DANCE STUDIO OPENING ON FORT HAMILTON PARKWAY IN WINDSOR TERRACE

After twenty-one years of teaching dance, first at Terrace Dance Studio and then at Dance with Betty, Christina Kane-Durbin is opening her own studio.

Christina's Dream Dance Studio will offer classes for all ages, starting at age three, and specialize in tap, ballet, hip hop, point, lyrical, jazz, and acrobatics.

Zumba classes will be available for adults. 

Classes might begin during the second week in July. Check the studio's Facebook page for the tentative schedule.

Location
Christina's Dream Dance Studio
2903 Fort Hamilton Parkway
northwest corner of E. 4th Street
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
(917) 627-8105
Christinasdreamdance @ gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/Christinas-Dream-Dance-Studio-648609272139467
 

LAST MEETING OF 66TH PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL UNTIL SEPTEMBER

66th Precinct Community Council Monthly Meeting
Thursday, June 21st, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Report crimes and other policing matters in Kensington, Borough Park, and Midwood at this week's 66th Precinct Community Council meeting. 

The 66th Precinct's commanding officer, Captain David Wall, will update residents on recent crimes in those neighborhoods, but the input of people who live within the boundaries of the precinct is essential. 

Matters to bring to Captain Wall's attention include

• men exposing themselves to women in public,
• men following women in the street,
• adults who aren't accompanied by a child entering playgrounds where that is forbidden,
• responsiveness by the precinct to phone calls reporting crimes,
• pedestrian safety when crossing Church Avenue at Ocean Parkway and the Prospect Expressway and other intersections,
• bicyclists on e-bikes and manual bikes riding on sidewalks, and
• package theft.

At the meeting, the public can also learn about the various programs available to the community through the precinct.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, June 21st, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It's free, and it's open to the public.

The notice from the Community Council that's at the top of this blog post says that the following meeting will be on September 21st. That's a Friday. They probably meant that they'll meet on September 20th, a Thursday.  

Boundaries of the 66th Precinct:

The purpose of the 66th Precinct Community Council is to provide the critical interface between citizens and police through regular monthly meetings. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month, from September through June. The Community Council does not meet in July or August.

Meeting location
Community Board 12 Office
5910 13th Avenue
between 59th and 60th streets
Borough Park, Brooklyn
(map)

To get to the meeting, take the B16 bus to 13th Avenue at 56th Street and walk three blocks along 13th Avenue to 59th Street. To return home, take the B16 on 14th Avenue (schedule).

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Contact information for the 66th Precinct:
phone: (718) 851-5611
5822 16th Avenue
between 58th and 59th streets
Borough Park, Brooklyn
e-mail: 66precinctcc @ gmail.com
website: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/bureaus/patrol/precincts/66th-precinct.page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NYPD66Pct or @66precinctcc

AGENDA FOR COMMUNITY BOARD 7 PUBLIC MEETING THIS WEEK

Public Meeting of Community Board 7

Wednesday, June 20th, 6:30 p.m. to 7:0 p.m.

The next public meeting of Community Board 7 is scheduled for Wednesday, June 20th, at 6:30 p.m., in the board's office at 4201 4th Avenue, in Sunset Park. The entrance to the building is on 43rd Street.

The public is invited to comment on any agenda item and any other issue during the Public Comment period (items 7 and 14on the agenda below).

