This Year in Ditmas Park: 2012
Ditmas Park Corner’s 2012 has been eventful indeed. We launched on March 10 and have been connecting with more and more neighbors every day since then. Looking back on the past year, we couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this incredible neighborhood. Thank you for participating in the conversation, and we look forward to continuing it in 2013.
In that spirit, let’s take a look back at some of the stories that stood out in 2012:
• Several of you shared your favorite corners in the neighborhood.
• And lots of those corners saw film crews, as many productions were set here.
• Speaking of celebrities, we learned that Futurama’s Phillip J. Fry lived on Rugby!
• Many neighbors shared their artistic talents: Emma Assin’s spin on corners, William Bredbeck’s choose-your-own-adventure Ditmonster Park, Kasia Nikhamina’s mixed media pieces, Lolita B.’s photography, Liz Starin’s illustrations, and some of the artists who participated in GO. And all the photos!
• Our streets sound as fancy as they did in 1901, but they’ve got more history now.
• Though we weren’t hit as hard as some other neighborhoods during Hurricane Sandy, we did see two tragic deaths during the storm. Neighbors helped each other in various ways, online and in person, and in some ways, we have gotten back to normal.
• One unexpected place to suffer damage from Sandy was our yet-to-open Wheated pizzeria, which is still fundraising now.
• We took a look at crime in the area and mapped the incidents.
• The most activity Solo has seen in years: kittens were born in the former bar, and found homes.
• We met some great businesspeople: John Ficarra of John’s Bakery, Leon Kogut of Leon’s Fantasy Cut, Matt Barclay of Sycamore, the handymen of Almac, and the neighbors who started the Flatbush Food Co-op.
• And we met some fascinating neighbors: artist Tae Won Yu, Halloween makeup specialist Brian Duprey, faded ad aficionado Frank Jump, papercut master Thomas Witte, comic book writer David Gallaher, teen playwright Rachel Wagner, grown-up playwright Stefanie Zadravec, football coach Bill Solomon, Flatbush Ave photographer Eli Koppel, and so many more.
• Newkirk Plaza saw the biggest updates in its history, and with construction complete, amazing neighbors pitched in on greenery and a mural.
• A big thanks to the neighbors who helped make other places beautiful, too: with planters at the library, a mosaic on Cortelyou, murals on Church Avenue, tree guards on Newkirk, and of course, the adorable Isabelle’s Garden.
What are you going to remember most about 2012 in Ditmas Park?