UPDATE ON RECONSTRUCTION OF GREENWOOD PLAYGROUND HANDBALL COURTS AND ADDITION OF PICKLEBALL COURTS

 

Greenwood Playground Handball Courts Reconstruction

Tuesday, May 30th, 6:30 p.m.

 

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation will meet with the Community Board 7 Parks Committee about the reconstruction of the Greenwood Playground handball courts and construction of pickleball courts.

 

An update on the development of the schematic design will be given on Zoom at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30th. The meeting is open to the public, and people are welcome to comment.

The projected completion date of the design phase for various areas of the playground is November 2023. That will be followed by the procurement phase, which lasts about nine months, and the construction phase, about twelve to eighteen months.

The Parks Department met with the public last November to gather suggestions about the reconstruction and improvement of the courts.

 

Register to attend the Zoom webinar at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZHtmUV1GQDGzSORpbiTkIg#/registration. You can attend with a computer, tablet, or smartphone, or via audio only from any kind of phone.

The meeting can also be viewed on the CB 7 YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcAZ1cECSeZI8iNyQDKuX5Q.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Community Board 7

4201 4th Avenue (entrance on 43rd Street) (map)

Sunset Park, Brooklyn

phone: (718) 854-0003

fax: (718) 436-1142

bk07@cb.nyc.gov

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/brooklyncb7/index.page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brooklyn-Community-Board-7/195263140637225

https://twitter.com/bkcb7

https://www.instagram.com/brooklyncb7

 

66TH PRECINCT COMMUNITY COUNCIL PUBLIC MEETING FOR MAY

 66th Precinct Community Council Meeting

Thursday, May 18th, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Residents, business owners, and elected officials are invited to meet with the 66th Precinct at the 66th Precinct Community Council's monthly meeting.

 

The in-person meeting will take place on Thursday, May 18th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

The Community Council is the liaison between the public and the NYPD. 

These meetings give residents and business owners a chance to talk face-to-face with the precinct's Commanding Officer as well as other officers. The public's input, perspectives, and insights about crime, quality of life issues, and other policing matters are invaluable. 

 

Deputy Inspector Jason Hagestad, the Commanding Officer of the 66th Precinct, will be there to hear your concerns.

 

The 66th Precinct covers Kensington, Borough Park, and part of Midwood.

Meeting location

Community Board 12 Office

5910 13th Avenue

between 59th and 60th streets

Borough Park, Brooklyn

--------------------------------------------------------------------

66th Precinct Community Council

President: Mark Katz

Vice President: Felix Burgos Jr.
Assistant Secretary: Mian Fayyaz
Sergeant at Arms: Ari Weiss
Treasurer: Kazi Sakwat Hossain 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/66precinctcc or @66precinctcc

e-mail: 66precinctcc@gmail.com

66th Precinct

5822 16th Avenue

between 58th and 59th streets

Borough Park, Brooklyn 

phone: (718) 851-5611

website: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/bureaus/patrol/precincts/66th-precinct.page

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NYPD66Pct  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NYPD66pct

VANDERPUMP RULES WATCH PARTY

Vanderpump Rules Watch Party

Wednesday, May 17th

8:30 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.

 

Join fellow Vanderpump Rules fans at a watch party for the Season 10 finale. The episode will be shown in the back room of Hinterlands Bar on Wednesday, May 17th, at 9:00 p.m. Show up at 8:30 p.m. to chat about the show, and stay until closing at 4:00 a.m. to chat some more.

 

First come, first served! 

 

The party is sponsored by Huckleberry Travel. Tom and David, its owners, will treat you to your first drink of the evening.

 

Location

Hinterlands Bar

739 Church Avenue

between E. 7th and E. 8th streets

Kensington, Brooklyn

(718) 633-0550

hinterlandsbar@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/hinterlandsbar

https://www.instagram.com/hinterlands_bar/ 

ONE-WAY SEELEY STREET PROPOSAL ACCEPTED BY COMMUNITY BOARD 7 TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

 

Update, July 19th: Implementation will take place on August 15th, weather permitting.

 

------------------------

 

Update, May 17th: Community Board 7 unanimously voted to support the DOT proposal to make Seeley Street westbound only (going toward McDonald Avenue) and 20th Street northbound only going from Vanderbilt Street to Terrace Place.

--------------------------

 

Update, May 15th: DOT's proposal for traffic on Seeley Street to travel one-way westbound (toward McDonald Avenue) and traffic on 20th Street to travel one-way northbound from Vanderbilt Street to Terrace Place was accepted by the Transportation Committee tonight by a vote of 8-0, with no abstentions.

