Park Progress Special: Pier 1 to Open Monday

By on March 18, 2010 1:24 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Events, News

BHB photo by C. Scales

BHB photo by C. Scales

It’s been sitting there–trees, grass, pathways, a pond, and, especially, those gorgeous steps custom-made for lounging and enjoying the view–beckoning to us from the Promenade or the Brooklyn Bridge. At last, word has come that our longing is to be requited. The Pier 1 portion of Brooklyn Bridge Park will be open to the public this coming Monday, March 22. There will be an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, at which planned attendees include Governor Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg, Borough President Markowitz, State Senator Squadron, Assemblymember Millman, and Councilmember Levin, at 9:30 a.m., after which, as the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy loves to say, “It’s your park!”

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  • CharlieSahadi

    Any rumors on a Pier 6 opening date?

  • John Doe

    Pier 6 is supposed to open no later than May 9. So only 6 or 7 weeks from now.

  • C.

    Anybody have any idea on when piers 2-5 are supposed to open? I think I saw 2012 or 13 somewhere but I can’t imagine how it could possibly take so long.

  • Andrew Porter

    Hey, be thankful for small favors, to coin a phrase. Too bad it couldn’t be open for this weekend’s gorgeous weather.

  • Jose Uribe

    You can’t imagine how it could possibly take so long? Are you serious? Do you think money for parks grows on trees?

  • No One of Consequence

    I know I’ll catch hell for this, but please let it be dog-free.

  • CharlieSahadi

    While Pier 6 will have a dedicated dog run, with transfer of control from the State to the City, it’s very likely that these parks will all be dog-friendly.

  • AAR

    Alas….money does seem to grow on trees when it comes to rehabilitating Walt Whitman Park in front of the OEM office. As it has existed since the temporary parking lot was removed with the completion of the Federal Building, it has been fine for sitting, sunning or (most recently) playing in the snow (the deepest snow in the Heights) and now it is suddenly closed for approximately 2 years to be beautified! Why, why, why — when there is so much that should be done for Cadman Plaza Park — repairing the running/walking path, fixing the turf, improving the North end dust bowl/mud field?

  • Matthew Parker

    @NOOC and Charlie:

    From what I’ve been told by the current park administrators, dogs will be allowed in BBP on paved paths only–not on grassy areas. The only exception will be off-leash at the dog run on Pier 6.

    I hope there will be strict enforcement of these rules so that responsible dog owners can walk through the park with their dogs, and other users can enjoy the grass areas without worry about irresponsible dog owners lack of courtesy.

  • Matthew Parker

    My hope for strict enforcement of all rules in BBP might actually happen, since there will be 9 FT Parks Enforcement Police officers for Pier 1 alone. To put that into context, there are only 15 PEP officers now for ALL the parks in Bklyn:

    http://www.amny.com/urbanite-1.812039/advocates-say-all-parks-not-treated-equally-1.1816859

  • jellen

    I am psyched about pier 6 but I am a little nervous about all the foot traffic in our quiet n’hood. I lived in another part of the Heights when the floating pool was here, now I am in Willowtown anyone remember if crime went up that summer?

  • g-man

    AAR, the answer to your question is, Walt Whitman is moving ahead because federal funds–essentially rent for the parking lot during construction of the court house–are available for reconstruction.

    I believe, but I’m an optimist, that funds will be found soon for another phase of construction in Cadman Plaza Park.

  • Monty

    @jellen, it’s a trade-off for sure, but it will hopefully rehabilitate those empty commercial spaces on Atlantic and Montague.

  • Teddie Boy Eddie

    Yeah, I hope there are no dogs … or children, or soccer players, or anyone for that matter. Just me.

  • http://metrocheapo.com Kat

    I, for one, feel so nature-starved after this winter that I’ll take any nice park Brooklyn can give me.

  • doghater

    Amen on the no f’n dogs. Some of us would like to be able to walk on the grass or even have kids play on it without stepping in piss and shit (sorry for the language, but that’s what dogs produce… and a-hole dog owners leave behind). Now, if only cyclists could be banned…

  • Hellyeah!

    Agreed with TBE and DH –

    Dogs and children need to go!

  • Teddie Boy Eddie

    … yes, and cyclists! I don’t even care if they don’t have their bikes. Just keep the cyclists and their lycra out.

  • David on Middagh

    Hold on, now! Just hold on. >BRAINSTORM< What if the lycra-wearing cyclists agree to chase the pissing and shitting f’n dogs and their a-hole owners off the lawns?

  • Hellyeah!

    I’d rather watch them chase the small children

  • doghater

    I would make an exception for bicycle riding dogs. Or monkeys. Monkeys in diapers.

  • my2cents

    I don’t see why dogs should be allowed considering there is a dog park 2 blocks away. Let them pee and poo all over that one. It’s enough. I want to bike, skate, or run in this park without those retarded extend-o leashes going across my path

  • my2cents

    Also, to those who say no bikes, I say this is where bikes belong. Off the street, off the bridge, on a nice paved path in a park. You can’t bike on the promenade, so at least this park should definitely be bike-friendly. I worry they didn’t design it so that bike traffic can be separate enough from pedestrian traffic, but we shall see.

  • Monty

    I think there should not be any dogs or bikes on this blog.

  • Billy Reno

    Hopefully, there will be plenty of church parking.

  • nabeguy

    My2, I’d argue exactly the opposite. The streets and the bridges are thoroughfares for taking you from one point to another. This is a park. Get off your Schwinn, and soak it in. From what I saw today, it appears that there’s a double roadway winding through the site, so maybe there are already plans in place to accommodate both, although each of them seemed too narrow for either purpose. I guess we’ll all see soon enough.

  • HelloBrooklyn

    My money’s on banana-hammock guy making the lawn at Pier 1 his new home (especially since Empire Fulton Ferry is closed this year). Stark white buttocks for all!

  • http://limestonefinancial.blogspot.com/ StephM

    great to hear claude…can’t wait for the next trip down south!

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com Claude Scales

    Steph: the Missus and I look forward to your next visit.

    HelloBrooklyn: who is banana-hammock guy?

  • No One of Consequence

    Unbelievable, no flak for the anti-dog comment. In fact, more than anything, seems like there is support for limited canine access.
    I agree, take hillside park, snow and all, and freely crap all over it.

    Bikes should have their own bike path. If there isn’t one, it’s surely because not enough money was spent in planning and design.

    You really can’t ban kids/babies because to do so would be to discriminate based on age. Dogs are not privy to such human rights, for obvious reasons.

    Now, what can we do about keeping tourists out of our new park? When they ask us for directions, we could always send them toward Farragut housing.

    I’m also curious, will the park be gated such that it can be cleared and closed at night? Or will it be open 24/7?

    @Claude: Think about it, do you REALLY need to know more.

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