In July of 2020, New York City Parks were faced with an impossible challenge. Just as New Yorkers surged to the parks to escape the confinement of their homes, the City announced the Parks budget was being cut by $84 million. What unfolded was a summer of parks across the city trying desperately to keep up with the record crowds and ensuing litter.
Luckily, as parks experienced their time of need, New Yorkers realized just how much they needed their parks reports the Wall Street Journal. As one of the only places to safely social distance, New Yorkers were doing everything, from workout routines to birthday parties, in parks. And with more time at the park, there was more time to notice the errant takeout container or patchy flower bed. In the past year, New Yorkers citywide stepped up to volunteer at or donate to parks, sometimes at record levels as the Journal discovered while connecting with parks across the city.
Between July 2020 and March 2021, Prospect Park Alliance alone saw a 142% increase in new volunteers and a 42% increase in individual donors. Thanks to this rise in community involvement, Prospect Park Alliance is making essential improvements throughout the park and engaging more workers to ensure that Brooklyn’s Backyard is renewed and ready for all visitors. Alliance President Sue Donoghue took Journal reporter Anne Kadet on a tour of the park to point out improvements the nonprofit is making, thanks to the windfall. They include new benches and landscaping at the Drummer’s Grove and upgraded restrooms, not to mention new picnic tables, coal bins and communal grills in the barbecue areas.
This Earth Week, Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that sustains Brooklyn’s Backyard in partnership with the City, debuted its ecoWEIR pilot program in Prospect Park. This innovative natural filtration system, designed by Brooklyn College Professor Jennifer Cherrier, helps to remove nutrients from Prospect Park’s watercourse that cause toxic blue-green algae blooms in the summer months, which are dangerous when in contact with pets and humans.
The pilot program, the first in an urban park, is funded by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation through a $390,000 grant.
“We are so grateful to our partners at New York State Parks for their support of innovative, environmentally sustainable ways for Prospect Park Alliance to sustain our natural areas,” said Sue Donoghue, President, Prospect Park Alliance. “From their funding of goats to remove invasive plants in our woodland areas, to our ecoWEIR pilot program, New York State Parks has always been responsive and forward-thinking in their efforts to support this urban wonder.”
Erik Kulleseid, Commissioner, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, said, “New York State Parks is grateful for this innovative stewardship project led by Prospect Park Alliance. Lakes, pools, waterfalls and streams are so often the scenic and recreational centerpieces of our parks. This project will help restore the water quality at Prospect Park, while offering lessons that may be applied to other parks that are also threatened by excessive algae growth.”
“The innovative ecoWEIR pilot program is a fantastic way to help manage the harmful algal blooms that pose a threat to pets and humans alike. We are grateful to New York State Parks and Brooklyn College for lending their support to this program,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “Efforts like this help make our parks safer and more environmentally sustainable for generations to come.”
“It is impossible to overstate the importance of Prospect Park to our Borough and our City, and I am proud to support New York State’s efforts to recognize this with the financial and technical support the Park requires to operate as an oasis and refuge for millions,” said State Assembly Member Robert Carroll. “I am also proud that Prospect Park will pilot the use of the new ecoWEIR technology to keep the park’s water system healthy for wildlife, pets and residents–Brooklyn just keeps on leading in every way!”
“We are excited that Brooklyn College and Professor Jennifer Cherrier were able to partner with the Prospect Park Alliance and New York State Parks on this important project,” said Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson. “Professor Cherrier’s expertise in the world of aquatic sciences and water resource sustainability is well known. The fact that she is able to also include students in her research to enhance this iconic space cherished by all in Brooklyn makes it even more special.”
While the park is a natural wonderland, many people are not aware that Prospect Park’s lake, pools, waterfalls and streams are fed by the New York City water supply. Phosphates in the water, which make it safe for us to drink, lead to excessive algae growth. This algae growth limits resources for other plant life and wildlife, which is detrimental to the health of the park’s waterways.
Phosphates in the water also produce blooms of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria. Certain types of cyanobacteria produce toxins that can pose a health risk for humans and animals. Skin contact can cause rashes or eye irritation, while ingestion can cause more serious effects. These blooms have led to closing areas of the Prospect Park Lake that were previously available for dogs to swim due to concerns over exposure.