 

The DOT PowerPoint presentation is posted at https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/seeley-st-20-st-may2023.pdf. 

 

The committee will write a letter of recommendation to Community Board 7; if the board votes to approve the proposal at its meeting on Wednesday, work will begin in late August or early September.

 

The study had been delayed while the street was closed during building construction.

 

More than 100 residents registered to attend the meeting. Many of them spoke, and many others participated via chat.

---------------------------------------

Seeley Street Study

Monday, May 15th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

 

From "List of Street Direction Change Requests to the New York City Department of Transportation from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022"

Location: Seeley Street from McDonald Avenue to Prospect Park Southwest
Request Date: 11/3/2021
Requested by: Community Board 7
Type of Request: One-way conversion
Request Status: Undergoing internal review by NYC DOT

The Department of Transportation has completed a study on converting narrow, residential Seeley Street to a one-way street as a means of calming traffic because of safety issues and congestion. Community Board 7 and Assemblymember Robert Carroll had requested an overall study of the street; DOT interpreted that as a request for conversion to a one-way street.

When Seeley Street residents addressed the CB 7 Transportation Committee during its March 2022 meeting, the concerns they presented included speeding, the volume of truck traffic, and the frequency of collisions.

 

Currently, navigation apps contribute to traffic and safety problems by directing westbound drivers (including ride-share drivers) from Prospect Park Southwest onto Seeley Street. This enables them to cross the Prospect Expressway without encountering the traffic at Park Circle.

 

The DOT will present its as-yet-undisclosed plan to Community Board 7's Transportation Committee when the committee meets on Monday, May 15th. The meeting will run from 6:30 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m.

 

The public will be able to comment at the meeting.

Agenda

 

1. Seeley Street Study
2. Discussion on Street Renaming for 47th Street between 4th and 5th avenues

3. Discussion on Neighborhood Loading 

Zones

Register to join the Zoom webinar as an attendee by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3UYR0wh.

The meeting can also be viewed on the Community Board 7 YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/2ROsJwJ.

 

MUSIC CONCERTS ON PORCHES: OPERATION GIG

From Operation Gig

Operation Gig Season 4 kicks off weekend of May 19

We are thrilled to begin our fourth season (!!!!) and hope you will come out in support of live music and working musicians right here in our beautiful neighborhood. 

OG is seeking volunteers to help run shows this season.  It's easy!  Email lisman.aaron@gmail.com if interested.

Friday 5/19 6-8pm 328 Marlborough
Lila Bloom
With a wide range of musical influences from Ella Fitzgerald to Bjork, and Radiohead to Jeff Buckley, Lila Bloom explores grief, awe, and surrender through her relationship to nature, her body, and conversations with a higher self.

Saturday 5/20 4-6pm 121 Marlborough
Bandits on the Run
Bandits on the Run is an indie-folk-pop-americana outfit consisting of three lead singers, a guitar, a cello, a suitcase drum, an accordion, and various toy instruments. Their genre-defying sound has been lauded by the likes of NPR, Rolling Stone, Earmilk, Paste, and Billboard.

Sunday 5/21 4-6pm 131 Buckingham
The Great Long Meadow Fire plays Operation Gig
The Great Long Meadow Fire blends gothic Americana, gospel blues, New Orleans jazz and swampy rock n' roll to make a dark and danceable sound.

 

Operation Gig! provides live music performances outdoors on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. 

 

The series, held on the porches of private houses in Ditmas Park, started in July 2020 to offer a venue where musicians could perform during the pandemic. That gives them a source of income and provides a safe space for people to gather to enjoy live music.

Although no entrance fee is charged, a suggested $10 donation to the musicians is more than welcome. You can donate either at the performance itself or to the tax-deductible Operation Gig Musician Guarantee Fund on GoFundMe.

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 VIRTUAL MEETING THIS WEEK (WINDSOR TERRACE, GREENWOOD HEIGHTS, SOUTH SLOPE, AND SUNSET PARK)

Community Board 7 Public Meeting

Wednesday, May 17th

6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Community Board 7 will hold its monthly public meeting virtually on Wednesday, May 17th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

 

One of the agenda items (item 7) is a vote on the Department of Transportation's study of Seeley Street.

CB 7 is the liaison between city agencies and the residents, business owners, and employees of Windsor Terrace, Greenwood Heights, South Slope, and Sunset Park.

Attendees will have two opportunities to address the board (items 6 and 14 on the agenda below). Share you concerns, questions, needs, problems, suggestions, or solutions with CB 7 board members.

Register to join the Zoom webinar from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android device, or landline at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_z2LED6PSRXuMMWDLmF6O2A#/registration. 

