The long-awaited Brooklyn Bridge Park, which aims to transform the waterfront in front of the nabe's beloved Promenade, continues to take shape... if ever so slowly. Promised by the end of 2009: A section near Atlantic Avenue (to the far left of the Heights), would include a 1.6-acre playground, water play area, dog run, 30'-wide pier promenade, concession building with restaurant and roof top deck, and three volleyball courts.
When I moved here in 2000, here's what you saw looking across to the East River...
Today, here's the same view, where the warehouses have either been wholly dismantled or, like dis one, are on the way out.
The Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corp. promises that a major portion of the park will be completed by the end of 2009—that is, if Mayor Bloomberg doesn't decide it's not worthy of promised funding (he already cut access from the Heights Promenade to the park... duh)... Currently, hundreds of mature trees are lined up for planting... but where... when...? With persistent budget cuts and a mayor for life whose priorities center on handshakes that typically fund seven-figure-plus "progress" for his developer pals, I still fear that a public project like these could be derailed... Hoping, crossing fingers... It would add so much.
The ultimate plan: more than 40 acres of active recreation space including:* two multi-purpose playing fields for soccer, softball, lacrosse, cricket, rugby and other field sports
* 6 basketball courts, 10 handball courts and 2 volleyball courts
* 3 tennis courts
* an in-line hockey rink
* 3 playgrounds
* a bike and in-line skating path the entire length of the park
* a 12-acre safe paddling zone;
* a seasonal ice-skating rink
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please note that because of Spam, comments are now approved by The Smoking Nun, within a day of posting. Please feel free to smoke here all you want!