In 2020, the Alliance installed ecoWEIRs at two locations in the park, near Dog Beach (where city water enters the watercourse). The aim of this system is to reduce phosphates, thereby reducing excessive algae growth. The filtration system and its results are being monitored over the course of multiple seasons to determine if the pilot study is a success. In addition to enhancing the health and resilience of Prospect Park Lake, this project provides an opportunity to educate the public about water health. If successful, the Prospect Park ecoWEIR project will be replicable in parks nationwide.
Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue, Council Member Brad Lander, Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene, and Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Martin Maher gathered to cut the ribbon on the Concert Grove Pavilion in Prospect Park.
Prospect Park Alliance’s restoration of the Concert Grove Pavilion was made possible through $2 million in funding from former Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council. The restoration of this historic structure, which was closed to the public in 2014 due to structural damage, repaired water damage, reconstructed missing historical details and added new lighting to bring new life to this cherished community gathering place.
“The Concert Grove Pavilion is a beloved landmark, and has served our community as the location for family reunions, birthday parties and celebrations for generations,” said Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue. “Thanks to funding from the Brooklyn Delegation, Prospect Park Alliance’s team of architects have been able to restore one of Brooklyn’s brightest jewels—and we’re excited to welcome the community back to enjoy it.”
“The Concert Grove Pavilion is a key piece of the identity of Prospect Park; as it serves as a venue for enjoying concerts, celebrating special occasions, and so much more,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “Through the support of Prospect Park Alliance, former Speaker Melissa Viverito, and the City Council this historic structure has been revitalized for an entirely new generation to enjoy and explore.”
“During this health crisis Brooklynites have been using Prospect Park and all its amenities more than ever and I think everyone in New York City’s appreciation has grown for their local parks during this pandemic” said Council Member Brad Lander. “I am thrilled that with the completion of the Concert Grove Pavilion, it will add an additional place for a new generation of families and picnickers to enjoy the pavilion and all Prospect Park has to offer.”
“The Concert Grove Pavilion is an important part of what makes Prospect Park such an inviting place for all New Yorkers,” said Council Member Dr. Mathieu Eugene. “I want to commend and thank the Prospect Park Alliance for partnering with The Brooklyn Delegation and former Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito of the City Council to make this renovation possible, and for helping to maintain its historical significance within the park.”
The Pavilion was designed by Calvert Vaux in 1874 and, as was typical of the time, borrows motifs from Hindu, Chinese, Moorish and Egyptian architecture. Situated in the Upper Concert Grove in the park’s southeast corner, adjacent to Lakeside, the pavilion was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1974, but the elaborate cast iron columns were salvaged and the pavilion was restored in 1988.
Through this current restoration, the Alliance fully restored the Pavilion, bringing back beautiful features including elaborately detailed wooden trim and moldings at the eaves of the roof, and terne-coated, stainless-steel roof shingles. New high-efficiency light fixtures illuminate a beautiful star-patterned, stained-glass ceiling in the center dome and light the surrounding landscape. The original colors of the painted wood ceilings and iron columns were matched through extensive color testing and mockups. All of the iron railings and roof finials were trucked to an iron foundry in Alabama that specializes in historical restoration where missing elements were recast and damaged pieces were repaired and restored. The Alliance also installed an intricate waterproofing system to prevent future water damage of the structure.
In 2018, Prospect Park Alliance was honored with an Award for Excellence in Design by the New York City Public Design Commission for the restoration design of the Concert Grove Pavilion by the Alliance’s Capital Projects team, which includes architects, landscape architects, construction supervisors and an archivist.
Prospect Park Alliance recently completed the restoration of the Endale Arch, one of the original portals to the park designed by Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted. In this virtual tour, hosted by Turnstile Tours, get an insider’s look at the restoration process, which required years of research, incredibly skilled craftspeople, and painstakingly detailed work to bring the arch back to its original splendor. With guests Sarena Rabinowitz, Assistant Architect, Design & Construction at Prospect Park Alliance, and Curtis Barnhart of Barnhart Restoration & Design, the group that did the restoration work on the stunning interior. We go live to the arch itself to see these wonderful details up close.
The arch restoration was generously funded by the Tiger Baron Foundation, with additional support from Council Member Brad Lander through District 39 participatory budgeting. Learn more about this multi-phase restoration project.
Prospect Park Alliance
New Flatbush Entrances Open
January 28, 2021
Just in time for the new year, Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks have opened to the public the first new entrances to Prospect Park since the 1940s, and the restored Flatbush Avenue Perimeter, while work is completed on site. The new entrances were funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio, and designed by Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that operates the park in partnership with the City, through the Parks Without Borders initiative.
