Friends of Brook Park Board Member honored for African American History Month

We are proud of and congratulate Board Member Anthony R. Jordan for being honored by Congress Member Jose E. Serrano and Stater Senator Jose M. Serrano for African American History Month. Anthony has been a long time supporter and intimately involved in the efforts of Friends of Brook Park since our inception. He was recognized for his efforts at the helm of Saint Benedict the Moor Neighborhood Center and for founding the Moorhouse Gardens HDFC, creating affordable housing adjacent to a Pladre Plaza park in the South Bronx. We are honored to have him as part of the FoBP family!

Email Action to the Governor!

Email the Governor to stop the destruction of 26 acres of open space and wetlands on Randall's Island! Takes one minute!

Click Link:

http://161.11.121.121/govemail

Write:
"Please deny the a DEC permit applications to destroy wetlands and littoral environment for a 26 acre aquatic development complex and private beach club on public park land that has benefited form the NYS Environmental Protection Fund on Randall's Island

Dent these permit applications:

2-6203-00049/00010 [tidal wetlands permit];

2-6203-00049/00011 [water quality certification]; and


2-6203-00049/00012 [protection of waters permit].

DENY THEM.

KEEP US INFORMED!

We don't want to read about the process in the papers.

Thanks!"

From Berkeley to The South Bronx: Environmental Issues

Community Forums on Environmental Matters

For Immediate Release
Contact: Event/Communications Coordinator JK: (917) 534-1193.

Hello to the unfolding and stirring of life underfoot, the slowly returning sun, the faint taste of spring, old leaves under the snow adding their stories whispering to the ground, roots beginning to stretch. We're inviting you to come to hear some very special people talk about their (and our) work on behalf of the earth. We are anticipating food and music to round out the presentations. These events are free, but donations are very welcome! We wish to support Redwood Mary in bringing her work to the world.

The Times And Places

Friday, March 2, at Bluestocking Books,
172 Allen Street, below Stanton, 7-8:30 pm.
Phone: (212) 777-6028

Sunday, March 4, at St. Mark's Church (Parish Hall),
E. 10th St. and 2nd Ave,
6:30-8 pm (following Reverend Billy's show).
Phone: (212) 674-6377

The Presenters



Redwood Mary
Joel Kupferman
Harry J. Bubbins
Marina Ortiz
Aresh Javadi

Redwood Mary, a dedicated voice for peace, the environment and for the respect and support for women everywhere, is coming to town from Berkeley California and will give two talks about her work with grassroots women at the U.N. and also about her joining her community and tree-sitters in the Memorial Oak Grove threatened with destruction by the University of California at Berkeley (UCB). The oaks are at the center of a raging controversy between the University and the local community with growing opposition to their destruction.

Six trees have been occupied by tree-sitters since Dec. 2, 2006. She was joined last month by the ex-mayor of Berkeley (74 years old) and two other women community leaders, one in her 80's and one 90 years old. These wonderful women actually made national news: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/23/us/23tree.html.

Redwood Mary is currently Executive Director of Circle the Earth, Grassroots Women Working for a Sustainable Future and the Environmental Co-Chair For the California Women's Agenda. Her work has included close partnerships with Julia Butterfly Hill, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr. Wangari Maathai of Kenya and the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development Non-Governmental International Women's Caucus, Global Exchange and many grassroots organizations here in NYC and elsewhere. As founder of the Plight of the Redwoods Campaign, Mary has inspired new generations of activists to take action in protecting the world's forests and creating earth-friendly solutions.

She will be joined by Joel Kupferman, Director of the New York Environmental Law and Justice Project (www.nyenvirolaw.org) and Chair of the National Lawyer's Guild Environmental Committee. Joel will speak about our parallel situation in Washington Square Park, where many trees are also endangered by an ill-conceived plan to move the fountain, funded by NYU and the Tisch family.

Also presenting will be Harry Bubbins, Founding Director of Friends of Brook Park (www.friendsofbrookpark.org). Harry is a graduate of the Cornell University College of Architecture, Art and Planning, and served on Community Board #1 in the South Bronx for over 7 years. He has created publicly accessible open space and has been an activist, advocate and environmental educator for new and existing gardens, parks and green and waterways of the South Bronx for over 12 years. Harry and Joel will update us on the recent efforts to stop the development of an aquatic development facility and private beach club on 26 acres of Randall's Island including a sensitive wetland area.

