EVERYTHING IS ON SALE AT DJ JEWELRY

All merchandise at DJ Jewelry is on sale for 15% off from now through November. Visit the store in its new (since July 2012) location at 305 Church Avenue, between E. 3rd and E. 4th streets, next to M&F Discount.
Phone: (718)972-6907.

President: Denise Muzio 

SUPPORT LOCAL, INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES-- 

LIKE DJ JEWELRY!

P.S. 130 STILL IN SEARCH OF ORIGINAL ARTWORK FOR BENEFIT

First Annual Auction for Art and Enrichment
A Benefit for P.S. 130's Arts Program

Wednesday, October 23rd, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Submissions of artwork in all forms--photos, paintings, sculptures, crafts, etc.--are being accepted through Monday, October 14th, for an auction to benefit P.S. 130's arts program. Submission forms are available by sending an e-mail to ps130art [at] gmail [dot] com.

The location of the art auction is

Brooklyn Commune

601 Greenwood Avenue, corner of Prospect Avenue

Windsor Terrace

RISKY INTERSECTIONS NEED MORE SOLUTIONS

A potentially life-saving first step has been taken at McDonald and Caton and at McDonald and Fort Hamilton Parkway to make crossing those wide, busy streets safer.

Thousands of adults and children are put in harm's way on a daily basis as they venture across the two intersections. Adults who attended P.S. 130, P.S. 230, and Immaculate Heart of Mary School over the years say crossing has been dangerous for decades.

In late August, Assemblymember Jim Brennan called a meeting so that he, the NYPD, the Department of Transportation, and local residents could figure out a course of action. Participants shared information about the ongoing problems and suggested possible solutions.

Mr. Brennan requested on behalf of Troy Martin that NYPD traffic agents be assigned for a few hours in the mornings and afternoons to protect children on their way to and from school. (Residents say that a crossing guard was stationed at McDonald and Caton years ago.) 

The NYPD responded positively and quickly. Only eight days after the meeting, Mr. Brennan announced that agents would direct traffic at the two intersections  from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on days that school is in session.

Now, more steps need to be taken to make pedestrians of all ages and abilities, bicyclists, and motorists safer all day, every day.

Just about everyone at the meeting who lives or works nearby brought up the  problems that trucks cause. McDonald and Caton avenues are heavily-used truck routes, Caton being the local route and Church the through route. Trucks traveling in either direction on McDonald are required to turn onto either Caton or Church and vice-versa. 

One problem is speeding. When speeding truck drivers have to suddenly come to a halt because a light has turned amber or red or because an adult, a child, an animal, or a vehicle suddenly appears in front of them, it takes longer to stop.

And when drivers turn, they sometimes don't have room for their trucks to make a wide enough right-hand turn from westbound Caton onto northbound McDonald. Their trucks are so close to the curb that some of the wheels go up onto the sidewalk, where pedestrians stand.

Often, the long trucks start to make a left-hand turn from southbound McDonald onto eastbound Caton, but they aren't able to complete it before the light turns red. That blocks pedestrian access to the crosswalk. The trucks can't move until the traffic light at E. 2nd turns green and vehicles start moving. Or until a vehicle "blocking the box" moves. Pedestrians must then choose between two dangerous options: walk in traffic on the inner side or the outer side of the crosswalk.

The Mobil station causes additional problems. The station has five driveways: two on Caton, one on McDonald, and two on Fort Hamilton Parkway. When they reopened the station several years ago after a fire, they promised to paint directional arrows on the driveways. They didn't. Cars, SUVs, taxis, ambulances, and police cars zoom in and out. A pedestrian may be walking across a driveway as one car rushes into the station and another one rushes out. And they do rush.

In addition, on occasion, a driver on Fort Hamilton who is waiting for the red light at McDonald to turn green gets impatient and speeds into a driveway, charges through the station, cuts across the center line on McDonald, and turns left to drive south on McDonald. Drivers might not do that if each driveway is marked as either an entrance or an exit.

Among the solutions that could help are leading pedestrian intervals, slow zones, speed humps, lane narrowing, curb extensions, and pedestrian refuges.

The intersection of Church Avenue and Ocean Parkway has a "leading pedestrian interval." It allows pedestrians to start crossing a street before the vehicles going in the same or opposite direction get a green light. The countdown was recently extended from eight seconds to ten after the death of a pedestrian in June. 

