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October 2, 2007
Pols Pledge $1.3 Million for Fort Greene Park Entrance
At last night's fundraiser atop the Forte , the Fort Greene Park Conservancy announced that it had just secured $1.3 million in funding for the restoration of the park entrance at Myrtle and Washington Park. Most of the money cam from two of the politicians who were present at the event: Marty Markowitz and Tish James. Both are kicking in $500,000 and the city is expected to put up another $300,000. As good news as this is, there's still a long way to go: we were told last night that the park needs a total of about $30 million in work over the next few years. One of the first projects—which should be quite popular—is the resurfacing and repair of the park's tennis courts; we believe this is planned for early next spring. (Party photo on the jump. Plus, we'll have some photos of the twilight views from the Forte roof up later tomorrow.)
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Comments
It would be great if they re-surfaced those Ft. Greene park Tennis courts...but before any one can use them, we'll have to break up the mafia that controls the sign-in lists. My family is regularly shut out of playing there by a select few who sign themselves snd their friends up for all the playing times...I watch them go from court to court playing 3 hours in a row when we "outsiders" can't even get on.
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 9:38 AM
uh How about doing something about the entrance in the middle of Washington Park first? the one that half of the park washes out of every time it rains.
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 9:39 AM
I also suggest they do something about the lawn before the tennis courts.
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 9:40 AM
Yeah, actually, what needs to be "restored" on the Myrtle/Washington entrance? That grand staircase looks fine to me. They should put some energy into A) fencing off some of the grassy areas when they get worn down, the way they do in every other park in the city, and B) doing some better landscaping on the Washington/Dekalb corner. Also, the cobblestone path surrounding the park is all rutted, probably from cop cars that have no business driving there--would be nice if those paths were smooth enough to walk on, no? And take the wrapping off the monument-- the weeds inside that construction fence are topping out at 5 feet!
Posted by: Rehab at October 2, 2007 10:03 AM
Actually, all of this money is being kicked in by New York taxpayers ... the pols' (i.e., Markowitz's, James's and "the city's")contribution is to earmark these funds for this particular purpose.
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 10:09 AM
Why do they need to spend money on tennis courts in ft greene park? When the councilman for the marine park area of brooklyn was asked why they can't fix the tennis courts in marine park, they said they don't have enough money (they say it would cost about $2 million to resurface/replace the tennis courts). Additionally the field house in marine park has been waiting to be turned into a senior center and other uses for the community for two years,and it has not gone forward because the city can't find a contractor to do it for the price they budgeted. And no extra money is forwarded by the city to that project. Why is that? Is marine park not as important as ft greene or prospect park,ie brownstone brooklyn?
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 10:18 AM
Why do they need to spend money on tennis courts in ft greene park? When the councilman for the marine park area of brooklyn was asked why they can't fix the tennis courts in marine park, they said they don't have enough money (they say it would cost about $2 million to resurface/replace the tennis courts). Additionally the field house in marine park has been waiting to be turned into a senior center and other uses for the community for two years,and it has not gone forward because the city can't find a contractor to do it for the price they budgeted. And no extra money is forwarded by the city to that project. Why is that? Is marine park not as important as ft greene or prospect park,ie brownstone brooklyn?
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 10:18 AM
I think the rationale for appropriating money for the entrance at Myrtle is to enhance all of the economic development that is happening right around there. I agree, the rest of the park is looking woefully neglected, the worst I've seen it in years and years. And when is the construction fencing going to come down around the monument? There has been no work there for a good 4 months -- why isn't it finished and opened back up to the public? Is no one in charge of the overall park and setting priorities?
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 10:19 AM
Actually, they should expand the courts. 8 courts are just not enough.
--sg.
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 10:27 AM
I actually miss the days of the old S. Oxford Tennis Club. No stupid $100 Parks ID to get access...
sg.
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 10:29 AM
where is marine park?
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 11:09 AM
I think the park looks a million times better than it did ten years ago, when the grass was routinely knee-high in the summer. Our park group (Fort Greene PUPS) has been waiting for three-plus years to have the dog fountain we raised funds for installed in the park. So I would say don't hold your breath on anything having to do with the Parks Dept.
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 1:32 PM
LOL 1:39! I think Marine Park is on Parris Island. But seriously....
I concur with 1:32. The original money for the work on the monument and plaza was in the 1999 budget! People should also remember that the parks department takes 30 percent off the top for design, construction supervision and contingency. That leaves a $910,000 for actual construction, which is not a whole lot as 10:18 points out (twice).
It's nice to see what looks like a strong turn-out for the conservancy benefit. I wonder how much was raised. I also wonder whether people in Fort Greene are ready to philanthropically support the restoration of the park in the same way (but perhaps not quite the same degree) as Park Slope residents support Prospect Park. All these half-million dollar studio apartments and multi-million dollar townhouses--is there enough wealth here now to really restore Fort Greene Park?
Posted by: g man at October 2, 2007 2:38 PM
Marine park is in brooklyn. It is on the other end of the borough and not in a brownstone neighborhood. Marine park is not kept up as nice as central or prospect park, but what other park in the city is :(
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 5:09 PM
Ohhhh, now I see where that exorbitant rent money Tish James charged us has gone to!
10% increases year over year surely do payoff!!!! I guess she's trying to repair her damaged reputation and ineffective Atlantic Yards political stumblings. Don't be fooled by this false quest...
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 9:33 PM
Letitia James rules!! she fights for the people of brooklyn. get a clue dude.
Posted by: guest at October 2, 2007 10:12 PM
These funds are for capital improvements, that is, improvements that last for more than one year. These funds aren't used for temporary fencing, upkeep, operation, etc. They are for drainage improvements, improving access (ADA accessibility), landscaping, and so on. The corner at Myrtle/Washington is in a very bad state, the Belgian blocks are in horrible shape. This entrance, along with the Willoughby/Wash Park entrance need lots of attention.
Posted by: guest at October 3, 2007 12:41 PM
I just wonder why the renovations of the monument are taking forever, I never see anyone doing any work there. The best part of the park has been closed off for over a year. Who cares about bronze eagles when you're losing green space?
Posted by: brook__lyn at October 8, 2007 10:22 PM
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