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…
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.)
Actually, they should expand the courts. 8 courts are just not enough.
–sg.
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?
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?
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?
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.
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!
I also suggest they do something about the lawn before the tennis courts.
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.
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.