 

You can also view the meeting on CB 7's YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/2Rl39PO.

If you register for the Zoom meeting, you'll receive an e-mail confirming that you registered. It will also give instructions on joining the webinar from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android phone, or landline/wired phone.

From the website: 

The Board's boundaries are the waterfront on the west, the Long Island Railroad cut to the South (approximately 65th Street); Our boundary extends north on 8th Avenue from 62nd Street to Greenwood Cemetery. We include all of the cemetery and the land between it and Prospect Park to Caton Avenue on the east. Our northern border is on 15th Street from Park Circle to Hamilton Avenue and continues on Hamilton Avenue to the Gowanus Canal.

Every neighborhood in New York City is represented by an all-volunteer community board that serves as the liaison between neighborhood residents and city agencies. Board members are appointed by the borough president.

 

Members of the public are welcome to serve on a committee without being a board member. Descriptions of the committees are posted at https://www1.nyc.gov/site/brooklyncb7/committees/committees.page. Contact the Community Board 7 office to learn more.

Proposed agenda: 

1.   Pledge of Allegiance

2.   Roll Call

3.   Opening of the meeting

4.   Adoption of the agenda

5.   Adoption of the minutes of the April 19, 2023 board meeting

6.   Public Comment (3 minutes to speak on topics covered in the committee reports)

7.   Committee Reports: 

A) Housing Committee – 1. Introduction to Community Land Trusts and Land Banks, 2. Presentation by Will Spisak from the NYC Community Land Initiative (NYCCLI) 
B) Education/Youth Committee – 1. School renaming of PS 958, 2. Update and review of Sunset Park High School 
C) Joint Committee Meeting with Executive and Membership & Attendance Committees – 1. Welcome and introductions, 2. Introduce board staff and Executive Committee, 3. Review member handbook, 4. Review committee assignments, 5. Q&A 
D) Transportation Committee (Vote required) – 1. Seeley Street Study, 2. Discussion on street renaming for 47^th Street between 4^th & 5^th Avenues, 3. Discussion on Neighborhood Loading Zones
E) Economic Development/Waterfront Committee (Vote tabled at April 2023 board meeting) – 1. Percent for Art Conceptual Design for Bush Terminal MiNY Campus

8.   Roll Call

9.   Elected Officials and Representatives

10. Chairperson’s Report

11. District Manager’s Report

12. Old Business

13. New Business

14. Public Comment (3 minutes to speak on any topic)

15. Adjournment

-----------------------------------------------------------

Community Board 7

4201 4th Avenue (entrance on 43rd Street) (map)

Sunset Park, Brooklyn

phone: (718) 854-0003

fax: (718) 436-1142

bk07 @ cb.nyc.gov

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/brooklyncb7/index.page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brooklyn-Community-Board-7/195263140637225

https://twitter.com/bkcb7

https://www.instagram.com/brooklyncb7

FREE BREAST CANCER SCREENING

 

Free Screening Mammograms

Friday, June 2nd, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

Early detection of breast cancer saves lives. The most recent update about breast cancer screening from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force "recommends that all women get screened for breast cancer every other year starting at age 40 to reduce their risk of dying from this disease."

 

The American-Italian Cancer Foundation's mobile mammogram bus will give free screening mammograms in Kensington on Friday, June 2nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

Multi Diagnostic Services will provide the medical services. No co-pays are required. Deductibles are waived. The uninsured are welcome.

 

Appointments are available for women and trans women who are ages 40 to 79 and currently living in New York City and who have not had a mammogram done in the past twelve months.

 

To schedule an appointment, call New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif's office at (718) 499-1090 or the American-Italian Cancer Foundation (AICF) at (877) 628-9090.

 

AICF recommends that on the day of your appointment, you

• wear a two-piece outfit with a top that can be easily removed,
• do not use any oil, powder, deodorant, or perfume in the breast, underarm, or chest areas,
• bring your insurance card with you if you have Medicare, Medicaid or other health insurance; your insurance plan will be billed for services, but you will not be charged a co-pay or deductible.

Councilmember Hanif is hosting the event.

 

Location

118 Beverley Road

between McDonald Avenue and E. 2nd Street

Kensington, Brooklyn

BALINESE PERCUSSION GROUP TO PRESENT WORKSHOP AND CONCERT

Gamelan Yowana Sari

Sunday, May 21st, 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

Learn and perform traditional Balinese Gamelan music. A Gamelan workshop and a concert will take place outdoors in Windsor Terrace on Sunday, May 21st, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Balinese percussion group Gamelan Yowana Sari will offer a hands-on workshop from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.. They'll give participants instruction on technique, composition, and ensemble skills of traditional Balinese Gamelan music.