Also presenting about Randal's island will be Marina Ortiz. Born and raised in East Harlem/El Barrio and the South Bronx, Marina is an independent journalist who has served as an associate producer and co-host of Pacifica-WBAI Radio's "Latino Journal," "Friday Talkback!” and news and other special programming. From 1992 to 2000, she conducted interviews with community activists, journalists, elected officials, and artists and presented reports and feature segments on the politics and culture of New York City and Puerto Rico. Her expository columns and reviews have also been published in Liberator, El Pitirre, The Daily Challenge, The Shadow, The New York Planet, IndyMedia, and Tiempo NY. Marina currently lives and works in East Harlem, and edits a number of websites and blogs, including: www.vitualboricua.org, www.eastharlempreservation.org, and www.lacasa.org. Since 2004, she has worked to address environmental, housing, and economic development issues in El Barrio.

In addition, Aresh Javadi of The More Gardens! Coalition (www.moregardens.org) will bring us the latest news about Nueva Esperanza Community Garden, an endangered garden in East Harlem where the city plans to allow construction of an African Museum of Art, with luxury condos built on top.

February 15th Meeting and Minutes!

Learn about what’s going on at

Brook Park
140th and 141st Streets


Thursday
February 15th 2007 5:30-7:30 pm

What? Free Pizza and juice meeting!

About: Tearing up the concrete update
and general meeting about the upcoming season in Brook Park!

Where: St. Peter's Church
435 East 140th Street
Between Brook and Willis Avenues

5:30 pm - 6 pm Pizza Pot Luck: share food and meet friends and neighbors

6 pm - Welcome/Intro: Anthony Jordan, (St. Peter’s Church and Saint Benedict the Moor Neighborhood Center)

6:15 pm - Revitalization Project Update and Q & A with Maria Luisa Cipriano, Partnerships for Parks

The concrete will be torn up to make way for trees and greenery and the underground brook as part of the community driven plan thanks
to your involvement and resources from Council Members Arroyo and Viverito and Bx Boro President Carrion. When will it happen, how will we ensure the existing programming and Farmer's Market?

6:45 pm - 7:30 General Meeting: Brook Park volunteers and gardeners - new
and old, FABB and Community Garden Market Team, Teachers, etc.

Let's discuss Brook Park!, Open hours and Keys, Community Gardening
Farmers Market, Other
Friends of Brook Park and community stakeholders
www.friendsofbrookpark.org 646-206-5288
ALL AGES WELCOMED!!!

Subject: Minutes Feb 15th FoBP Meeting

Minutes
FoBP February 15th Meeting
Lots of folks, 19 people

Good food and sharing

All received color copy of proposed park plan and 36 page info packet of background and main community design highlights

Thanks to St Peters Church for hosting

Thanks to For a Better Bronx and their teem crew for being in the house

Casa Atabex as well for representing

Diverse ages and races in attendance

Council Member Melissa Mark Viverito representative in attendance

Capital Project update and discussion of concerns

Discussion about the differences in the proposed parks plan and the community visions and main issues:

Concerns:
1 Daylight the real brook and have it North South Orientation
2 Reduce polypave surface area, need natural space equivalent of at least 52' circumference for free play, market, tipi, dance area
3 Construction in November so as not to adversely impact programming, especially budding CSA and Farmer's Market

Please write to (a letter or postcard):
Adrian Benepe
Commissioner, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation
The Arsenal, Central Park
830 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10021

ALSO:

http://nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maildpr.html

Thanking him, and mentioning that you share the above requests.

Discussion of upcoming season. Answers needed to questions to ensure smooth and exceptional operations of the CSA and Farmer's Market, should it, and we want it to, continue in Brook Park

Unfortunately, the Partnerships for parks staff member scheduled to provide us with update and answer our questions fell ill and no one from that agency attended. Council Member's office indicated they will facilitate another meeting with parks staff, all will be informed. Need site solidified by march for food coupon printing and farmer participation. Our above mentioned concerns are highlighted, besides other points we may want to raise.

Discussion of security, programming and other issues.
Discussion of ways to encourage greater participation.

Sign with basic open hours.

Volunteer for two or three hours a set day of the week to keep it open!
Email us! Please support us in this way!

Start with March and April.

Sign will be posted with this information, as well as schedule of Volunteer and Orientation/Meeting days.

Next Volunteer Day February 24th
Next General Meeting Wednesday March 14th 5:30pm LBA

Teacher's Orientation/Meeting, Need a teacher to help, set up day time and location (school fine) and help promote it.

Meeting with Parks Department to be scheduled.

Thanks!