Great news everyone. Some very cool folks at DOT met yesterday with Rudy Delson (founder of the Parkside Project and Parkside Prize), Martin Ruiz (president of PLGNA) and me (repping CB9) and they presented an idea for a true Plaza at the Q at Parkside. They will give us planning support, a bunch of toys (movable tables and chairs, permanent seating), landscaping (planters, a few tree pits along Ocean), and best of all, freedom to do whatever kind of programming we want. A farmer's market is the obvious choice. Atim Oton's Arts fairs can of course continue on Saturdays (DOT helped open the door to make that happen). Things like this have been done in places like Fowler Square (near the Smoke Joint in Ft. Greene) and in Clinton Hill. Respective images of those projects below, though ours would be first to happen right in front of the headhouse of a subway station.
The tough part of the equation is creating the right infrastructure to program and maintain the Plaza. I'll help. PLGNA will help. Rudy's group will help. Will you?
We'll set up a neighborhood meeting soon. I hope you'll attend and get involved. We're being given an amazing opportunity, but it will take work and commitment. With the opening of Lakeside, this could be the perfect opportunity for our neighborhood to shine. The Q is super-pumped. I hope y'all are too!
5 comments:
Fantastic news!! And a wonderful start to the new year. Great job, Rudy & Co.
Wonderful! Count me in to whatever help is needed!
Long overdue. Looking forward to making this a reality
What kind of help would be needed? My husband and I would be more than happy and willing to assist. This is great news.
This is great news. If a farmer's market is a possibility it would have to distinguish itself from the Grand Army Plaza market and the local CSA. Perhaps an option would be to convince a couple of vendors from the Brooklyn flea to expand their empire into our hood one day a week. We are far enough from their other locations that they would not be competing against themselves.
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