Skeptic Deems Proposed $40M Fieldhouse A ‘Masquerade That Doesn’t Belong In BB Park’

By on July 26, 2012 10:13 am in brooklyn bridge park, Brooklyn Heights, Development, Sports, Traffic

The $40 million, 2,499-seat Fieldhouse/Velodrome proposed for Brooklyn Bridge Park has been personified as a community recreation center, with an indoor bike riding track as its centerpiece. But Peter Flemming, Co-Chair of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Community Council and a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee of the Park Corp., says the plan that’s been shared with the public is a ruse.

He tells the Brooklyn Eagle that the proposed Fieldhouse is actually “a specialized velodrome masquerading as a community recreation center—and it doesn’t belong in Brooklyn Bridge Park… Painting stripes on a horse doesn’t make it a zebra.”

Flemming says that the Velodrome will primarily serve specialized competitive track cyclists who come from around the world, accompanied by hundreds of vehicles and thousands of spectators, to the detriment of BBP: “It’s a pipe dream. The number of people who really want it you can count on the fingers of your left hand. What is it doing in our park? Why help the city build a huge stadium in a tiny waterfront park for this quaint, obscure, bizarre sport?”

The Eagle explains: “A velodrome is a racing track, banked 45 degrees or more at the curves, for competitive bicycle racing. Competitors ride special fixed-gear bikes without brakes, and must travel at least 16 miles an hour to avoid tipping over. There is only one other indoor velodrome in the United States, the Home Depot Center Velodrome in Carson, California, though there are dozens of outdoor velodromes.”

Brooklyn Bridge Park proponents say the Fieldhouse, backed by founder and chairman Joshua P. Rechnitz, is envisioned as a “flexible public indoor athletic and recreation center” that includes a public boathouse, restrooms and space for the park’s maintenance and operations.

Greg Brooks, executive director of New York City Fieldhouse, argues in the Eagle that the entire community will make use of the facility, and says it will “save the park millions in capital costs. That’s money for maintenance, restrooms, storage for kayaks, all capital costs the park will not have to spend or maintain.”

Regina Myer, President of Brooklyn Bridge Park, adds, “The proposed Fieldhouse will bring park users and the community the all-weather sports and recreation venue that has always been included in the General Project Plan for the park but was unattainable due to financial constraints. We will continue to work with the New York City Field House to address the community’s concerns and ensure that this project adds positively to the park experience.”

There’s much more to the story in the Brooklyn Eagle. See the article here.

(Photo: Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy via McBrooklyn)

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  • Mr. Crusty

    Wiley E. you have now mentioned Regina Myer’s name about five times in this thread with some oblique insinuation of corruption (I.e. Maybe a community lawyer can convince a judge to order an audit to see where all the BBP money has gone? Who is driving around in Regina’s (reported) fleet of Toyotas, and why?)

    You got something you want to say Wiley spit it out and stop smearing public servants with your slimy innuendo under an anonymous name. What are you saying Wiley and what is your evidence?

    I’m so sick and tired of jerks like Wiley who not only disagree with the direction of the BBP, (which is perfectly legitimate) but they have to go one step further and attack the ethics of the people working their butts off to get this project completed.

    So Wiley put up or shut up.

  • Mr. Crusty

    Wiley: “Has an environmental impact study been done on the velodrome project? I am told that there is no traffic study.”

    http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/about-us/brooklyn-bridge-park/project-approvals-presentations/final-environmental-impact-statement

  • Wiley E.

    Crusty, your posted environmental study is dated 2005.

    Is the velodrome included in the 2005 study? How?

    You shut up!

  • Wiley E.

    Crusty, here is the BBP budget on line.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=brooklyn+bridge+park+budget&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

    2008 Vehicle Replacement is listed at $228,000. You give us an inventory of vehicles. How many lawn mowers or ATVs will that buy?

    Makes one wonder. Give us the answers. Inquiring minds need to know.

