If not there, where?

Instead of pouring concrete on beloved, historic green park space, thousands have urged officials to use the $11 million of taxpayer money to add vital green space in Brooklyn — by improving and “greening” already-paved space.

Here are just a few examples….

Thomas Greene Skatepark

Background

  • Large Parks Department site

  • Current skate facilities old and minimal. Over a decade ago deemed an “interim setup” due to scanty funding — but skate Improvements didn’t happen.

  • More extensive transit access than Mount Prospect Park

  • 3 subway stops from Mount Prospect Park

  • Close to many schools

  • Located in District 39, the district that originally voted funding through that district’s 2021 participatory budgeting — now being diverted to help build the project in Mount Prospect Park…but in District 35

Background

  • The only other Brooklyn site in Mayor Eric Adams’ four-site initiative — just 3 subway stops from Mount Prospect Park

  • Already paved, quite rundown — but receiving just a fraction of the public funding slated for the construction in Mount Prospect Park

Brower Skatepark

Brooklyn Museum of Art parking lot

Background

  • Just a few yards from Mount Prospect Park!

  • The parking lot is another vast expanse of nearby blacktop.

Background

  • Tens of thousands of square feet of paved space

  • Already used by local skaters, despite lack of features

  • Another Parks Dep’t site in District 39, the district that originally voted funding through that district’s 2021 participatory budgeting — now being diverted to construction in Mount Prospect Park…in District 35

Kensington

Columbus Park Plaza

Background

  • Area favored by skateboarders

  • Redesign requested/suggested by the community

  • Parks Department property being used as … a parking lot

  • Plentiful public transit, including multiple lines to Borough Hall subway station

Paved Crescent at Grand Army Plaza

Background

  • Virtually unused paved area, steps from Mount Prospect Park

  • Professional skate designer confirms it would work well — and safely — as a modern, linear-style skatepark

  • Suggested several times in writing and in person to DOT and other officials — no response/dismissed

What about…

Green?

Safe?

Equitable?

The NYC Parks Department in summer 2024 announced a “Vital Parks” initiative, purporting to advance park spaces that are green, safe and equitable.

Pouring concrete on historic green space full of mature shade trees betrays core values — including urban planning resiliency imperatives central to our wellbeing.

And a basic google search for skate parks in Brooklyn shows the stark inequity of siting yet another skate facility on Mount Prospect Park.