The following is the proposed agenda:
1. The Pledge of Allegiance
2. Opening of the meeting
3. Adoption of the agenda
4. Adoption of the Minutes of the Board Meeting of May 16, 2018
5. Adoption of the Minutes of the Public Hearing of June 04, 2018
6. Presentation: Brooklyn Greenway Initiative
7. Public Comment
8. Committee Reports:
      A) Education Committee (No Vote Required)
           1) Presentation by the School Construction Authority on the new school buildings in District 15
      B) Immigration Committee (No Vote Required)
           1) Presentation by NY Immigration Coalition on the Greenlight NY: Driving Together Campaign
      C) Land Use/Landmarks Committee
           1) M1 Hotel text amendment (N 180349 ZRY) – Introduce a special permit under the jurisdiction of the City Planning Commission for new hotels, motels, tourist cabins, and boatels in light manufacturing (M1) districts citywide.
      D) Membership & Attendance Committee
           1) Committee will review the attendance record or Marcela Mitaynes
     E) Parks Committee
           1) Update on all current NYC Parks Department capital projects in the district
           2) Discussion on the NY Harbor Foundation/Billion Oyster project proposal: A pilot community boating program at Bush Terminal Park
      F) Public Safety Committee (No Vote Required)
           1) Liquor license application for Explosion 21 Bar Corp. located at 369 39th Street
     G) Sanitation & Environment Committee (No Vote Required)
          1) Presentation by Drew Weber concerning ALIGN: The Alliance for a Greater New York
      H) Transportation Committee (Vote Required)
          1) Sunset Park street infrastructure plan – 1st to 3rd Avenues from 39th to 45th Streets
          2) Update from MTA on R tunnel construction, schedule & impact on 4th Avenue
          3) Speed hump proposed for 41st Street between 7th & 8th Avenues
9. Elected Officials Representatives
10. District Manager’s Report
11. Chairperson’s Report
12. Old Business
13. New Business
14. Public Comment
15. Adjournment

STREET FAIR ON CHURCH AVENUE THIS SUNDAY

Church Avenue Street Fair
Sunday, June 17th, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Eat, play games, go on rides, and shop at the 66th Precinct Community Council's Church Avenue Street Fair this Sunday, June 17th, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The fair will be on Church Avenue in Kensington, from McDonald Avenue to East 3rd Street, rain or shine.

For more information, call (718) 444-6028 or send an e-mail to info @ streetfairsny.com.

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING SUSPENDED FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

Alternate side of the street parking regulations will be suspended on Friday, June 15th, through Sunday, June 17th, for Idul-Fitr (Eid Al-Fitr).

All other regulations, including parking meter regulations, will be in effect. Those are only suspended on these major legal holidays: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

DATE CHANGE FOR COMMUNITY BOARD 12 JUNE BOARD MEETING

Community Board 12 Board Meeting

Monday, June 25th, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Community Board 12 (representing Kensington, Borough Park, and Midwood) will hold its next meeting on Monday, June 25th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The board's monthly meetings are open to the public.

If you have any concerns, questions, solutions, needs, or problems that you'd like the community board to address, arrive at the meeting before 7:00 p.m. and sign up to speak during the public comment period at the beginning of the meeting. You will be given three minutes to present your topic.

Some issues you may be concerned about are

•     pedestrian safety,
•     traffic congestion,
•     housing,
•     land use and zoning,
•     construction sites,
•     outdoor lighting,
•     potholes,
•     sanitation,
•     libraries,
•     crime,
•     police presence,
•     graffiti,
•     social services,
•     rodents,
•     trash collection,
•     public litter baskets, and
•     street and sidewalk conditions. 

General meetings of Community Board 12 are normally held on the fourth Tuesday of the month, from September through June, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This month, however, the meeting will be held on the fourth Monday.

Every neighborhood in New York City is represented by an all-volunteer community board, which serves as the neighborhood's liaison to city agencies. Board members are appointed by the neighborhood's city councilperson and the borough president.

Community Board 12's committees are

•         Planning, Zoning Variances and City Map
•         Education, Library, Cultural Affairs
•         Sanitation & Environmental Protection
•         Fire, Safety & Police
•         Health & Social Services
•         Housing & Buildings
•         Legislation
•         Parks, Capital Projects & Site Selection
•         Transportation & Franchises
•         Youth & Community Development 

Meeting location
Amico Senior Center
5901 13th Avenue, 3rd Floor
corner of 59th Street
Borough Park, Brooklyn

Enter the building on 59th Street. 

