Museum from 2002 until her death, as well as of the Park Slope Civic Council. Leslie died peacefully at home surrounded by her husband Alan, her daughter Elizabeth and son David, their spouses Michael and Brigid and her granddaughter Clementine. 

Read more about her life in The New York Times.