Sunday Morning Wake Up at Cadman Plaza Park Courtesy Of…

By on October 5, 2014 9:14 am in Miscellany

BHB HQ received a few queries from bleary eyed Cadman Park Plaza area residents curious about the loud soundcheck shaking them out of bed this morning (10/5).

BHB commenter “Mompom”:

We were woken up at 6:28 am by them testing the sound equipment. Anyone know who to complain to about this? That is unreasonably early.

The answer: The American Heart Association’s Brooklyn Heart Walk, which began at 8am there.

The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s premiere event for raising funds to save lives from this country’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers – heart disease and stroke. These diseases claim more than 813,804 American lives a year. The Heart Walk is designed to promote physical activity, heart-healthy living, and it creates an environment that’s fun and rewarding for the entire family. Thanks to all our walkers, donors and volunteers who have accepted the challenge to help fight heart disease and stroke. We cannot achieve our mission without each one of you!

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  • Deborah

    Was woken up by this at 8am on Cranberry St. Horrible to wake up to on a Sunday morning. I did not move to the Heights for this aural assault.

  • marshasrimler

    i believe complaints should be made to community board 2 and councilman levins’s office. The voice of Marty Markowitz was loud and clear at 8;30 am. Very invasive and annoying!

  • Leo

    I don’t care what organization it is, even an honorable one such as the AHA. 6 AM for crying out loud! The event officially started at 8 AM, which is still too early. At a little after 10 AM the PA/amplifier was as loud as ever with shouting and drum playing. All of north Brooklyn Heights was subject to hearing this. There is absolutely no excuse for this to happen so early on a Sunday morning in a residential area. And it’s been going on steadily during weekends during the spring, summer, and fall. The uniformed police really have no control over this, as the groups have permits. It’s up to the local city council person, state senator, assembly member, and other local officials to do something about this. (Like forbidding amplified sound permits for Cadman Plaza Park during the morning hours for weekend events.) It’s time to get political, folks!

  • marshasrimler

    that is a good idea.. its a city matter so this has to go to the councilman and community board 2. I am not clear as to why the BHA has not done anything about this but you may want to contact them as well

  • Mary

    It’s past time for Community Board 2 to set and for the precinct to enforce noise restrictions for these events. Didn’t one of the regular BHB bloggers state on this page that the board was ‘looking into’ Cadman Park’s noise issues last summer? Job not done yet.

  • Roberto

    It’s ironic that the Brooklyn Heart Walk, an organization focused on heart problems created such stress on Sunday morning. Frankly, with or without the loudspeakers and cheering crowds this Sunday morning, it’s nearly impossible to sleep either through the night or even on weekend mornings in our neighborhood. DUMBO is a teeming, noisy tourist destination, the NYC Noise Code has effectively been waived for after-hours construction on the Brooklyn Bridge and all around it. Some tour groups and microphone-wielding guides prowl our streets early on Saturday mornings, with scant regard for residents. Nearly weekly, there are scientific studies that urge us to get restorative, uninterrupted sleep. Any noise complaints – actually, public health concerns – are received with glazed, “I can’t do anything about it” stares from both elected or city officials who hesitate to make any move that would be construed as blocking development activities. Without proper rest, our bodies have no opportunity to restore brain cells, skin cells, vital organs. And, poor sleep harms the heart. Yes, we should complain, write, call, make appointments with officials, even think of suing, because the indication is that things will get worse in the “city that never sleeps.”

  • marshasrimler

    This is a city matter. It is up to our Councilman Mr. Levin to advocate for us

  • Boerum Bill

    Darn right it’s a city matter! Perhaps you should move to the country from America’s first ‘burb and stock up on oodles of restorative sleep.

  • kippd

    I live right next to the park on Henry and while I agree it was loud on Sunday morning, it amazes me just how upset people get (yes I understand the inconvenience, interrupted sleep, the laws about noise, etc.)! Instead of all of the negatives I’m going to instead focus on the positive – I used the noise as an opportunity to get my lazy butt up a little earlier than I otherwise would have and I went for a jog and enjoyed some fresh air. Ultimately the weather was so nice yesterday I should thank the AHA for encouraging me to get up early and do something good for my body and mind!

  • MonroeOrange

    you clearly don’t live anywhere near the park….

  • Leo

    kippd: With all due respect, I have my doubts that you live right next to the park. Who in their right mind would enjoy being woken up between 6 and 7 AM on multiple weekend mornings during the Spring, Summer, and Fall? But regardless of your true motives… I am a realist, as well as reasonable. I don’t mind an organization or group having recreational family or sporting events on weekend afternoons with little or no PA/amplifier activity. As for weekday demos or rallies, I can live with these also. (They often occur in the afternoon or after work, last only about an hour or so, and usually proceed to march across the bridge to City Hall.) But please – let’s have a little respect for the residents of the Heights, DUMBO, and Concord Village on weekend mornings.

