Greenpoint Star Newspaper

The renovation of McGolrick Park Playground is officially underway.

Our sources say construction started on Monday. The project will reconstruct the playground and add new play equipment, spray showers, pavement, fencing, benches and plantings.

It’s expected to be completed by next September, according to the NYC Parks website’s timeline of the project.

In the meantime, local parents are figuring out a temporary playground space for their children. The space would be fenced off and available for use in a week or two.

Parents have a storage box and can hold some play equipment, including balls, toys and other fun items.

Stay tuned!

The participatory budgeting process has begun again!

Residents of District 33 can help decide how to spend $1 million on public projects on local parks, schools or libraries.

Last year, schools were the big winner, making up four of the six projects that received funding. In last year’s cycle, 3,769 residents voted.

The winning prizes included $218,000 for a STEAM lab at PS 31, new electrical for air conditioning at PS 110, and other upgrades at MS 8, PS 231 and PS 369.

The process begins anew with local neighborhood assemblies, where residents brainstorm and share ideas for projects. Volunteers then break into groups and transform ideas into fully-formed project proposals with details and costs.

Voting will be this spring, both online and at sites across the district. The top projects are funded up to $1 million.

Here’s the remaining schedule for this cycle’s neighborhood assemblies:

• Wednesday, September 20, 6:30 p.m. – Bushwick Inlet Park Headquarters, 86 Kent Avenue
• Tuesday, September 26, 7 p.m. – St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street
• Wednesday, September 27, 6:30 p.m. – Polish/Slavic Center, 176 Java Street.

Join us to celebrate the second season of our green roof and community engagement space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Visitors will explore three flourishing green roofs that have been planted with a mix of indigenous grasses and wildflowers native to the New York landscape, and community organizations will be tabling and running activities to engage families and children. The festival offers access for Brooklyn residents to learn about environmental initiatives while exploring green infrastructure dedicated to native plants and birds.

Activities include:

❁ Tours of green roofs with wildlife and plant experts

❁ Interactive activities for kids and families

❁ Music, food, and beer from local breweries

❁ Partner community organizations discussing local conservation projects

❁ Panoramic views of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens

When? Saturday, September 23rd from 12-4pm

Where?  520 Kingsland Avenue, Greenpoint

Questions?  Email info@kingslandwildflowers.com

You can catch a free screening of Spike Lee’s film “Crooklyn” tonight at several movie theaters or parks in Brooklyn.

“Crooklyn” was chosen by thousands of New Yorkers as the one film they want to watch tonight as part of the One Film, One New York program. It will be shown at parks and theaters across the city.

In North Brooklyn, you can see the movie at the following sites:

• Nitehawk Cinema, 136 Metropolitan Ave. – Screening begins at 9:30 p.m. Line starts at 8:30 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. RSVP is required.
• Williamsburg Cinemas, 217 Grand St. – Screening begins at 1 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. Tickets are available for pick up now at the box office.

In other parts of Brooklyn, watch the film in the following places:

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 445 Albee Square West – Screening begins at 5 p.m. Tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis at the check-in desk.
• BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave. – Screening begins at 9;:30 p.m. Seating is limited. Tickets will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Cobble Hill Cinemas, 265 Court St. – Screening begins at 1 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. Tickets are available for pick up at the box office.

Councilman Antonio Reynoso coasted to victory last night in the Democratic primary for City Council.

Seeking a second term, Reynoso, who represents Williamsburg, East Williamsburg, Bushwick and parts of Ridgewood, Queens, collected 6,452 votes, or 64 percent of the total vote, according to the Board of Elections.

His Democratic challenger, district leader and educator Tommy Torres, got 3,527 votes, or 35 percent.

In a district dominated by Democrats, Reynoso will likely retain his seat after November’s general election.

Looking to clean out your closet?

Town Square is hosting a Greencycle Back-to-School Swap next Saturday, September 9, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Leonard Library.

You can drop off or pick up men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, shoes, books, toys, bikes, phones, household items and electronics.

Town Square will take electronics until 2 p.m.

Only cleaned, gently-used and working items will be accepted.

All remaining items are donated to local homeless shelters.

Suggested donation is $10 per family.

Later this afternoon, Assemblywoman Maritza Davila is partnering with the 83rd Community Council to issue free IDs and other school giveaway items to kids in the community.

Local elementary school students can get book bags and school supplies to prepare for the new year.

The event will be held in the yard of the 83rd Precinct at 480 Knickerbocker Avenue from 1 to 3 p.m.

Co-sponsors include McDonald’s, Petro Home Services, Mini Max and Sam the Glazier.

 

 

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Councilman Antonio Reynoso are hosting a town hall at the Williamsburg Community Center on Wednesday, August 30.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the event begins at 7 p.m.

Co-sponsors of the town hall include El Puente, Los Sures, St. Nicks Alliance, Make the Road, Churches United for Fair Housing (CUFFH), Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A and Grand Street Settlement.

It’s a perfect opportunity to ask the mayor or his agency commissioners about a number of local issues, including the controversial Pfizer development sites and affordable housing opportunities for Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint.

The 3rd annual Grand Street Restaurant Week is back!

From August 21 to 27,  diners can enjoy two-course lunches or three-course dinners for special prices at a dozen local eateries.

The price for lunch ranges from $9 to $15, while dinner will only cost you from $12 to $30.

You can find the participating restaurant menus here.

New restaurants taking part this year include Wafa’s Express, Ammazza Caffee and Lolita Grand. Coming back are local favs like Bahia, Masha and the Bear and Ryujin.

Take advantage of the great deals before Restaurant Week is over!

State Senator Daniel Squadron, who represents the 26th Senate District announced in an op-ed in the New York Daily News that he will resign on Friday.

Squadron was originally elected in 2008 in what he later called a “season of hope and change,” in a statement he posted online, but will resign to launch a national political effort.

In his resignation statement, he touted the progress made in nearly a decade in the State Senate.

Though progress has sometimes been slow — and there is much more to do in this much less hopeful time — the many constituents, colleagues, and staff with whom I’ve partnered have kept that enthusiasm, and pride in public service, alive.

Together, we’ve secured millions for public housing, storm resiliency, and waterfront parks. We’ve won a Lunar New Year school holiday, and a more equitable parks system. We’ve fought to hold Albany accountable, cut through red tape, advocated for subways, and tried (and tried, and tried) to fix a corrupt campaign finance system. I’ve been grateful for every chance to support a local school, make an intersection safer, or stand up to a bad landlord.

Squadron’s resignation will not impact the power balance in the Senate currently, which is under GOP leadership. The seat will be filled during the November election.

District 26 encompasses parts of: Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, the Columbia Waterfront, DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn, Fulton Ferry, Greenpoint, the Navy Yard, Vinegar Hill, and Williamsburg, and the Manhattan neighborhoods of Battery Park City, Chinatown, the East and South Villages, the Financial District, Little Italy, the Lower East Side, SoHo, and Tribeca.