“Guided by input from New Yorkers, Parks Without Borders makes access to our beautiful park space across the city easier for all,” said NYC Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. “Prospect Park’s new Flatbush Avenue entrance and the adjacent street improvements bring the benefits of green space to even more New Yorkers.”
“We are so excited to formally cut the ribbon on this transformative project I hold personally dear to me,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “The iconic Prospect Park is now even more inviting and accessible thanks to this investment from Mayor de Blasio and the efforts of our partners at Prospect Park Alliance. When I imagined how Parks Without Borders could improve and revitalize many of our beloved parks, I could not have pictured a more perfect example than Prospect Park. PWB has opened up new possibilities and new pathways for New Yorkers to enjoy our green spaces for generations to come.”
“Prospect Park Alliance is committed to making Prospect Park open and accessible to all communities it borders, and we are grateful to be able to open pedestrian access while work concludes on the site,” said Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue. “I want to thank Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Parks Commissioner Silver for their innovative Parks Without Borders initiative, and the many community members who came out in support of this project. These new entrances will serve as an important gateway to the park for our east side communities, and to the park’s northeast corner, a focal point of our future restoration efforts.”
New Entrance Design
Prospect Park was nominated for Parks Without Borders with overwhelming support from the surrounding communities. The $3.2 million project includes a major entrance in the northeast section of the park near the former Rose Garden, the site of future restoration by Prospect Park Alliance, and a secondary entrance located just north of the Prospect Park Zoo. Both entrances feature new lighting, seating and new landscaping. The major entrance aligns with a future DOT traffic signal and pedestrian crosswalk, intersecting a berm retained by a three-foot-high granite wall, and opens opens onto a small public plaza.
The entrance design includes:
An extensive new landscape with over 150 new trees—a mix of elms, hackberry, sweetgum, a variety of oak species, and a large mix of evergreen varieties, such as pines and hollies, which are important for wildlife and help to screen traffic noise.
Two levels of terraced seating, which provides views of the woodlands and serves as a gathering space for the community.
Rock scrambles of boulders with stepping stones that lead to an informal running trail. These boulders were sourced from the building site of the NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital Center for Community Health in Park Slope.
A palette of native flowering and perennial plants that will be visually stunning, beneficial to the park ecosystem and resilient to climate change.
Access directly into Prospect Park’s woodlands—the first entrance to open directly onto this important park amenity, which is an area of focus and restoration for the Alliance since the early 1990s. Visitors are greeted by towering trees and can choose multiple paths that wind through the park’s 250 acres of woodlands.
Broader Restoration Plans
The creation of these entrances is part of a comprehensive restoration of the Flatbush Avenue perimeter of Prospect Park. A second project, funded with $2.4 million from Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo, and led by Prospect Park Alliance, restored the Flatbush Avenue perimeter from Grand Army Plaza to the Prospect Park Zoo to its original grandeur with new landscaping, an expanded promenade, and new furnishings. Through $2 million in funding by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Prospect Park Alliance also is restoring 1,200 linear feet of paths in this area of the park, with new paving, park benches and lighting, and much-needed tree care. In addition, Prospect Park Alliance is in the early design phases of creating a covered horseback riding ring for this area of the park, just north of the Zoo, for public and therapeutic riding. This $4.1 million project is funded through the support of the New York City Council, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and New York Council Member Brad Lander.
Left to Right: Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Alliance President; Assembly Member JoAnne Simon; Council Member Brad Lander; Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver; Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo; Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Martin Maher.
For the ribbon cutting, Deputy Mayor Been, Parks Commissioner Silver, and Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue were joined by City Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo, Council Member Brad Lander, Assembly Member JoAnne Simon, Borough Parks Commissioner Martin Maher and the Alliance design team.
“Although planned pre-pandemic, the unveiling of our new and improved Prospect Park could not be more timely. COVID-19 has provided further support for the notion that our parks are a fundamental part of the Brooklyn experience! I am so proud to stand alongside Mayor de Blasio, Borough President Adams, and my fellow elected officials to not only make Prospect Park more accessible but to invest in its beautification for all to enjoy ahead of Summer 2021,” said Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo.
“Prospect Park has been a wonderful reprieve for myself and many others during this pandemic period,” said City Council Member Brad Lander. “The new Flatbush Avenue entrances and the perimeter restoration will offer greater access to the Park as well as continued enjoyment for all users! I am thrilled to be apart of this ribbon cutting and am looking forward to watching my constituents as well as all the residents of Brooklyn enjoy these new features!”