  • kippd

    Leo, thanks for your ill-informed, sophomoric, pre-judged attempt to claim that I don’t live next to the park (and for future reference, avoid using the term “with all due respect” before you claim someone is lying as it comes off looking pretty lame). As an FYI, I am in the H line at 75 Henry St. (aka 200 Cadman Plaza West – you know where that is, right?). I’ll save you looking it up on StreetEasy – my line faces directly east on Cadman Plaza facing the park. Also, thanks also for implying that I have some other sort of motives (my “true motives” as you state, whatever that means – I must be part of the “noise coalition?). For the record, I do hear groups frequently on weekend mornings (though not so early as you seem to experience in the non-Winter seasons) and afternoons, and I accept that as a consequence of being able to enjoy the park space that we share with our neighborhood. Did I (and do I ever recall) hear people at 6-7am on Sunday? No I did not (and no I do not recall that ever). Did I hear them at 8-8:30 even though my alarm was set for 9:30? Yes I absolutely did. Is it my favorite thing to hear noise by my apartment earlier than I have set my alarm? No. Did it make my Sunday better by encouraging me to seize the day? Yes I am pretty sure it did. Do I think it is absurd other people are so peeved about this? Absolutely. Thank God it was an AHA event whose mission is universally accepted given the heart disease epidemic in the U.S. If instead it were a pro life rally or a pro gay marriage rally waking people up I can only imagine the responses.

  • cindy sm

    WHY not do something intelligent and
    Effective…Don’t like what happened?
    Fine the first thing is to cause a Storm
    Of calls to the Dallas TX headquarters
    Of the AHA. Call Kathy Rodgers or ask
    For whoever does their press relations.

    The NYC office is 212 878 5900 or 5908
    The toll free NYC # apparently is 877
    242 4277

    I would advise everyone to call local
    Print media and ask what coverage they
    Are planning…

    Make serious noise or be walked on…

  • cindy sm

    The Dallas TX AHA He toll free is 877
    242 4277

  • Eddyde

    The best way to make a noise complaint is directly to the 84th Precinct (718) 875-681. 311 would be for a general complaint, not something that needs immediate attention.

  • Leo

    kippd: Calm down. I never claimed you didn’t live next to the park, just that I had my doubts. Based on your angry, insistent response that you do, I’ll take you at your word. (Also the fact that you did indeed claim to hear the noise.) But I maintain my position, as most on this thread agree. Living in the city people have to expect to hear more noise than those living in rural areas or the ‘burbs. But no one should be expected to put up with loud amplified event noise that early on weekends.

  • Leo

    Cindy: Thank you so much for your input. But the problem isn’t with the AHA or any of the other groups or organizations that use the park on early weekend mornings. It is with officials of various city departments who allow the sound permits to be issued for these early weekend events.

  • Leo

    And incidentally, I spoke to someone I know who lives at 75 Henry St about this matter a few days after a similar event on a Sunday in the summer. He informed me that he and several neighbors were were visibly upset while discussing this in the lobby, by the front desk. I can tell from other posts that many residents of 101 Clark St, 140 Cadman Plza W, Concord Village, DUMBO, and North Heights feel the same way.

  • MonroeOrange

    kippd…some of us work nights and some of us, actual need sleep. I am glad your lazy butt got up, but i am not lazy, nor do i need to be woken by a sound check at 6am..

    And let me ask you…after your jog…were you able to sit and enjoy a sunday in your apt for the rest of the day…i think not…

    This is every weekend, undue loud music all day long…unacceptable…they can’t turn the music down? they can’t do a sound check right before the event begins?

  • Leo

    Simple “no-brainer: solution: Central Park, Prospect Park, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, etc… Why don’t they have early morning weekend event/rallies at these massive “super” parks? They could hold them right on the center lawns in the middle of the park and the surrounding neighborhood homes would be far enough away not to hear the amplified sound. Have them at 4AM for all anyone cares. Makes sense, right?

  • cindy sm

    Yes, there SHOULD be a Storm of protests
    Especially in WRITING, to various levels
    Of government, elected and otherwise,
    But protests to the organization always
    Causes a very important level of notice
    Both in the community of organizations
    Which sponsor these kinds of events
    And when you approach the press for
    Coverage. If you have a public relations
    Or publicity be background you’d know
    This. Which is why I included the info.
    But if you think you can mount a really
    Effective protest without this vital step,
    Well, that’s exactly WHY typical community
    Protests have very limited impact AND why
    Various levels of elected officials feel very
    Safe giving the average Brklyn Heights
    Activist at best lip service….

  • cindy sm

    You HAVE to cause shock waves on as many levels among the elements causing
    Or enabling an assault on your legitimate
    Interests. Otherwise you’ll be walked on.
    Just like you are now…

  • ujh

    Because Cadman Plaza Park is a convenient turn-around for fundraising walks beginning and ending in the City Hall area in Manhattan, with lots of public transportation close by. Do you think the residents of Fifth Ave, CPW and CPS would tolerate this noise at 6 or 8 a.m. on any given summer Sunday, the way the residents who live on the periphery of Cadman Plaza Park are expected to do every Sunday all day long?