Prospect Park Adds A New Grilling Area

Come grilling season, local outdoor cooks will soon have another place to roast some wienies, as Prospect Park is adding another sanctioned barbecuing area.

The new grill spot, which will not have any fixed grills (so it’s bring your own, only) will be near the Lincoln Road entrance by the East Drive, according to the Brooklyn Paper, and it will open on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25.

A representative from the park tells the paper that they added the spot because that side of the park has been lacking in sanctioned barbecuing areas, and they are “really looking to accommodate everyone.”

Though this could help alleviate some crowding in the popular grilling areas, it may not ease concerns for those who’ve complained about barbecuing in the park. Last year, a neighbor launched a petition to end all grilling in the park, which stated that the current policy for allowing people to grill in these contained areas “does not provide adequate ventilation and endangers the health of those living, walking, playing and sitting nearby as well as to the barbecuers themselves,” and noted that the grilling areas are close not just to playgrounds and other active areas, but homes, too.

With the addition of this new location, barbecuing is now allowed in 13 designated areas in the park. The rules are: grills are supposed to be at least two feet off the ground, no propane is allowed, and you need to fire up at least 10 feet away from any greenery or buildings. Groups of 20 people or more are required to have a permit.

Of course, we’ve seen plenty of folks disregarding those rules, particularly on peak holidays like Memorial Day and the 4th of July. So what do you think — is a new grilling area a good thing?