Workshop participants will then perform one piece ("Sekatian") in the concert that follows the workshop. The concert will take place from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

The event will be held outdoors on the lawn, weather permitting. It'll be held indoors if the weather is rainy.

A limited number of tickets is available for the workshop, which is recommended for anyone from around age ten to adults. Younger children who can sit through a one-hour+ music class can attend with a guardian. 

 

Advance tickets for the workshop cost $25; tickets at the door cost $30, if spots are still available. Advance tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gamelan-yowana-sari-workshop-and-performance-tickets-630330113337.

 

Donations are welcome to attend only the concert.

 

Location

The Church of the Holy Apostles
612 Greenwood Avenue
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
(718) 871-1615
http://www.holyapostlesbrooklyn.com

https://www.facebook.com/holyapostlesbrooklyn 

FREE CONCERT BY A CAPELLA WOMEN'S GROUP (OUTDOORS)

 Press release

Sunday May 7 at 3:30pm “Accord Treble Choir,” an a cappella women’s group, to perform at Kensington Plaza

The 12 women singers who make up the a cappella group Accord Treble Choir will be the main attraction at this Sunday’s “Music in the Plaza” performance.   

The concert will take place at Kensington Plaza, in front of Walgreens on Church Avenue, between McDonald Avenue and Beverley Road, starting at 3: 30pm and ending at 5pm. 

Founded in 2009, by Akiko Fuchisawa and Liz Geisewite, the group grew out of its shared love of choral music--especially that written for treble voices.

Where once its focus was on the 20^th century Hungarian “equal voice" choral tradition (i.e., composers Kodály, Bartok, Bárdos, and Koscár), today its repertoire has  broadened to include original works by contemporary composers. 

The choir is currently in Residence at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church in Manhattan where it performs regularly. 

The F/G train stop at Church Avenue is around the corner from Kensington Plaza, as are the B67/69 buses, the B35, and the B103.

#####

PROSPECT RANGE IS REOPENING WITH EXHIBIT OF PAINTINGS

 

Opening Reception for John Wilkes Paintings

Saturday, May 6th, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Dexter Buell, the owner of Prospect Range, writes

Prospect Range is reopening its doors after a years-long hiatus. Having hosted cultural events on and off since 2009, a rebranded Prospect Range Projects returns with an exhibition of paintings by Brooklyn artist John Wilkes.
 
John's acrylic on canvas and wood panel images of the Rockaways at night will be familiar to local residents who have ventured out to our nearby ocean beaches. They are strangely desolate and familiar at the same time.

 

All are welcome. 

The opening reception will be held on Saturday, May 6th, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Location
Prospect Range
1226 Prospect Avenue

between Reeve Place and Vanderbilt Street
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
(917) 776-6834

dexter.buell@gmail.com

INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE WILL OPEN IN KENSINGTON THIS SUMMER

 

Briana and Davi would like to introduce themselves and their bookstore to you in the post below. The bookstore will open in the neighborhood soon.

 

Indie Bookstore Veteran and Third-Generation Brooklynite Team Up to Open Lofty Pigeon Books in Kensington, Brooklyn

 

The husband-and-wife team of Davi Marra, who has been a bookseller for 23 years, most recently as the book buyer and manager at WORD Bookstores, and Briana Parker, a third-generation Brooklynite who has spent the past ten years in publishing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, are opening Lofty Pigeon Books on Church Avenue in Kensington, Brooklyn.

 

The couple met working at The Corner Bookstore on the Upper East Side in 2008, and they’ve harbored dreams of having their own store one day ever since. They plan to open Lofty Pigeon’s doors in August and host a grand opening block party in September.

 

The 1,200-square-foot space will have a diverse and responsive selection of more than 5,000 books as well as gift items, all tailored to the community.

 

A large kids section will serve the area’s families, and literary events, open mics, storytimes, and book clubs will make the community-focused space a gathering place for the neighborhood.

 

The duo launched their crowdfunding campaign on Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 29.

Location

Lofty Pigeon Books

743 Church Avenue

at the corner of E. 8th Street

Kensington, Brooklyn

website: https://loftypigeonbooks.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loftypigeonbooks

SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT 

SMALL BUSINESSES!

BOOKS, PLANTS, AND TREATS SALE

 

Spring Thing Sale

Saturday, May 6th, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

 

Gently-used books, plants, baked goods, and M.S. 839 swag will be for sale at the school's outdoor Spring Thing Sale on Saturday, May 6th, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

 

Graduation is approaching for 8th graders, and the proceeds from the sale will be used to support the senior activity fund.