FREE PAINTING WORKSHOP FOR ALL AGES

Paint outside the Box

Sunday, June 10th, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Use washable, tempera paints and sponges to paint on heavy paper with abandon. Paint on an 8' easel to create murals with your neighbors. Neighborhood artist Diana Sanzone will guide the mural-making.

All materials will be supplied at no charge.

The workshop is for adults and children.

Location
Avenue C Plaza
Avenue C at McDonald Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn
 

NEIGHBORHOOD BEAT COPS FOR WINDSOR TERRACE, GREENWOOD HEIGHTS, AND SOUTH SLOPE WILL MEET WITH RESIDENTS IN JUNE

"Build the Block" Neighborhood Policing and Safety Meeting
Thursday, June 14th, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Neighborhood Coordination Officers who patrol Sector A (Windsor Terrace, Greenwood Heights, and South Slope) of the 72nd Precinct, will meet with residents and business owners in those three neighborhoods at the next "Build the Block" neighborhood policing and safety meeting. 

Join Detective Specialist Daniel McGrath and Police Officer Francis Ghanney at P.S. 10 on Thursday, June 14th, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. as they update the community about public safety issues in the neighborhood, answer your questions, and listen to your concerns, complaints, and suggestions.

The doors will open at 6:00 p.m. when refreshments will be served.
Possible issues of concern are

• assaults and robberies on the street,
• home burglaries,
• packages stolen from porches and lobbies, and
• street safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Meetings between the 72nd Precinct's Neighborhood Coordination Officers and the public began in July 2016.

Contact information for the officers is 

• Detective Specialist Daniel McGrath: (917) 853-2601, daniel.mcgrath @ nypd.org 

• Police Officer Francis Ghanney: (929) 343-7645, francis.ghanney @ nypd.org

Meeting location
P.S. 10
511 7th Avenue
between Prospect Avenue and 17th Street
Park Slope, Brooklyn
 

HENNA MINI-MASTERCLASS (FREE)

Henna Mini-Masterclass

Saturday, June 9th, noon to 4:00 p.m.

Join Sabia Hanif of The Brooklyn Henna Company as she guides participants through a free henna mini-masterclass. Participants will learn the basics of henna and practice making their own designs.

This workshop is for participants ages 13 and up.

Location
Avenue C Plaza
Avenue C at McDonald Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn
 

KENSINGTON DOG RUN ASSOCIATION WILL MEET FOR UPDATES

                       Kensington Dog Run Association Meeting
                    Monday, June 18th, 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

All responsible dog owners and dog lovers are welcome to attend the next meeting of the Kensington Dog Run Association on Monday, June 18th, at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the current status of the dog run project and share new ideas about how best to maintain and grow the dog run community once the park is completed.

The cost of the dog run is fully covered, thanks to Participatory Budgeting funds from Councilmember Mathieu Eugene of District 40 and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams' capital allocations, with the balance coming from Councilmember Brad Lander of District 39.

The Kensington Dog Run Association is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit working toward the construction of a dog run in the Prospect Park Parade Ground, scheduled to be completed in 2019.

The dog run will accommodate the increasing number of dogs in the surrounding communities of Kensington, Windsor Terrace, Prospect-Lefferts, Ditmas Park, Flatbush, East Flatbush, Park Slope, and Borough Park.

The association welcomes all responsible pet owners and supporters.

Location  
Rec Room of the apartment building
346 Coney Island Avenue
between Caton Place and Kermit Place
Brooklyn

FREE COMPOST WORKSHOP

                                     Compost Workshop
                      Saturday, June 16th, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Learn how to turn your food scraps into “black gold,” a rich soil amendment beneficial for plants and soil. The workshop will cover composting basics and best practices, using the three-bin system at the East 4th Street Community Garden. Learn how to troubleshoot problems. Bring your fruit and vegetable scraps for a hands-on experience.

