BROOKLYN COMMUNITY BOARD 6
PARKS/RECREATION/CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
MAY 16, 2012
ATTENDANCE;
PRESENT:
D. BRAVO D. HERBSTMAN H. HUGHES
G. KELLY N. LALLI E. ROBERTS
J. OLTMAN SMITH J. WOLFE
EXCUSED:
L. BLYER E. CHAN J. FRANCIS
Y. GIRELA S. LONIAL C. PIGOTT
S. SHIFFMAN
ABSENT:
R. GRAHAM J. HEYER J. KLETTER
J. MAIER M. SCOTT
GUESTS:
H. HOLLAND R. SLOANE J. SPANN
K. COLLIGNON R. LEVASSEUR C. SALGUERO
M. CONNELLY G. BROOKS B. BROOKHART
*** MINUTES ***
The meeting was called to order at 6:40pm. There was no quorum present.
The committee Co-chair, Nica Lalli announced that the J. J. Byrne Park ribbon-cutting was last weekend.
Joanna Smith (Community Committee of Prospect Park) discussed the changes to road sharing task force. Installed near Parkside - • One lane for walkers – one lane for bikers • More crosswalks at Grand Army Plaza • Widen crossing at Vanderbilt playground • Phase 2 next year • Googa Mooga event this weekend in the Nethermead – sold out and standby only at this point. • Singapore Event in Park – racial incident – won’t have them again • Volunteer opportunities – trying to increase. • “Nature’s Helper” run for kids • Markings for new road-sharing aren’t up to highway standards – wrong symbol on the bike lanes – DOT knows.
Nica Lalli said the Bartel Pritchard entrance is being revamped. Will be ending sound permits for that area next up.
Carolina Salguero (PortSideNY, Director) • Need a new home, have a petition. She has a pop-up office at 145 Columbia Street. • Op Sail and Fleet Week teamed up to bring 10 ships to Red Hook – Has a guide to all ships, newsletters, e-mailing and spreading the word. • Created a “Guide to Columbia Waterfront District” – need sponsors. • Needs staff for pop-up office • 4 tall ships, 4 foreign ships (Japan, UK, Finland) and 2 Coast Guard ships – have to show government ID to come in. Location: Congress Street for ships. Please thank the Port Authority.
Presentation and discussion with representatives for New York City Fieldhouse, Inc., on their proposal to underwrite the design and construction costs of a year-round, multi-use recreation facility at Brooklyn Bridge Park near Pier 5. NYC Fieldhouse is a new not-for- profit organization dedicated to promoting healthy and sustainable living in our communities through recreational and competitive sports with an emphasis on competitive track cycling.
Representatives of NYC Fieldhouse included: Greg Brooks, Maureen Connelly, Ryan Levasseur and Kate Collignon. They provided a Power Point presentation “Brooklyn Bridge Park Field House” and a handout. • Got proposed donation of $40M for a field house
Plans: Public input and outreach – 4 sessions in June in different communities. Also meeting with schools. Landscape design is very critical.
Vision: - Indoor cycling track (only 1 other in U.S.) - Recreation in the track and under - Clean up Furman Street - At one time indoor cycling was the #1 sport in NYC - Want cycling for all levels - Want to create a real interest for kids - Bikes will be rented not street bikes - 365 days of usage.
Activities below track: basketball, tennis, volleyball – what communities want.
The current building is used for maintenance operations. Public use should become the main use. Agreement with Brooklyn Bridge Park for a license.
Local precedence: Park Slope Armory and Asphalt Green.
Greg Brooks talked about his credentials. The goal is to have the Fieldhouse integrated into the park. The next step is to meet with CB6 and CB2. There will be 4 public workshops in June and in July, the Community Advisory Committee meeting. Ground breaking in 2014.
Q: from Board. Building will be demolished – they have an historic view plane they have to honor. A: Will build in the same footprint as old building
Q: Glenn Kelly asked if it will be a not for profit venture? A: Fees have not been determined yet.
Maureen Connelly said that donor of 40M first and later will supply any shortfall. Will provide an operation shortfall. 10M in another fund.
Q: Board Member thanked them for involving the community. A: The selection process for architects – not a formal RFP. Wanted someone based in NYC not a gigantic firm and someone who could integrate a civic building into a park.
Q: Nica Lalli asked for a commitment to notify CB6 with updates. A: They will look to CB6 to engage the community. She also asked about a green roof and they said nothing is off the table at this time.
Q: Roy Sloane thanked them for doing this and made a suggestion to consider operating Pier 2. A: Can’t speak to that – discussions began a year ago with Brooklyn Bridge Park. - Will reimburse city and state for any environmental costs. - April 19 – right to go out and discuss this. - Not officially approved - Will take everything back to corp. in August/September then environmental review process. - Looked at several different sites. HRA started working with Fieldhouse in late 2009/ early 2010.
Q: Barbara Brookhart asked about general project plan – a state plan. A: License agreement between NYC Fieldhouse and Brooklyn Bridge Park Corp. – agreement with NYC government. Need a supplemental environmental review (goes through the state).
Q: Joanna Smith asked the lender wants cycling, that’s why it was chosen A: Wants to put as much recreation space inside as possible.
Q: Hours of operation? A: Hours have to be approved by the park – Hours 6am to 1am in most parks.
Q: Parking and traffic plan A: Will have to be looked at in the environmental review.
Joanna Smith said the Clark Street stop is nearest but not accessible to it. Great that this will have a year round program.
Glenn Kelly asked that they make the presentation available to CB6.
The presenters said that no resolution was needed. Nica thanked the presenters. After they have a plan they will come back and vote.
A motion was made to approve the minutes of the prior meeting held on March 21, 2012.
VOTE: 8…..YEAS 0…..NAYS
MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY
The June meeting will be with the Prospect Park Alliance representative. There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 7:30pm.
Minutes submitted by Elaine Roberts.