Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park Will Hold Community Discussion Tomorrow

Paul Stremple -
An aerial rendering of the potential Bushwick Inlet Park from the 2005 master plan (Via NYC Parks)

GREENPOINT – The Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park will hold a community meeting tomorrow night to revisit site’s 2005 master plan in an effort to involve local residents in the ongoing process of building out the 27-acres of proposed park space.

Last year, the Mayor announced $17.5 million in funding to develop two new tracts of the Bushwick Inlet Park as part of the now 13-year process create a cutting-edge public green space in North Brooklyn.

“We’re trying to inform that process by revisiting the master plan,” said Steve Chesler, Co-Chair of Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park. “We want to make sure [the city] adheres to the master plan—the community was deeply involved.”

The $17.5 million promised by the mayor is for the design and development of the 50 Kent parcel of the park, along with the remediation, design and development of the Motiva Site, which makes up the northernmost parcel of the park, including the Bushwick Inlet itself.

With a phased build-out of the parcels planned by the city, Chesler says adherence to the design language of the master plan would help offset the chances of a disjointed “Franken-park.” He cites the success of the Brooklyn Bridge Park’s phased build-out, under a design by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, as the ideal of what can be achieved with proper planning and implementation.

Some of the proposed active and passive recreation options for the Bushwick Inlet Park (Via NYC Parks)

The 27-acre park was part of a deal struck by the city during the 2005 rezoning of North Brooklyn, which has led to rapid development along the Greenpoint and Williamsburg waterfronts. The park is seen as a promise from the city—which is already more than a decade in the making.

Tomorrow’s event will include a lecture from landscape architect Donna Walcavage, who designed the 2005 master plan for the park, as well as a discussion with Christine Holowacz, former chair of Greenpoint Waterfront Association for Parks and Planning and Laura Hofmann, chair of the Parks and Open Space subcommittee of the Brooklyn Community Board #1 Rezoning Task Force. Questions from community members and attendees will also be answered.

Currently, the city is in the process of hiring a designer for one or both of the new tracts. Once that decision is made, the scoping process will begin, wherein the City opens up their plans to feedback from the community and public input. Until that time, Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park intend to keep residents informed and the pressure on the city up, with two more events regarding the master plan scheduled for February and March.

Chesler says Bushwick Inlet Park offers a unique opportunity to implement a world-class design, and community involvement is a key part of the process: “We want to press the point—the park was a commitment to the community.”

The event will take place tomorrow evening, January 24, from 7:30 – 8:30 pm at the Bushwick Inlet Park Building (86 Kent Avenue). Register free online.