Mule in Garden & Autumn Invitation

Happy Autumn!

We at Friends of Brook Park want to invite you to join us at Brook Park between 140th and 141st Street and Brook Avenue entering through 141st Street. Thanks to our expanding community we are making great, green things happen in our neighborhood. As you know, more gardens and parks and trees improve our health and quality of life. Where else nearby can we experience such peaceful Nature?

The summer is over, and with the new school year, we have a great series of activities for students, youth and even adults. Did you get to see the mule in the park yesterweek? Or the presentation by Ed Wiley, form West Virginia, about the dangers of coal Mountain Top Removal?


Parents are welcomed to get involved to have a safe, creative space for imagination, and for teachers to bring the youth out. Some of you have hosted parties and celebrations already. Our only rules? Clean up before and after, no drugs and no alcohol. Of course.

We are providing educational experience with our “No Child Left Inside” program, growing food on 140th for the Farmer’s Market on 138th Street across from St’ Luke’s, offering volunteer and training opportunities in landscaping, and getting ready to tear up the asphalt on 141st to expand the greenspace.

In addition, we have been progressing on our waterfront projects, with support for a Harlem River Park in the South Bronx growing. Some of you have gone canoeing with us and fishing, right here in our neighborhood. We are working to reduce the pollution in the area and to protect our interests in Randall’s Island.

Please join us in Brook Park. Here is a sample of our upcoming events:

Ø September 22, Autumn Equinox Volunteer Day 10 Am – 1PM and throughout the day.
Also celebrating El Grito de Lares, commemorated as the birth of the Puerto Rican nation, when Puerto Ricans rose up against Spanish colonial rule in a revolt.

Ø October 13th and October 20th from 12-2PM join Wave Hill and the NYC Department of Parks and
Recreation as we plant fall bulbs that will blossom into beautiful flowers in Spring! Groups and classes welcomed!

And towards the Day of the Dead we will be hosting a celebration of Mexican culture, and highlighting the people of the Mexican State of Oaxaca.

As you can see, we have lots going on. And with your involvement, we can do even more. Get involved, join us at an event, or volunteer. We have a bulletin board on the corner of 141st and Brook, and we can be reached at (646) 206-5288. All of this information, and plenty more, you can see and share at:
www.friendsofbrookpark.org. There you can read more, see pics and even some YouTube videos!

Make sure to check our Calendar periodically. And volunteer and Intern opportunities abound! Even from home, you can help us with online communications.

You are Friends of Brook Park, so come and visit your garden. Try to commit to two hours in the garden a week. After school, 3-5 PM on weekdays will be helpful, and anytime on the weekends.

Please consider a monetary contribution today:

Friends of Brook Park
PO Box 801
The Bronx, NY 10454

Sincerely,

Harry J. Bubbins, for Friends of Brook Park

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¡Feliz Otoño!


Nosotros en Amigos del Brook Park queremos invitarle unirnos en Brook Park (Avenida de Brook entra las calles 140 y 141). Gracias a nuestra comunidad expansiva nosotros hacemos gran y las cosas verdes suceder en nuestro vecindario. Como usted sabe, más jardines y los parques y los árboles mejoran nuestra salud y la calidad de nuestra vida. ¿Dónde más cerca de podemos experimentamos tal naturaleza pacífica?

El verano ha terminado, y con el nuevo año escolar, nosotros tenemos una gran serie de actividades para estudiantes, la juventud e adultos. Los padres están bienvenido a adeudarnos hacer un espacio seguro y creador para la imaginación, y para maestros poder traer sus estudiantes. Algunos de ustedes nos han hecho partidos y celebraciones ya. ¿Nuestras únicas reglas? Limpie antes y después, ningunas drogas y ningún alcohol. Por supuesto.

Proporcionamos una experiencia educativa con nuestro "Ningún Niño Dejado Adentro" el programa, creciendo alimento en la calle 140 para el Mercado de Granjero en la Calle 138 enfrente de St. Lukes, ofreciendo instrucción sobre voluntar e ajardinar, y estamos preparando a despedazar el asfalto en la calle 141 para ensanchar el greenspace.

Además, estamos progresando con nuestros proyectos en las orillas de la agua, con apoyo para un Parque del Río de Harlem en el Sur del Bronx. Algunos de ustedes han hecho piragüismo con nosotros y siguen pescando, aquí mismo en nuestro vecindario. Trabajamos para reducir la contaminación en el área y para proteger nuestros intereses en la Isla de Randalls (Randalls Island).

Únenos por favor en Parque de Brook. Aquí está una muestra de nuestros acontecimientos próximos:

Septiembre 22, Día de Voluntario de Equinoccio de otoño 10 AM – 1 PM, y a través del día. También celebramos El Grito de Lares, conmemorado el nacimiento de la nación puertorriqueña, cuando lost puertorriqueños subieron contra la regla colonial española en una rebelión.

¡13 de octubre y 20 de octubre de 12-2 PM unen Onda la Colina y el Departamento de NYC de Parques y Recreación como nosotros plantamos bombillas de caída que florecerán en flores hermosas en la Primavera!

Y hacia el Día del Muerto estaremos recibiendo una celebración de la cultura mexicana, y de destacar a las personas del Estado mexicano de Oaxaca.

Como usted puede ver, tenemos muchos eventos en el calendario. Y con su participación, podemos hacer aún más. Métase, únanos en un acontecimiento, o voluntar. Tenemos un cartel en el rincón de la calle 141 y la Avenida Brook, y puedes llamarnos al (646) 206-5288, en español (646) 641-5788. Toda esta información, y la abundancia más, usted puede ver y compartir en: www.friendsofbrookpark.org. ¡Allí usted puede leer más, ver fotos e algunos videos de YouTube!