 

Location

M.S. 839 Courtyard

713 Caton Avenue

between E. 7th and E. 8th streets

Windsor Terrace - Kensington, Brooklyn 

(718) 686-2730

https://ms839.org/ 

RESULTS OF SEELEY STREET ONE-WAY STUDY TO BE PRESENTED ON ZOOM

Seeley Street Study

Monday, May 15th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

 

From "List of Street Direction Change Requests to the New York City Department of Transportation from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022"

Location: Seeley Street from McDonald Avenue to Prospect Park Southwest
Request Date: 11/3/2021
Requested by: Community Board 7
Type of Request: One-way conversion
Request Status: Undergoing internal review by NYC DOT

The Department of Transportation has completed a study on converting narrow, residential Seeley Street to a one-way street as a means of calming traffic. Community Board 7 had requested an overall study of the street; DOT interpreted that as a request for conversion to a one-way street.

When Seeley Street residents addressed the CB 7 Transportation Committee during its March 2022 meeting, the concerns they presented included speeding, the volume of truck traffic, and the frequency of collisions.

 

Currently, navigation apps contribute to traffic and safety problems by directing westbound (toward McDonald Avenue) drivers, including ride-share drivers, from Prospect Park Southwest onto Seeley Street. This enables them to cross the Prospect Expressway without encountering the traffic at Park Circle.

 

The DOT will present its as-yet-undisclosed plan to Community Board 7's Transportation Committee when the committee meets on Monday, May 15th. The meeting will run from 6:30 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m.

 

The public will be able to comment at the meeting.

Agenda

 

1. Seeley Street Study
2. Discussion on Street Renaming for 47th Street between 4th and 5th avenues

3. Discussion on Neighborhood Loading 

Zones

Register to join the Zoom webinar as an attendee by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3UYR0wh.

The meeting can also be viewed on the Community Board 7 YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/2ROsJwJ.

 

MEET THE AUTHORS OF "AN ASIAN AMERICAN A TO Z: A CHILDREN'S GUIDE TO OUR HISTORY"

Meet the Authors! An Asian American A to Z

Thursday, May 11th, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

 

Meet Cathy Linh Che and Kyle Lucia Wu, the authors of An Asian American A to Z: A Children's Guide to Our History, at Kensington Library on Thursday, May 11th, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 

From Brooklyn Public Library:

Join us for a special storytime in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and meet the authors!

A comprehensive and spirited exploration of Asian American history—its movements, cultures, and key figures—beautifully illustrated and compellingly told for readers of all ages.

Co-authors Cathy Linh Che and Kyle Lucia Wu take us on a journey through stories of celebration and resistance: the Third World Liberation Front, the Muslim Ban, Japanese American incarceration camps, Padma Lakshmi, Rashida Tlaib, Sunisa Lee, and more. It is a history of struggle, but also one of great triumph, brought to life with colorful and dynamic illustrations by Kavita Ramchandran.

Written by the directors of Kundiman—an organization dedicated to nurturing Asian American writers—An Asian American A to Z is a book for children of all backgrounds and a vital resource for tomorrow's organizers. Asian American identity formation is expansive yet under-taught, and this book is a necessary intervention that will ground readers in joy, history, and solidarity.

Limited copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

Location

Kensington Library

4207 18th Avenue

between E. 3rd Street and Seton Place

Kensington, Brooklyn

(718) 436-0545

https://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/kensington 

 

BICYCLE HELMET GIVEAWAY, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, AND STREET CLOSURES

 

Bike Helmet Giveaway, Live Entertainment, and Street Closues

Saturday, May 6th, 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

 

May is National Bike Month, and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) is celebrating it by giving away bike helmets, offering free bike repairs and free bike rentals, and closing a few streets for use by cyclists only.

 

Helmets will be fitted and distributed at no charge. They'll only be given to people who show up in person, for as long as supplies last.

 

New York City Councilmember Shahana Hanif and the DOT are sponsoring the event.

 

Councilmember Hanif is partnering with Casa Cultural to host musical performances and art activities, such as sculpture making and paper making. Face painting, glitter tattoos, and balloon art will also be featured.

 

A DOT Bike the Block event will close a few blocks of Avenue C for just cyclists to use. Access will be limited on Avenue C between McDonald Avenue and East 2nd Street to just local traffic. The streets will be closed to other traffic. All of Avenue C between East 2nd Street and East 4th Street will be fully closed, including to local traffic, and street parking won't be allowed.

 

Location

P.S. 179

202 Avenue C

between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets

Kensington, Brooklyn