Wednesday Links
Paterson Rejects Democrats’ M.T.A. Plan [NY Times] Heat and Lead Paint Hazards At Auburn Residence [NYT/Local] Fewer City Schools Getting Failing Grades [NY Post] Brooklyn Bridge Park on Track at Pier 6 [NY Post] Artist Transforms Brooklyn Museum with Tape [NY Daily News] Red Hook Piers To Rise From Ashes [Brooklyn Eagle] AY Blight Study…
Paterson Rejects Democrats’ M.T.A. Plan [NY Times]
Heat and Lead Paint Hazards At Auburn Residence [NYT/Local]
Fewer City Schools Getting Failing Grades [NY Post]
Brooklyn Bridge Park on Track at Pier 6 [NY Post]
Artist Transforms Brooklyn Museum with Tape [NY Daily News]
Red Hook Piers To Rise From Ashes [Brooklyn Eagle]
AY Blight Study Bogus [AY Report]
Photo by forklift in the Brownstoner Flickr Pool
kensington gal, funny re: humans playing volleyball.
I was probably too harsh re: the volleyball courts. I’m sure you’re right that the courts will be very busy and I used to be an avid volleyball player, so it’s nothing against the sport. Having seen the plans, it just seems like they took many ideas from much larger parks and tried to squish them into this one. I’m just hoping they leave lots of open space for everyone to enjoy.
Simple park for humans? Humans play volleyball. Lots of them and in a city with a real lack of places to play.
I’m looking forward to the volleyball courts. There is a seriously large and dedicated group of volleyball enthusiasts in the city, with at least 2 separate well attended indoor leagues with thousands of participants. Many of those also travel great distances to play outdoors. Many players used their hard earned cash to rent court time on the Pier in Manhattan near the mini golf when that was open because of the lack of available free facilities. Those are now gone. If the park chose to allow a group to rent the courts for a day tournament or party on occasion, the courts could pay for themselves.
There are very few places the Parks Dept will let you set up a net and generally speaking those areas in Central Park are devoid of grass and dangerous to play on. Plus, permits are technically required whether or not the rangers bust you on it. And they will if you’ve got too many nets or a large enough group playing. Softball and baseball dominate CP and PP, and the courts in CP have hours of wait time to play. So, there’s a need. A few courts won’t hurt the park and I think you’ll be surprised at how high the level of usage will be.
I’m not as peeved about the volleyball courts, although they still won’t be used by the vast majority of the New Yorkers and tourists who go there. I love dogs and volleyball, but just hope the plan isn’t to fill every square inch with a designated activity. The open lawn area in DUMBO works very well.
Now if they would just bring back the floating pool permanently! Sigh.
They have volleyball courts along the thin sliver of Riverside Park and they are so much fun!
I for one am thrilled about the volleyball courts. There are very few public courts in the city and they’re in decentralized locations. When they threw together the sand courts while the floating pool was anchored in Brooklyn we used it all the time and it was great.
Not to be picky since I’ll be thrilled if Pier 6 is actually developed by this summer, but is a dog run really necessary? There is an enormous one right around the corner from there already. Do the dogs care that much about the views? I’m not crazy about the volleyball courts either and I think a marina (proposed for another pier) is even worse. This isn’t Central Park or Prospect Park with enormous room to include every bell and whistle. Can’t we just have more simple park land for humans?