Meet David Barker, Director Of Fort Greene Park
Fort Greene Park has a new director and his name is David Barker.
The Clinton Hill resident joins our park after seven years with the Parks Department, coordinating playground designs and development, PlaNYC efforts, sustainability initiatives, and maintenance at several parks in northeastern Queens.
After meeting at the park’s inaugural tree lighting ceremony on Sunday, December 7th, we made sure to chat with him a bit about himself and his goals for our community park.
Describe your role as Director of Fort Greene Park.
I am responsible for all aspects of keeping the park clean and inviting to the community. Each morning, I check-in with maintenance crews to go over the day’s assignment. This could be everything from trash removal to leaf raking. Beyond that, I might meet with other branches of local government or community organizations to plan events, organize restoration projects, and address concerns. There’s a fair amount of exciting on-your-feet problem solving involved to get things done.
What are your goals for the park? / What can people look forward to?
Goal #1 involves getting to know the many user groups that frequent the park and establishing ties with the cultural, educational, and civic institutions in the neighborhood. I want to learn about what has been tried in the past and maintain what we have before launching into new projects. People can look forward to improved access and fewer floods at the park entrance at Willoughby Ave and Washington thanks to the major construction project underway. And expect to see many smaller changes, such as restored garden beds and signage.
How can people help/contribute?
We have a long-standing and terrific partner in the Fort Greene Park Conservancy. This all-volunteer group organizes programming and supports park maintenance and capital improvements through fundraising. People can donate directly to the Conservancy or they can roll up their sleeves and pitch in as park volunteers. You don’t have to be a professional landscape architect or contractor to help out. We provide the tools and training.
What are your office hours?
I am in and around the park five days a week and often visit on the weekends for exercise and relaxation.
Where in Brooklyn are you from?
My wife and I live in Clinton Hill, six blocks from the park.
Did you study a park- or environment-related subject while in school?
I studied Urban Geography in school, and have been an avid park-goer and outdoors enthusiast all of my life. I grew up within a five-minute walk of the Rose Garden and Arboretum in Portland, Oregon.
What do you consider your biggest achievement while in the Parks Department?
In my first position as Urban Fellow with the agency in 2007, I helped implement a program to transform over 240 asphalt schoolyards into community playgrounds. I was involved from the early stages when we were asking second graders where they liked to jump rope through to completion when we were counting the number of patrons in the finished playgrounds. It was thrilling to be involved with something that transformed every corner of New York City.
What is your favorite thing about/to do in parks and in Fort Greene Park?
I love how much New Yorkers value their parks. They are their backyards. In Fort Greene Park, I love the sense of history as well as the diversity of activities that take place within such a small area. The park can be your gym, play area, place for reflection, bbq area, or produce market to name a few of its functions. It feels like the center of the neighborhood’s civic life on a busy summer afternoon.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
The success of this park depends on the support and involvement of the community beyond its walls. To volunteer, voice a maintenance concern, or offer a suggestion, please send me an e-mail at david.barker@parks.nyc.gov or contact the Conservancy at Fortgreeneparkconservancy@gmail.com.