"Slow zones" near the three schools would reduce the driving speed from thirty miles per hour to twenty. That speed is more likely to save lives. But slow zones are only for "small, self-contained areas that consist primarily of local streets."

A "speed hump" is a gradual rise in the road that's designed to slow down vehicles to between fifteen and twenty miles per hour. They're three to four inches high and up to twenty feet long. But they can't be used on local or through truck routes.

Narrowing the lanes of traffic decreases speeding and aggressive driving. Curb extensions reduce the distance that has to be crossed. Pedestrian refuges allow people to cross a street in stages; if you see that you aren't going to get all the way across while the light is still green, you can stand on the refuge, making yourself more visible.

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Community Board 7's Transportation Committee will hold a public meeting this Thursday, October 3rd, at 7:30 p.m. Tell your concerns and suggestions to the Department of Transportation. Let's show the DOT that the community is interested enough in this safety issue to attend a meeting.

International Baptist Church
312 Coney Island Avenue, off Park Circle
entrance on Caton Place 

BIG CHANGES IN STORE FOR DOME PLAYGROUND

Dome Playground--on Dahill Road at 38th Street, near Cortelyou Road--is getting an extreme makeover. The plans originated in the Parks Department and were modified based on residents' feedback. The modified plans were be unveiled at a public meeting with the Parks Department.

A brand new Dome Playground is coming. The park, which sits on the border of Kensington and Borough Park at 38th Street and Dahill Road, is getting a facelift thanks to an investment of public funds and input from your neighbors.

I am happy to report that the NYC Parks Department will present a detailed plan for upcoming improvements to Dome Playground next Thursday, October 3rd at 6:30 pm at PS 179 (202 Avenue C between East 2nd and East 3rd Streets) in the auditorium.

The first phase of renovations to Dome Playground will double the size of the playground and provide great new play equipment for toddlers through 12 year-olds. It will also include improvements to the lawn, removal of those giant rocks, addition of new trees and plants, and the creation of a multi-use area for community gatherings.

When I first came into office, I worked (along with Borough President Marty Markowitz) to allocate funding for renovations. My office organized a meeting to hear your ideas about what should be done. Based on your ideas, the Parks Department developed a conceptual plan, which they presented to the community at PS 230 in April.

The Parks Department has incorporated the community feedback they received in April and is now ready to present their detailed plans. Please join me and the Brooklyn Community Board 12 Parks Committee for a presentation from the NYC Parks Department next Thursday, October 3rd at 6:30 at PS 179 (202 Avenue C between East 2nd and East 3rd Streets) in the auditorium.

For questions, please contact Catherine Zinnel in my District Office at 718-499-1090 or czinnel [at] council [dot] nyc.gov.

I hope to see you there,
Brad

HELPING HANDS AND HEARTS ARE NEEDED AT SEAN CASEY ANIMAL RESCUE

In a place that shelters many animals, it's impossible to have too many volunteers. New ones are always welcome at Sean Casey Animal Rescue.

Pick up a volunteer application at the rescue, fill it out, and bring it to a volunteer orientation class. These training sessions are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. Volunteers are only required to attend one session. You don't need to make a reservation. Based on what you've written on your application, the staff will match you with a volunteer job.

Sean Casey Animal Rescue
153 E. 3rd Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue
 on the border of Windsor Terrace and Kensington

(718) 436-5163 
nyanimalrescue [at] yahoo [dot] com

http://scarnyc.org
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY637.html 
https://www.facebook.com/SeanCaseyAnimalRescue 

SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES!

JAM IN THE SCHOOL YARD

.

The School Yard Jam

Saturday, September 28th, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The weather is going to be beautiful for P.S. 154's annual outdoor festival--School Yard Jam and Flavors of 154 Food Fair.

Saturday's forecast calls for a high temperature of 71, a low of 57, and sunny. The chance of rain is 0%, and the wind will be WSW at 9 mph.

                                                  

The festival will take place in front of the school this year. It'll be like a block party.

Features will include music from the school's students, parents, and friends; Cruise  Control Guitar School students, who range in age from 6 to 65, performing as The Guitar Mutants (1 p.m. to 2 p.m.); a giant bouncy castle; arts and crafts; and foods of various countries. 

The festival raises funds for P.S. 154.

• Suggested donation "at the door": $5.
• Single bounce in the giant bouncy castle: $3.
• Unlimited-bounce bracelet: $10

The event will take place rain or shine. 

P.S. 154-The Windsor Terrace School
1625 11th Avenue
between Windsor Place and Sherman Street
Windsor Terrace
http://www.ps154.org

TWO DAYS OFF FROM ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING

Alternate side of the street parking (street cleaning) regulations will be suspended this Thursday, September 26th, and Friday, September 27th, for the Jewish holidays Shemini Atzeret and Simchas Torah. All other parking regulations, including those for parking meters, will remain in effect.

alternate side parking calendar.

OCTOBER 7TH: THE BEGINNING OF CURBSIDE COLLECTION OF FOOD SCRAPS IN WINDSOR TERRACE

From our City Councilmember, Brad Lander, with more specifics about the voluntary organic waste collection program starting soon in Windsor Terrace....

                 

Windsor Terrace is on the cutting edge of sustainability in New York City. Next month, you will be the first neighborhood in Brooklyn to get the City’s new curbside compost collection program.

Organic waste – including food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings – accounts for a third of all garbage created in New York City. Once collected, organic waste is turned into renewable energy or compost, which is used to fertilize community gardens, school yards, parks, and more—literally giving back to the community.

Organics collection will begin the week of October 7th. Participation in the pilot program is completely voluntary—and easy. Here is a quick breakdown:

• Residential buildings will receive a free starter kit from the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) with a brown bin and a small kitchen container (which you can keep on the countertop, in the freezer, etc). Starter kits will be delivered starting September 27.
• Food scraps can be put in the kitchen container, and then emptied into the brown bin along with leaves and yard trimmings for curbside collection.
• Sanitation will reach out to larger buildings to determine the appropriate number of brown bins needed.
• The brown bins Sanitation provides are specially designed to keep rodents and raccoons out.
• Organic waste pick-up is on your normal recycling day (see map below).
• For more information, visit nyc.gov/organics or call the Composting Hotline: 212-437-4646.

We expect this pilot program to last for two years, during which the city will monitor and evaluate the program.

Food scraps are a big deal. We spend hundreds of millions of dollars to export our garbage when about one-third of our waste is compostable. If the composting program in Windsor Terrace is successful, then the City will be able to bring it to other neighborhoods.

So I hope you participate!

If you have questions about how the program works, or what you need to do, please come to the Community Board 7 meeting with Department of Sanitation on Thursday, October 3 at 6:30 pm, at the International Baptist Church (312 Coney Island Avenue, entrance on Caton Place).

The urgency of action on climate change – and the importance of thinking globally and acting locally – has never been more apparent. The expansion of the composting program provides an opportunity to take meaningful action, and saves us money at the same time. I hope you will consider taking part.

Brad

Serving the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope,
Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, and Kensington

456 5th Avenue, 3rd Floor * Brooklyn, NY 11215 * 718-499-1090

FOOD COOP FOR KWT MEETS TONIGHT

Windsor Terrace/Kensington Food Co-op

Community Meeting

"Getting the Co-op Started"

Tuesday, September 24th
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Knights of Columbus Hall
1511 10th Avenue
between Prospect Park Southwest
and 16th Street

Fresh Food 
Good Choices 
Reasonable Prices

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Windsor Terrace/Kensington Food Coop

Community Meeting

September 24, 2013

AGENDA

1. Introductions

2. Review of Vision Statement of March, 2013

3. Report on What has happened since March 2013 Discussion

4. Report from Park Slope Food Coop on their Members fulfilling work requirements at Windsor Terrace Coop

5. Where to from here?

- Monthly Community Meetings

-Web site

- Location

- Branding

- Outreach

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Can’t make the meeting but are interested?

Send an e-mail and get on the growing list of your neighbors

who want to start a neighborhood food co-op.

windsorterracefoodcoop@gmail.com

LINE UP FOR THE PUPPET PARADE!

The Singing Winds @ P.S. 230

Jill Reinier, Director

presents

The Hummingbird Festival

Saturday, September 28th, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

 free activities for all ages,
stories from Bangladesh, Mexico, Ecuador,
and the Mediterranean coast,
folk dancers, and steelpan.


 11:00 a.m.
Crafts; Make Puppets

11:45 a.m.
Puppet Parade

12:00 noon
Storytelling and Dance

Albemarle Playground
McDonald Avenue, between Albemarle Road and Caton Avenue
behind P.S. 230
Kensington

The Singing Winds
http://singingwinds.org
https://www.facebook.com/SingingWinds

TWO RESTAURANTS NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON FORT HAMILTON PARKWAY

The next incarnation for 3021 Fort Hamilton Parkway is a vegetarian Mediterranean restaurant/cafe. Construction is in the very early stages.

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If these walls could talk.... They can't, but graduates of Immaculate Heart of Mary School can. They responded to my question about what used to be in this space. My thanks to all of them.

The building, located between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets, was constructed in 1931. In the 1950s, the Chaousy family purchased it. Chaousy's Pharmacy occupied the storefront from the 1950s until 1972. In the 1980s, Miss Janet's Dance Studio used the space, until she moved it to Church Ave. and E. 4th Street. A bakery was next, for a year or two. It may have been a pottery place in the 1970s or 80s.

After that, Zyl-Art operated there until the mid-1990s; Nicky and Maryanne decorated eyeglasses and sunglasses there. Pit Stop, red-haired Barbara's candy and grocery store, rented the space for a year (two years? longer?), and then the owner of the building converted it to an office for his own use.

In May 2012, Robin Chaousy (IHM School, Class of 1965) sold the building to Richard A. Prins for $1,325,000. He put the space up for rent in August 2012. Mr. Prins let it be used as a temporary art gallery from May 2013 to June 2013 while he looked for a tenant.

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The other restaurant under construction is Fina Pizza. It's going to replace Maria's Pizzeria at 3007 Fort Hamilton Parkway, also between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets. This building was also constructed in 1931. Not much progress has been made since the "Coming Soon, Brick Oven Pizza - Beer - Wine" sign was hung in April.

NEW PRINCIPAL AT BISHOP FORD HIGH SCHOOL

Lifelong Massachusetts resident Thomas P. Arria has moved to New York to serve as the principal of Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School. Welcome to Brooklyn!

The sixty-two-year-old was born in Somerville, Massachusetts. He got his bachelor's degree in history from Boston State College, where he minored in secondary education and English. He went on to get his master’s from University of Massachusetts Boston in secondary education, and he got a CAES from Boston College in Catholic school leadership. 

Mr. Arria's first teaching job was in 1974 at St. Anthony School in the Brighton/Allston neighborhoods of Boston. Three months later, he took a position as a teacher at Malden Catholic High School. He worked there from 1974 to 2001: For twelve years, he taught social studies. He occasionally taught English, biology, and religion. He was a department chair, and he was vice principal.for fifteen years.

Next, he spent four years at Pope John XXIII Central High School in Everett, MA. He then became Malden Catholic's first lay headmaster, serving from July 2005 until July 2008, at which time he became the headmaster at Cathedral High School in Boston. In August 2012, Mr. Arria was hired as the principal of Notre Dame Cristo Rey High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. And now he's here!

CURBSIDE RECYCLING AND CROSSING MCDONALD

Community Board 7 Sanitation Committee Meeting

Thursday, October 3rd, 6:30 p.m.

Coming to Windsor Terrace in October: New York City's two-year pilot program for recycling organic food waste. The Department of Sanitation will pick up food waste that's been put out by the curb for collection on a building's normal recycling day. Participation in the program is voluntary. At the meeting, learn more about the program and ask whatever questions you might have.

Community Board 7 Transportation Committee Meeting

also Thursday, October 3rd, but at 7:30 p.m.

Traffic agents recently began helping children cross two dangerous intersections safely when they're on their way to and from school: McDonald Avenue at Fort Hamilton Parkway and McDonald at Caton Avenue. The agents are only present for 3.5 hours per day on weekdays; more improvements are needed that will make these intersections safer all day, every day, for everyone. Share your concerns and suggestions with the Department of Transportation at this meeting.

The flier above gives the meeting location and Community Board 7's contact information.

HOWL-O-WEEN FUN FOR PETS AND THEIR HUMANS

6th Annual Howloween Block Party

Sunday, October 27th, noon to 5:00 p.m.

(rain or shine)

                                live music                                                        contests

raffles                                                                                                                             bake sales

and the

                 adoption mobile                                      and animal care booths

All proceeds benefit Sean Casey Animal Rescue. 

Sean Casey Animal Rescue
153 E. 3rd Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue
on the border of Windsor Terrace and Kensington

(718) 436-5163 
nyanimalrescue [at] yahoo [dot] com 
http://nyanimalrescue.org

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY637.html 
https://www.facebook.com/SeanCaseyAnimalRescue 

SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES!

CHURCH AVENUE STREET FAIR ON OCTOBER 13TH

Church Avenue Street Fair

Sunday, October 13th, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Food, rides, games, and shopping on Church Avenue,

between E. 5th Street and Ocean Parkway

Kensington

CITGO OPENS ON CATON

The Wave gas station at 28 Caton Avenue, where McDonald and Caton avenues intersect, has been replaced by a CITGO station. CITGO is owned by Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., the state oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

RENTAL BIKES ON SALE AT REDUCED PRICES AT JUICE PEDALER

Juice Pedaler will sell part of its rental fleet of bicycles this weekend at reduced prices that range from $325 to $399, depending on the amount of use each bike has had. The three-speed cruisers are available in black, blue, yellow, and ivory and in small and large sizes.

The sale will be on both Saturday and Sunday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

Some accessories will be sold at discounts up to 75% off.

If you spend $60 or more on bikes or accessories, you'll be given a free gift. 

Juice Pedaler
154 Prospect Park Southwest, between Vanderbilt and Seeley streets, Windsor Terrace
phone: (718) 871-7500
info [at] juicepedalernyc [dot] com
website: https://store.juicepedalernyc.com   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JuicePedaler

SUPPORT LOCAL, INDEPENDENT SMALL BUSINESSES!

CHANGES IN F AND G SUBWAYS THIS WEEKEND

F and G Train Service Changes

             Friday, September 20th, 11:30 p.m. to Monday, September 23rd, 5:00 a.m.
The F
Coney Island-bound F trains will run express from Jay Street-MetroTech to Church Avenue. They won't stop at Bergen Street, Carroll Street, Smith-9th streets, 4th Avenue-9th Street, 15th Street-Prospect Park, or Fort Hamilton Parkway.
If you want to get TO any of those six stations, stay on the F express and take it to either 7th Avenue or Church Avenue and then transfer to a Jamaica-bound F.
If you want to go somewhere FROM any of those six stations, get on the F express and take it to either 7th Avenue or Jay Street-MetroTech and then transfer to a Coney Island-bound F.

The G train isn't stopping at any of the six stations during this time.

The G
 The G train won't be stopping between Hoyt-Schermerhorn streets and Church Avenue. Trains will run every 20 minutes between Bedford-Nostrand avenues and Hoyt-Schermerhorn streets.

The G won't stop at Bergen Street, Carroll Street, Smith-9th streets, 4th Avenue-9th Street, 7th Avenue, 15th Street-Prospect Park, Fort Hamilton Parkway, or Church Avenue. Take the F train instead.

Transfer between the A and C trains and the G train at Hoyt-Schermerhorn streets. Transfer between the A and C trains and the F train at Jay Street-MetroTech.

The G will operate in these two sections:
1. between Court Square and Bedford-Nostrand avenues and
2. between Bedford-Nostrand avenues and Hoyt-Schermerhorn streets, every 20 minutes. 

Transfer at Bedford-Nostrand avenues to continue your trip.

A NEW BATHROOM IN THE PARADE GROUND

New Parade Ground Comfort Station

The new place to "go" is the recently-completed comfort station in the Parade Ground, opening for use on Wednesday, September 25th, at 1:00 p.m. The Prospect Park Alliance, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and New York State Assemblymembers Rhoda Jacobs, Jim Brennan, and Joan Millman will be present then. The four elected officials and the New York City Council funded the bathroom's construction. 

The bathroom is located pretty much in the middle of the Parade Ground, next to a snack bar that's open from April through mid-November and serves hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn, and snacks.

The forty-acre Parade Ground is located just south of Prospect Park, between Coney Island Avenue and Parade Place and between Caton Avenue and Parkside Avenue. It offers accommodations for children and adults to play baseball, softball, tennis, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and football. It also has a playground.

COMPOST FOR BROOKLYN'S FALL SCHEDULE

From now through the end of November, the days and times to bring your residential compost to Compost for Brooklyn are

• every Thursday, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and
• the second and fourth Saturdays, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• September 28th,
• October 12th,
• October 26th,
• November 9th, and
• November 23rd.

Acceptable compost is residential food scraps--not dairy or meat or bones or woody material or lawn clippings or coconut shells or "compostable" dinnerware.

Compost for Brooklyn is a community composting project and native plant garden in Kensington, Brooklyn.

Compost for Brooklyn
at the intersection of Newkirk Avenue and East 8th Street
Kensington, Brooklyn
http://compostforbrooklyn.org/
https://twitter.com/CompostBrooklyn/
https://www.facebook.com/compostforbrooklyn