The workshop will be taught by a Brooklyn Botanical Garden Master Composter In Training, Liz Royzman, Saturday, June 16th, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is free, and it is open to the public.

RSVP by sending an e-mail to Elizabeth_royzman @ yahoo.com by Wednesday, June 13th.

Location
East 4th Street Community Garden
173 E. 4th Street
between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn

FRUIT AND VEGGIES RIGHT FROM THE FARM WILL RETURN TO THE KENSINGTON GREENMARKET

Kensington Youthmarket
Saturdays from July 7th through November 17th,

8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

A full range of fresh fruit and vegetables will be sold this year on Saturdays at a youth-run greenmarket sited alongside the Windsor Terrace Library. Everything sold is farm-fresh, high-quality, and grown on regional small farms. 

The Kensington Youthmarket is an urban farm stand, a smaller version of New York City's greenmarkets. Through GrowNYC, young people from the neighborhood operate it. The market provides young people with seasonal employment and valuable job experience.

Cash, SNAP/EBT cards, debit cards, credit cards, WIC checks, and FMNP checks. are all accepted as payment. 

Location: Fort Hamilton Parkway at E. 5th Street, alongside the Windsor Terrace Library

The youthmarket will operate every Saturday from July 7th through November 17th from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

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A partnership between GrowNYC and New York City Councilmember Brad Lander has brought the Kensington Youthmarket to the community every year since 2011.

FIREHOUSES AND EMS STATIONS WILL HOLD OPEN HOUSE

FDNY Open House

Saturday, June 16th, and Sunday, June 17th

11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Fire Department (FDNY) will host open houses on the weekend of June 16th and 17th. For the 4th annual citywide open house program, more than 200 firehouses and EMS stations will be open to the public on Saturday, June 16th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., or on Sunday, June 17th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics will educate the public about fire and life safety, conduct demonstrations, discuss careers within the FDNY, and offer tours of FDNY engines, ladder trucks, and ambulances.

Educational materials whose goal is to raise awareness of fire safety and prevention will be handed out as well as free smoke/carbon monoxide alarms, fire safety coloring books, and fire helmets for children.

The event is free, and it is open to the public.

The locations of the open houses are indicated on an FDNY interactive map. Open houses in the KARMABrooklyn area will be held in the following locations.

Firehouse Engine-281/Ladder-147
Saturday, June 16th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
1210 Cortelyou Road
between Westminster and Argyle roads 

Firehouse E-282/L-148
Sunday, June 17th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
4210 12th Avenue
between 42nd and 43rd streets 

Firehouse E-240
Saturday, June 16th, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
1307 Prospect Avenue
between Greenwood Avenue and Ocean Parkway

Firehouse E-220/L-122
Saturday, June 16th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
530 11th Street
between 8th and 7th avenues

KENSINGTON POST OFFICE, THE DAY AFTER THE FIRE

three boarded-up street-level windows

metal covering a second-floor window

cracked glass on the entrance door

work area hidden by cardboard

soot on a pillar in the service area

soot on another side of the pillar

The day after yesterday's fire at the Kensington Post Office, the facility opened for business at about 9:00 a.m. A view of the extent of the damage is hidden from the public by the cardboard that's covering the service windows.

Several employees had been at work sorting packages when the fire broke out. Luckily, none of them were injured.

When I asked the employee at the package pick-up window if mail had been destroyed, she answered "some but not much." Then she walked away.

An electrical fire caused the blaze.

FIRE DAMAGES KENSINGTON POST OFFICE

                                                                         (Credit: NBC 4 New York)

Fire broke out in the Kensington Post Office at 4:21 a.m. today. 

The incident was an "All Hands" fire, which calls for a minimum of three fire engines and two ladder trucks responding. More than sixty firefighters responded. Two of them received minor injuries and were taken to Maimonides Hospital.

