Community Magazine December 2013

Life in the Big City Greenfield Announces Funding for New Plaza at Midwood Library Councilman David Greenfield has secured $250,000 in this year’s city budget to create a new outdoor plaza and sitting area outside the Midwood public library branch on E. 16th Street. The recent announcement was made jointly by the Councilman, Brooklyn Public Library President Linda E. Johnson, and Community Board 14 Chairman Alvin M. Berk. While the specific details and final plans are still being developed, the plaza is expected to feature benches, trees and plantings and other amenities to provide residents with a quiet place to sit while visiting the library. In addition, the plaza, which will be situated around the corner from the busy commercial strip along Avenue J, will provide respite for shoppers, pedestrians and commuters, and bring much-needed green space to a very busy part of Midwood. The idea for a new plaza came after Councilman Greenfield visited the library to meet with seniors who took part in the Older Adults Technology Services program that he funded at the Midwood branch this past year. During his visit, Councilman Greenfield discussed the branch’s specific needs with staff members and decided that a sitting area and plaza would greatly enhance the library and the surrounding area. “This represents a tremendous investment in our community andwill serve thousands of residents and families in a busy part of Midwood,” the Councilman said. “I am very excited to work with Brooklyn Public Library on a design that will truly add to the community and improve the library experience for everyone who uses this popular branch.” Since taking office, CouncilmanGreenfield hasmade supporting and funding neighborhood libraries a priority. As Chairman of the Brooklyn Delegation and a member of the Budget Negotiating Committee, the Councilman fought during this year’s budget negotiations to restore critical funding for Brooklyn Public Library. Last year, he helped oversee the opening of the new $15 million public library branch on 18th Avenue in Kensington. Survivors of Hurricane Sandy Light Up New York, New Jersey Shores Survivors lit up candles and flashlights along the East Coast on October 29 to mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, NBC New York reported. Residents in Long Beach, Long Island placed hundreds of lanterns in a fountain to symbolically “light the way home” for neighbors who are still displaced. Along the Jersey Shore, storm victims shone flashlights in triumph over the darkness wrought by the catastrophic hurricane. In Rockaway’s Breezy Point neighborhood, where nearly 130 homes burned to the ground during the storm, residents planted sea grass on sand dunes. Residents on Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn lit candles by the stretch of waterfront near their homes in a “Light the Shore” vigil. Sandy made landfall at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 29, 2012, sending floodwaters across the Long Island shore and the Jersey shore. In lower Manhattan, the water surged to nearly 14 feet, which flooded many subway and commuter tunnels and caused widespread power outages. The storm is blamed for least 181 deaths in the U.S., including 68 in New York and 71 in New Jersey. Property damages were estimated at $65 billion. Mayor Bloomberg spoke in Crescent Beach, Staten Island, where a 10-foot storm surge destroyed homes. The Army Corps of Engineers is building a 10-foot-high berm to protect the shore from future storms. Bloomberg thanked workers for their service and was informed that the project, which is being refunded by FEMA, would be done by year’s end. Bushwick Inlet Park opens An inventive new multi-use building serving North Brooklyn’s waterfront has been opened by the NewYork City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported. The 15,500-square-foot building was designed by Kiss + Cathcart Architects to naturally flow from the adjacent park up to its roof to create a slope that looks out to the East River and the Manhattan skyline. The new building completes an existing park located between N. 9th and N. 10th Streets from Kent Avenue to the river, adding venues for both community programs and park operations. The park was converted from an empty parking lot into a beautiful green space and multipurpose athletic field that was finished in 2011. Bushwick Inlet Park marks the beginning of a project to transform Greenpoint and Williamsburg’s existing industrial riverfront into a continuous strip of public parks. The building is partially underground, covered by an earth roof that keeps the park usable to the public, while the occupied interior spaces are still abundantly sunlit. There is an accessible path up the slope that serves a series of activity areas and a shaded overlook on the top of the hill. The building uses ecofriendly technology to dramatically reduce energy consumption. A portion of the building will be used for local maintenance and operations by The Department of Parks and Recreation. The community spaces will be run by Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn, a not-for-profit group working to develop and restore parks in the Greenpoint and Williamsburg communities. New York City Municipal Schedule Occasion Day Date Alt Side GarbageCollection Parking Banks & Post Offices Observance Sunday December 8 Suspended Normal Normal Open Observance Wednesday December 25 Suspended Suspended Holiday Closed 102 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE