DOG RUN GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY SCHEDULED FOR JULY 29TH

                  Kensington Dog Run Groundbreaking Ceremony
                    Monday, July 29th, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The anticipated date of completion for the Kensington Dog Run at the Prospect Park Parade Ground is summer 2020. Construction began in June.

Join the members of the Kensington Dog Run Association for the groundbreaking ceremony at the Prospect Park Parade Ground on Coney Island Avenue at Kermit Place (map), on Monday, July 29th, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The enclosed dog run is an example of a successful grassroots effort. A few years ago, dog owners in the neighborhood started talking with each other about wanting a nearby dog run, so neighborhood dogs could reap the rewards of exercising, socializing, and breathing fresh air.
 
They talked as individuals, they met as a group, they formed the Kensington Dog Run Association, they became a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization, they collaborated with the Parks Department and the Prospect Park Alliance, they built community support, and they searched for and secured funding. 

The cost of the dog run is being covered by 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.

Previous blog posts about the Kensington Dog Run, dating back to 2015, are here.

CHANGES/OVERHAUL PROPOSED FOR THE PROSPECT EXPRESSWAY

"PX Forward: A Corridor Study of the Prospect Expressway"

NYU urban planning graduate students have studied numerous aspects of the Prospect Expressway (PX) and prepared a report about it on behalf of the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President.

"PX Forward: A Corridor Study of the Prospect Expressway" assesses existing conditions at and around the Prospect Expressway Corridor. It summarizes user participation in the project, including the community visioning workshop. It also explores case studies and best practices on highways in other American cities.

Recommendations and implementation strategies are presented that identify opportunities for improvement, enhancement, and alteration. They center around the safety issues posed by the expressway, the lack of connectivity between different parts of the neighborhood, greening (access to parks and open space), and neighborhood identity.

The full report is online on the Brooklyn Borough President's website here.

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 at Prospect Park Parade Ground 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. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2019 and 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

VIDEO TOUR OF KENSINGTON'S MODEL SHELTER

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Shelter Program Director Denise Lalande-Phipps

Update: The video's audio is back.

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 The Kensington Family Shelter is often described as "a model shelter." The cooperative relationship between the shelter's staff and families, local residents, elected officials (Councilmember Brad Lander and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams), and CAMBA, the non-profit service provider operating the shelter, has made it that way.

Since opening in December 2015, The Kensington has been providing temporary shelter for sixty-four homeless families, defined as one or two parents and a child or children. Families are offered social services that prepare them to return to independent living and put homelessness behind them.

In 2016, the Coalition for the Homeless recognized the two local residents who, prior to the opening of the shelter, began organizing the community to provide assistance to the families:

In the spirit of the season, and with a desire to lift up such examples of human kindness, the Coalition for the Homeless is announcing our first Compassionate Communities Award to be given to Catherine Barufaldi and Tracy Connor of Kensington/Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, for their “Give Me Shelter BK” campaign.

Catherine and Tracy created and maintain a mailing list to inform neighbors of opportunities to donate clothing, toys, school supplies, toiletries, etc. to the families and to assist with celebrating holidays and other events. To join the mailing list and receive approximately one e-mail a month, send an e-mail to givemeshelterBK @ gmail.com.

The informative video above explains more about the shelter, located at 385 McDonald Avenue, across the street from Foodtown.