The cause of the fire is not yet known and neither is the extent of the damage. Three windows on the first floor that firefighters knocked out have been boarded up.

The post office is at 419 McDonald Avenue, between Church Avenue and Albemarle Road, in Kensington. The two-story brick building was constructed in 1935.

The above video showing the fire-fighting efforts is preceded by a thirty-second advertisement.

72 CATON PLACE PARKING LOT JUST GOT SOLD

The Carlyle Group bought the vacant land at 72 Caton Place from JEMB Realty on May 24th for $23 million. The deed names 72 Caton Place Owner LLC (c/o The Carlyle Group at 299 Park Avenue, 35th floor) as the buyer and Caton Member LLC (at 150 Broadway, Suite 800) as the seller.

JEMB Realty, which bought the land from Suzuki Partners in April 2017 for $15.2 million dollars, had planned to build an eight-story self-storage facility on it.

Suzuki Partners, which bought it from Calvary Cathedral of Praise in February 2015, had planned to erect a nine-story residential rental and retail building.

Prior to that, it served as Calvary's parking lot.

FUNERAL PRAYER IN KENSINGTON FOR DROWNED BANGLADESHI MEN

            Janazah (Funeral Prayer) for Drowned Bangladeshi Men
                       Sunday, June 3rd, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Mainul Hasan Ridoy, 21 years old, and Shahadat Hossain Nayem, 18 years old, drowned in the Rio Grande River, near Webb County, Texas, in mid-May. The Laredo Sector Border Patrol found their bodies.

The men traveled together from their small village in Bangladesh with the intention of entering the United States, but they drowned while attempting to cross into Texas from Mexico.

They, along with an increasing number of South Asian migrant border crossers, had traveled through a number of South and Central American countries to arrive in the U.S.

DRUM (Desis Rising Up & Moving) and Jahid Minto of Brooklyn's Greater Noakhali Society USA, Inc. have spent several weeks working with the men's families, the local Bangladeshi community here, and the medical examiner in Texas to get Ridoy and Nayem's bodies repatriated back to their families in Bangladesh.

Join DRUM and Brooklyn's Bangladeshi community for a funeral prayer before the men are sent home.

Location
Bangladesh Muslim Center
105 Cortelyou Road
between McDonald Avenue and E. 2nd Street
Kensington, Brooklyn
(map)
https://www.facebook.com/bmcnyc

CULTURAL PLANTING WORKSHOP (FREE)

Cultural Planting Workshop

Saturday, June 2nd, noon to 4:00 p.m.

Susan Braverman will lead a free planting and gardening workshop for adults and children that is focused on herbs and vegetables from around the world.

Learn how to take cuttings and grow plants at home. Each participant can take home two cuttings for their own garden or window-sill.

Susan, a Kensington resident and co-founder of The Greenworks Team, is a Horticultural Therapist Master and founder of Urban Oasis, a rehab program that includes an inner city farm, two greenhouses, and a farmers market.

Location
Avenue C Plaza
Avenue C at McDonald Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LIVES ON

On the day of its 45th anniversary, with the possibility of its demise hanging over its head, the Albemarle Neighborhood Association got a new lease on life when attendees at tonight's community meeting volunteered to fill the vacant board positions.

ANA's next meeting will be the traditional June outdoor meeting. It'll be on Thursday, June  28th, at 7:00 p.m., on Albemarle Road, between E. 4th and E. 5th streets. The street will be blocked off from traffic.

If weather conditions don't permit an outdoor meeting, it'll be held at Flatbush Jewish Center, 327 E. 5th Street.

The board will meet during the summer to discuss how frequently to hold community meetings and a possible change in format.

