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Refresh with Water-on-the-Go

If you haven’t had enough water with all of the rain over the past few days, head down to Washington Street at the corner of Prospect Street today for a little refresher. The New York Department of Environmental Protection has set up water bottle refill stations all over the city, including right here in our neighborhood, for their “Water-on-the-Go” program.

The New York DEP says, “Get your fill of New York City’s great-tasting, award-winning tap water all summer long! DEP is partnering with City agencies and other local organizations to help New Yorkers stay hydrated and healthy this summer by setting up NYC Water-On-the-Go fountains at public plazas, greenmarkets and parks from July Fourth until Labor Day.”

With less than two weeks left until Labor Day, you only have two chances left (after today) to get a taste from Water-on-the-Go in Brooklyn Heights. NYC Water will be at the Borough Hall Green Market on August 31st, and at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 on September 5th.

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Park Officials Apologize for Noise: Give Schedule for Summer Events

The Brooklyn Heights Association has forwarded communications from the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation. An open letter addressed to “Dear Neighbors”, on letterhead of the Conservancy, but co-signed by Regina Myer, President of the BBPDC, and Nancy Webster, Executive Director of the Conservancy, includes the following:

We wanted to let you know that some of the park’s summer events, most notably the Thursday evening Movies With A View series (now in its 11th year), the Saturday afternoon Bridge Culture spoken word and music series, and a special recital by the Metropolitan Opera on Tuesday, July 20, will have amplified sound. We have done our best to minimize noise spillover outside the park’s boundaries, onto the Promenade and adjoining streets. However, we ask for your patience, and your feedback, as we fine-tune the presentation of public events in our new park during its first year of operations, while you recognize the necessity of amplification for these well-attended events.

The full text of the letter is here. A full schedule of activities in the park, through mid-August, is here.

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Petunias

BHB photo by C. Scales

BHB photo by C. Scales

A showy display of pink and purple blossoms is found by the Montague Street entrance to the Promenade. Thanks go to Jonathan Landsman and the Promenade Partners. (Thanks also to AAR for answering your horticulturally challenged correspondent’s question: “What kind of flowers are these?”)

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Stench on Montague?

Our Heather Quinlan complains of a foul odor in the vicinity of La Traviata restaurant, between Henry and Clinton on Montague. She describes it as “like hot ammonia and trout.” Has anyone else noticed this?

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Reminder: Electronic Recycling this Weekend

e_recycleThis weekend, bring out your dead equipment and drop it off at the First Unitarian Church, 121 Pierrepont St. They’ll be accepting your CDs, DVDs, VCRs, USBs and the like from 10-4 on Saturday, and 12-2 on Sunday. For more information call (718) 624-5466, or click here for a list of accepted items.

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BHA Sponsors “E-Trash” Recycling Event

Do you have old electronic devices, such as laptop or desktop computers, printers, CD, DVD or VHS players, telephones (land line or cell), answering machines, air conditioners, or even dead batteries, which you would like to dispose of in an environmentally safe manner? The Brooklyn Heights Association is sponsoring an e-wast recycling event, to take place on Saturday, June 5 from 10:00 a.m until 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, June 6 from noon until 2:00 p.m., at the First Unitarian Church, 121 Pierrepont Street (corner of Monroe Place). More information, and a complete list of types of items that will be accepted, is on the BHA Website.

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New Procedure for Chopper Noise Complaints

Note: this is an update of an earlier post that has now been deleted. BHB has been advised that all helicopter complaints are now being received by 311 operators, who will create a helicopter complaint “Service Request” to track and deal with the complaints. Monthly reports will also be provided to NYCEDC, elected officials, and the Downtown Manhattan Heliport to monitor the noise complaints.

Helicopter complaints can also be registered through 311 Online by using the “Noise from Helicopter” link.

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Poplar Street Community Garden Needs Help

From Poplar Street Community Garden:

Poplar Street Community Garden
SPRING WORK DAYS!

Sat, May 8 and May 15
12 -3 PM
NW Corner of Hicks and Poplar Streets

Friends and Neighbors!
Please join us as we plant/transplant and repair garden paths to ready the garden for summer — or just stop by to say hello and look around! Tools and refreshments provided. For further information, contact: poplargarden@gmail.com

(Rain dates: Sun May 9 and May 16)

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BHA Seeks Volunteers and Bakers for House Tour Next Saturday; Will Hold E-Waste Recycling Event on Weekend of June 5-6

The Brooklyn Heights Association needs volunteers to be house-watchers at the annual House Tour next Saturday, May 8, and also wants bakers to make cookies for the House Tour reception.

Dear BHA Friends: Our House Tour is this Saturday, May 8 and we still need volunteers to stand in the houses, and bakers to make cookies for the tea. We’d welcome your help! (more…)

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Squadron’s Second Community Convention a Success; Schumer Presses FAA on Chopper Noise

BHB photo by C. Scales

BHB photo by C. Scales

In the opening remarks at his second annual Community Convention, held Sunday afternoon at Borough of Manhattan Community College, State Senator Daniel Squadron noted the changes that had occurred since his first Convention just over a year ago. The first Convention occurred at a time when, despite the economic crisis, many people felt encouraged by the inauguration of a new President and, in New York, by the Democratic Party’s having acquired control of the state Senate after many years in the minority. Shortly after, however, the Democrats temporarily lost control of the Senate, and Albany once again became gridlocked. Since then, developments at both the state (despite the passage of some ethics reforms) and federal (especially the protracted fight over health care) levels have made many people more cynical about politics and government. Squadron noted, however, that his preliminary count of attendees this year showed that as many people showed up as for the first Convention. (more…)

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