¡Usted son los Amigos del Parque de Brook, así que vengan y visitan su jardín!

Cordialmente,

Harry J. Bubbins, Friends of Brook Park

No Child Left Inside!: Teacher Orientation

➢ Thursday September 20th Anytime after 3PM
Come anytime for a quick intro and to get the key!
Introduction to Teachers and Educators:
Learn about how the garden can serve as an outdoor environmental classroom and enhance all subject areas, from science to art to social studies and more.

Brook Park, 141st and 140th Streets & Brook Avenue

No Child Left Inside!

Info: 646 206 5288
See also: www.friendsofbrookpark.org
Bring an upbeat or stressed colleague! Get on our email list for special opportunities!

Together, we can heal (NDD)
Nature Deficit Disorder!

5 Boro Ramble Success!

Account by Rob Buchanan:

"We launched at 8 or so from east river crew’s davit at 96th street and took about half an hour to get up to the little grassy patch near the willis avenue bridge that’s the best waterfront park in the city. because it isn’t a park and there are no railings and the plants that grow are just whatever’s growing there. as we arrived harry bubbins dove off a bollard and surfaced talking about all the fish he’d seen. the old rotting dock was a perfect mooring for the whitehall. arcadua in the bronx--all that’s missing is a scrap-lumber picnic table.'...

To read more of his peronal adventure and see pics from what he calls "...the best waterfront park in the city." See

Rob Buchanan's personal account, with pics!

Could be the best becuse of it's exciting location and the variety of uses we can accomodate. For this event we had diving, swimming, a gid tie up and kayaks launch and land!

More than 60 paddlers in about 40 boats participated in various stages of yesterday's Ramble, including the 17 kayaks who transited the upper bay on the home stretch.
Friends of Brook Park welcomed the beginning of the paddel from Swindler's Cove and participated with three paddlers! Thanks to the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance and UrbanDivers safety boats and LIC BoatHouse!

FIVE BOROUGH HARBOR RAMBLE

FIVE BOROUGH HARBOR RAMBLE

September 8th

We’re excited to be closing in on the first Five Borough Harbor Ramble on September 8, inaugurating what will be an annual paddling and rowing tour of New York City! Our goal is to support the NYC Parks and Recreation’s coming NYC Water Trail (http://www.waterwire.net/News/fullstory.cfm?ContID=1988).

The paddle will be in the Bronx from 830 am to 9am, best viewed and filmed from the end of Park Avenue in the Bronx on the Harlem River where Friends of Brook Park is working to create an official waterfront resource.

"We bike the greenways of Manhattan, and paddle to the waterfront parks of Brooklyn and Queens, because we can't here. This Trail will promote equity in shoreline access to communities such as the Mott Haven and Port Morris that currently enjoy no official waterfront resources." said Harry J. Bubbins, Director of Friends of Brook Park.

The NYC Water Trail will be a rapidly growing network of launching and landing points in the NYC metro area, including places not inside the city Parks system.

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, the LIC Community Boathouse (an affiliate of the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club) Friends of Brook park, and many others are sponsoring this adventure and bold statement of public water access and stewardship of the harbor.

FLOAT PLAN (times are approximate and padded – we will work within favorable tidal currents but allow for some flexibility according to the group’s needs):


730 AM: LAUNCH from the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse of the New York Restoration Project ( http://www.nyrp.org ). (Manhattan/East Harlem, Swindlers Cove, Harlem River)

9 AM: VISIT the Friends of Brook Park ( http://www.friendsofbrookpark.org ) launch (Bronx/Mott Haven, near Third Ave Bridge, Harlem River)

10 AM: VISIT the walk-up paddle program location of the LIC Community Boathouse, a NYC Parks sliver of beach administered by Socrates Sculpture Park ( http://www.socratessculpturepark.org ) (Queens/Astoria, Hallets Cove/Socrates Sculpture Park, East River)

NOON: VISIT the Red Hook Boaters ( http://www.redhookboaters.org/ ) and PortSide NY ( http://www.portsidenewyork.org/ ) at Valentino Park (Brooklyn/Red Hook, Valentino Park, Buttermilk Channel).

OPEN WATER CROSSING OF UPPER BAY OF NEW YORK HARBOR.

3PM: LAND at the end of Bard Avenue, to visit the North Shore Waterfront Conservancy of Staten Island ( http://www.northshorewaterfrontconservancy.org/ ) and the Snug Harbor Cultural Center ( http://www.snug-harbor.org/ ). (Staten Island/Port Richmond and New Brighton, Blueways and Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Kill Van Kull).

The earliest part of the trip, in the Harlem River, will entail some paddling against a light current, which is especially feasible when hugging to the shoreline. We’ll pass Hell Gate as the ebb begins strengthening. The course will take us close alongside Randall and Wards Islands and then to Mill Rock. Fr! om there it’s a hard paddle for Hallets Cove. Please be mindful that a rather significant eddy forms at Hallets Point on the ebb, so we don’t want to hug that shoreline too closely. The southward current of the East River along the Queens and Brooklyn waterfronts will whisk us to Red Hook in no time. We’ll need to avoid security zones around bridge support and power plants. Still, we’ll have plenty of chances for photos and greeting people at Dumbo Cove.

At Red Hook we’ll take an hour of rest. That will give people a chance to enjoy the PortSide celebration of the neighborhood, and to rest for the challenge of the open water crossing from Brooklyn to the Kill Van Kull. We’ll need to have a tight group: our calculations will be critical because current will be ferrying us south as we cross, larger vessels (international container ships, tankers, fuel barges, ferries, etc.) will need to know where we are as a coherent unit, not a scattered field. Fortunately, we’ll be crossing around Low Water, so traffic will be less congested.