Past guest speakers include

• Denise Lalande-Phipps, Director of The Kensington Family Shelter, Claire Harding-Keefe, Senior Vice President for Family Support, Housing at CAMBA, which operates The Kensington Family Shelter, and Dante Thomas, CAMBA's Director of Security and Operations,

• Thomas Kukla, Crime Prevention Officer at the 66th Police Precinct,

• New York State Senator Kevin Parker,

• Bert S. Matthew, Kensington Branch Manager, Vice President, Astoria Bank,

• Teresa Cunningham, Community Affairs Liaison and a sanitation worker for the New York City Department of Sanitation, and Julian Sepulveda, Division of Customer Service and Government Relations, New York City Department of Sanitation,

• Brad Lander, our New York City Councilmember,

• Barry Spitzer, District Manager of Community Board 12,

• James F. Brennan, our New York State Assemblymember,

• Nolan Levenson, Project Manager of the Pedestrian Projects Group at the New York City Department of Transportation,

• Tom Bauer, Director of Operations for the Ocean Parkway Community Development Corp., and

• Heather Jane McCormick, Community Representative to the Brooklyn Postal Service Customer Advisory Council.

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The Albemarle Neighborhood Association (ANA) is the oldest neighborhood association in Brooklyn. Since its founding in 1973, it has worked to advance Kensington's quality of life.

ANA's meetings are free. They are open to the public.

Meetings provide a place for Kensington's residents to address safety, security, and quality of life issues. ANA helps create a safe and stable neighborhood by working closely with its members, other neighborhood residents, city agencies, and elected officials to address key issues.

EVENTS AT AVENUE C PLAZA DURING JUNE

Press Release

Contacts:
Esther Robinson, co-executive director
ArtBuilt/ ArtBuilt Mobile Studios
robinson.esther@gmail.com

Hasiba Haq, Program Manager
Arts & Democracy
haq.hasiba@gmail.com

ArtBuilt Mobile Studios and Arts & Democracy Opens Avenue C Plaza’s Third Season of Cultural and Arts Programming; Brooklyn Historical Society partnership added to annual Community Iftar

Beginning Saturday June 2nd, ArtBuilt Mobile studio will kick off its third year of free cultural and arts programming at the Avenue C Plaza in Kensington, Brooklyn. In partnership with The Kensington Stewards, Arts & Democracy, and the Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA), ArtBuilt will help facilitate various workshops, performances, and arts programming for Immigrant Culture month at the plaza.

Programming will begin with two popular workshops the first weekend of June. The first event is cultural planting by co-founder of The GreenWorks Team Sue Braverman, where participants will learn about local plants and take home two plant cuttings. The second will be Painting at the Plaza with Pinot’s Palette, a local art studio that teaches attendees to paint a picture that they can then take home.

ArtBuilt and Arts & Democracy have consistently integrated arts and culture to the already diverse fabric of Kensington these past two years and intend to continue their work in collaboration with community members. "Kensington's dynamic and diverse community is always inspiring to us and our work," says ArtBuilt Co-Executive Director Esther Robinson. "Both of our organizations are dedicated to cultivating arts and cultural programming with and for various communities and we look forward to continuing our work in Kensington," adds Arts & Democracy Program Manager Hasiba Haq. “Arts & Democracy is committed to supporting artists and cultural work within the Bangladeshi community and using it as a means to advance social justice causes and participatory democracy.”

Other events for this month include the ever popular kite-making workshop with Jill Reinier of The Singing Winds, vibrant paper mache alebrijes and Aztec/Mayan Print making with Kensington local Cynthia Fortoza, community quilt making, an exuberant cultural showcase with performances from local talent, star gazing with astronomers, rhythmic Bangla singing with Annie Ferdous of BIPA and more!

A special co-sponsorship with Brooklyn Historical Society will take place during the annual community iftar on Mon June 4th. Muslim and non-Muslim neighbors are invited to break fast together and sample Ramadan foods from around the world while learning more about Ramadan and Brooklyn Historical Society’s Muslims in Brooklyn Project – a multi-year public arts and oral history project designed to amplify the stories of various Muslim communities in Brooklyn, including the Bangladeshi-Muslim community of Kensington.