  • Mr. Crusty

    The 2005 Environmental Impact Study includes an “Indoor Recreational Facility” on Pier 5. It was an exhaustive study. Take a look at how comprehensive. The thought that we need another “study” at this point is absurd.

    The 2008 Vehicle Replacement costs in the 2008 budget you linked to was actually revised downward due to a reduced fleet size to $160,000. That was for “Sanitation Vehicles, Landscaping Vehicles and Utility Maintenance Vehicles”

    It’s a rather huge park and these types of vehicles are expensive. Your comment about ATV’s and lawn mowers just shows you how utterly clueless you are.

    So what was the point about Regina’s friends driving around in a fleet of Toyota’s? Where is your source for that? Or did you just pull that out of your. . . hat?

  • Wiley E.
  • Mr. Crusty

    @Wiley E thanks for a link to a 2007 article that references e
    operating costs estimated in 2004. I am,somewhat bewildered as to the reference to an 8 year old estimate but thanks anyway.

    Again do you have evidence that any money for the BBP was used inappropriately or that Ms. Myers has done anything improper? If you do let’s hear it.

  • Wiley E.
  • Wiley E.

    I am not making accusations, Crusty. I am asking questions. Questions exist. Tell us the answers.

    Were the cars and dune buggies really bought? If they were, what did Regina do with them? Are you driving one?

    How many vehicles were to be replaced in 2008 for $160,000?

    Crusty want a cracker?

    Can Crusty read?

    Yes, Crusty, you do need a new environmental study for the 2012 velodrome plan.

  • Mr. Crusty

    Wiley E you do realize that the Financial Plan was an estimate for operating costs for when the park was complete. Future operating costs. It was not a budget document for 2008. But you knew that right? Wiley E does know how to read right?

  • Wiley E.

    Crusty, who is responsible for the hundreds of millions of tax payer money invested into BBP?

    The community needs accountability.

    You still haven’t answered any questions at all. Where is all the money going? And don’t tell me it is none of my business. If the budget is a farce, why are you presenting it?

    So far, most of your comments are clownish.

  • allinall

    Wiley –
    Mr Crusty is correct – the document you are referencing was not an annual budget. It was a projection for what the budget of the park may look like once it was built and fully operational. In fact, the annual budgets of the Park operations are posted on their website. Along with their audited financial statements. Since there is public money going into the park’s construction you are completely right that it is appropriate to be vigilant and to ask questions. The park has a responsibility to provide that kind of information. But they don’t have to walk up to your house, knock on your door and talk to you about it individually. If you want the answers to your questions, you have to be willing to put forth some minimal effort to find the answers out. You seem to have enough time and interest to find all of those misleading articles you’ve linked to. Why not take another 2 minutes and find this page:

    http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/about-us/brooklyn-bridge-park/financial-information

    before you go about casting insinuations about honorable public officials. Have you ever seen BBP people riding around in priuses? No – because do you know how many have been bought? Zero.

    Asking for information is fine but I think there still needs to be a certain amount of common courtesy and general respect that should inform your interactions, not only with public officials, but with everyone.

    And finally, if you care so much about the fieldhouse issue, you should take the time to attend one of the many public presentations that have been given on the topic over the last coupe of months. This blog has already reported on several of those meetings. Had you attended one of those meetings you would have heard them say that they are currently very early in the process and have not yet figured out many of the details of the programming of this facility. Once they have a firmer grasp on their details, they intend to bring the project up for a full environmental review and public process.

    If you don’t make the effort to become educated on these topics, after the public officials have made certain information public, then that’s your fault, not theirs.

  • Mr. Crusty

    Wiley E: “Where is all the money going? And don’t tell me it is none of my business. If the budget is a farce, why are you presenting it?

    Wiley demanding, DEMANDING to know something that is posted on the BBP website for all to see.

    sharp as a sack of wet mice

  • David on Middagh

    Wet mice can be pretty bity.

  • Wiley E.

    Crusty, you are a tool.

    allinall, thanks for the documents.

  • Mr. Crusty

    Yes Wiley E Coyote I am a tool from the Acme tool company. meep…. meep

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