NYC Parks and Prospect Park Alliance are piloting a “Carry In, Carry Out” trash management plan for the Prospect Park woodlands, starting at Lookout Hill, a nearly 25-acre natural area in the mid-section of the park.
“During this challenging time, we have learned firsthand just how valuable our green spaces are as they have served us in a myriad of ways: for quiet recreation; exercise; as community hubs and more. For these reasons, we appreciate Prospect Park Alliance’s support by launching this “Carry In, Carry Out” pilot trash plan,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “We thank the Alliance for their work to bring this pilot online as we work to keep our parks beautiful and clean. We urge New Yorkers everywhere to dispose of trash in designated receptacles or follow this model and take it with them when they leave.”
“Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s last remaining forest, and these fragile woodland habitats can be easily trampled and disrupted, which is why we are piloting a “Carry In, Carry Out” trash management strategy in this area,” said Sue Donoghue, Park Administrator and President of Prospect Park Alliance. “This strategy will not reduce the number of staff focused on trash management, nor the number of trash pick ups or receptacles, but move this activity to the entrances of our woodlands to keep trash receptacles and large vehicles off woodland paths.”
“Carry In, Carry Out” is a trash management strategy commonly employed in national parks that removes trash receptacles from fragile nature areas, and places the responsibility on the park patron to carry any trash generated during their visit out of the park. In Prospect Park, trash receptacles will be positioned at all main entrances to Lookout Hill (see map above), and additional signage will be placed throughout the woodlands reminding park patrons of this policy.
NYC Parks and Prospect Park Alliance will pilot this program over the course of the year, with the hope of expanding to all of the park’s woodlands.
Interested in learning more about park stewardship efforts and how you can help keep the park green and vibrant? Visit our Get Involved page.
c. Paul Martinka
Endale Arch Restored to Original Splendor
November 13, 2020
Prospect Park Alliance has completed the restoration of Endale Arch and reopened this treasure to the public.
One of the first architectural elements constructed in Prospect Park in the 1860s, the arch was envisioned by park creators Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as a transporting entrance to the majestic Long Meadow from Grand Army Plaza. The $500,000 project was generously funded by the Tiger Baron Foundation, with additional support from Council Member Brad Lander through District 39 participatory budgeting.
“Thanks to this comprehensive restoration, the historic Endale Arch will welcome visitors to Prospect Park’s Long Meadow for generations to come,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “We are grateful to the Tiger Baron Foundation and Council Member Lander for their support, and we commend the Prospect Park Alliance for their remarkable work on this project.”
“I’m thrilled that our community chose through participatory budgeting to support the restoration of Endale Arch, a historic piece of Brooklyn’s backyard,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “I thank the Tiger Baron Foundation for their support of this project. At a time when New Yorkers are appreciating their parks more than ever, it is wonderful to have an opportunity to learn about and enjoy the contributions of the past to the spaces we love so dearly today.”
“We are so thankful to the Tiger Baron Foundation and Council Member Brad Lander for supporting this work, and enabling us to undertake a restoration worthy of Prospect Park’s creators,” said Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance. “Our Design + Construction team has outdone themselves on this project, and we are thrilled to share this beautifully restored archway with our community.”
The Endale Arch restoration comprises years of research, dedicated work and a number of exciting discoveries as layers of time were stripped back. The phased restoration kicked off in 2015 with the adjacent landscape. The Alliance stabilized the stone retaining walls and surrounding hillsides; removed invasive plants; added an array of native plantings; and made improvements to the arch and pathway to address drainage issues and reduce potential flooding and water damage.
In the final phase, the Alliance worked with Barnhart Restoration to restore the interior of the arch and the exterior stonework. In the course of this phase, layers of paint and grit were peeled back, revealing handsome original details that the design team was surprised and delighted to find. A motif of alternating yellow Berea sandstone and New Jersey brownstone, and white pine and black walnut wood paneling, which was hidden for nearly a century has been restored. The team opted to leave one brick and granite cross vault exposed to highlight the detailed craftsmanship put in place over 150 years ago.
Visitors can now enjoy the arch as it would have appeared to the park’s earliest visitors, all with the benefit of new LED lighting that illuminates the interior of the arch. The result is a breathtaking window into Prospect Park’s historic past. Learn more about the restoration of Endale Arch.