“We are honored that Muslim communities all over the Borough, like those in Kensington, are willing to share their powerful stories with Brooklyn Historical Society as part of the Muslims in Brooklyn Project,” comments Deborah Schwartz, President of Brooklyn Historical Society. “The Community Iftar is just one of the many programs that we look forward to hosting as part of the project’s effort to aid in understanding and honoring the history and culture of the many Muslim communities who now call Brooklyn home.”

Arts and culture programming at the Avenue C Plaza is made possible with the ardent and enthusiastic support of local government and community members.“I’m thrilled for Avenue C Plaza’s exciting summer lineup of events and programming that reflect the diverse and special community it serves,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “I’m proud every year to help fund the Plaza, and I look forward to attending many events this summer.”

"We have been lucky to have such strong support from the NYC City Council, Council member Brad Lander, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, The Kensington Stewards, Department of Transportation, Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts, neighborhood schools and all the amazing members of the local community," says ArtBuilt Co-Executive Director Guy Buckles, "these essential partnerships help make June in Kensington one of the high points of our yearly calendar!"

Location + programming info:

Avenue C Plaza is located at the intersection of McDonald Ave and Ave C in Kensington and is accessible via the F/G trains at Church Ave and the B67 bus. Weekly program listings can be found on the Ave C Plaza Facebook page.

Twitter: #AveCPlaza Facebook: https://facebook.com/avecplaza Or @avecplaza.

About ArtBuilt:

ArtBuilt is a Brooklyn-based non-profit that supports the creative sector in NYC and nationally through three programming initiatives: ArtBuilt Mobile Studios deliver needed programs and services to underserved communities by providing innovative mobile workspaces to artists and, social-service providers, and micro-businesses; ArtBuilt Brooklyn provides long-term, affordable workspace for artists and arts-based businesses; and ArtHome provides asset-building strategies and financial literacy training for individual artists and creative business-people. Current ArtBuilt Mobile Studios programming includes community-engaged on-site artist residencies and public events in city parks and street plazas across NYC and beyond, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, NYC’s City Council, NYC Parks, NYC DOT, and others.

Twitter: @ArtbuiltNyc Instagram: @ArtbuiltNyc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtBuiltMobileStudios

About Arts & Democracy

Arts & Democracy cross pollinates culture, participatory democracy, and social justice. We support cultural organizing and cross-sector collaborations; raise the visibility of transformative work; connect cultural practitioners with activists, organizers, and policymakers; and create spaces for reflection. Arts & Democracy has provided programming for the Bangladeshi community in Kensington for the past three years and continues to work with Bangladeshi youth and women in the neighborhood.
Twitter: @artanddemocracy Instagram: @artsanddemocracy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtsandDemocracy

REBUILDING THE CHURCH - MCDONALD INTERSECTION

The current reconstruction of the intersection of Church and McDonald avenues is intended to make the crossroads safer for pedestrians, drivers, and bicyclists.

Improvements being made include curb extensions at the northwest and southeast corners, pedestrian ramps, bus stop pads, catch basins, replacement of the water main, and a complete pavement restoration.

Curb extensions, also known as "neckdowns" and "bulb-outs," widen the sidewalks and reduce the crossing distances. They increase pedestrian visibility, increase the space where pedestrians stand while waiting for the walk signal, provide additional space for street furniture, plants, and other amenities, reduce illegal parking at corners and crosswalks, and provide space for two curb ramps per corner.

Construction at the intersection began in July 2017. At that time, the estimated completion date was fall 2017. The project was delayed, however, in order to first complete work on a nearby water main and bus stop pads. The latest estimate is that work will be finished by fall 2018.

Residents of City Council District 39 voted to fund the improvements in 2013 as part of City Councilmember Brad Lander's Participatory Budgeting project.