The restoration of Endale Arch is part of a larger effort by Prospect Park Alliance to improve the northeast corner of the park. This work also includes the restorations of the Vale Woodlands, through a grant from New York State Parks; the Grand Army Plaza berms and Soldiers and Sailors Arch, funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio; the Flatbush Avenue perimeter, funded by Borough President Eric L. Adams and Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo; two new entrances along Flatbush Avenue, the first in the park since the 1940s, funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Parks without Borders initiative; and pathway and lighting improvements in the Vale, funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio. Learn more about these projects on the Alliance’s Capital Projects Tracker,
c. Paul Martinka
Northeast Path Work Now Underway
November 10, 2020
Through $2 million in funding by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Prospect Park Alliance is restoring pedestrian paths in the northeast corner of Prospect Park to make the area more accessible to the communities who use the park. This project includes the reconstruction of approximately 1,200 linear feet of paths, new park benches and new lighting, much-needed tree care and the replacement of the play sand in the Zucker Natural Exploration Area. The work is underway now and will be complete in the summer of 2021.
For the duration of the work, please be aware that portions of the paths and adjoining areas will be closed off for park-goers safety—as a result visitors may need to plan alternative routes in the area. We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we complete this essential work.
Map of area indicating paths that will receive new lighting (orange), new sand (blue dots), and new paving (solid blue). c. Prospect Park Alliance
This work is part of a larger effort by Prospect Park Alliance to improve the northeast corner of the park. The reimagining of this area also includes the historic restoration of the Endale Arch, funded by the Tiger Baron Foundation with additional support from Council Member Brad Lander through District 39 participatory budgeting; restorations of the Vale Woodlands through a grant from New York State Parks; the Grand Army Plaza berms and Soldiers and Sailors Arch, funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio; the Flatbush Avenue perimeter, funded by Borough President Eric L. Adams and Council Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo; two new entrances along Flatbush Avenue, the first in the park since the 1940s, funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Parks without Borders initiative; and pathway and lighting improvements in the Vale, funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio.
On October 29, 2020, Prospect Park Alliance hosted it’s annual Gala, virtually! This celebration featured Alliance Board Chair Iris Weinshall, Jimmy Kimmel, Angélique Kidjo, and a musical performance from Alegba and Friends. The program recognized the volunteers and supporters who have helped care for Brooklyn’s most treasured green space during a difficult year.
The Gala helped raise funds for Prospect Park Alliance, which has continued to operate during a pandemic and has ensured that this essential green space is open and accessible to our whole community. Donate to Prospect Park Alliance.
c. Anna Watts for The Wall Street Journal
Taking Care of Brooklyn’s Backyard in a Pandemic
May 18, 2020
As is the case for so many, work looks a little different these days for Prospect Park Alliance. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our team has had to find ways of caring for the park with limited staff and a high number of visitors, while meeting the challenges of our current socially distanced moment.
Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit that cares for the park in partnership with the city, provides critical staff and resources that keep Brooklyn’s Backyard green and vibrant. As highlighted in a recent report, the pandemic has resulted in a loss of critical funding for parks across the city. For Prospect Park Alliance, the closure of park amenities like the Prospect Park Tennis Center and LeFrak Center at Lakeside, and also the cancellation of fundraising events like Party for the Park, has resulted in nearly $3 million in lost revenue.
This loss in funding has impacted the Alliance in terms of our ability to hire seasonal staff, roughly 20% of our total workforce, for horticulture work, summer weekend cleanup crews and woodland restoration. In addition, the city has reduced its workforce to respond to cuts to the city budget, and the Alliance’s essential volunteer workforce of nearly 4,000 has been placed on hold due to safety concerns around the pandemic.
No matter the impact, nature goes on, and so does the work of the Alliance. In the past few months, Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks staff have been at work in the park performing basic maintenance. For our landscape management team, the Alliance had to forgo its normal spring planting season of more than 5,000 trees, plants and shrubs throughout the park’s 585 acres, and instead is focused on picking up trash in sensitive woodland areas, weeding and repairing fencing. In addition, Alliance staff who are home due to PAUSE New York have been volunteering in the park to support our essential NYC Parks workers, helping to clean the park and perform basic repairs.
With the Audubon Center and Lefferts Historic House shuttered, Alliance educators have taken their curriculums online! In a normal season, these park destinations are home to hundreds of free public programs for tens of thousands of community members each year. Now, these activities are going up online at Virtual Prospect Park—so you can experience the park from the comfort of your own home.
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