Herbert Von King Park

The Daily Plant : Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Parks & Recreation Announces June’s Park Of The Month

Herbert Von King Park in Brooklyn has been named June’s Park of the Month.

One of the first parks in Brooklyn, Von King remains a vibrant community resource. The Park has facilities that foster an appreciation for athletics and the arts. At the Von King Cultural Arts Center, the public can enjoy use of a dance studio, performance stage, and art room. The Park also provides endless hours of enjoyment with its ballfields, handball courts and playgrounds.

This year, Von King was chosen by Borough President Marty Markowitz to host the 3^rd Annual Brooklyn Best Festival. The weekend-long block party utilized the performance stage to showcase local musical talents and fashions. The event also featured an art exhibition, miniature golf and face painting.

"Herbert Von King Park is truly the heart of the flourishing community of Bedford Stuyvesant," said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "From its ballfields and playgrounds to the Cultural Arts Center, Von King provides a rich array of programming and recreational opportunities for children and adults. We are honored that Borough President Markowitz chose to hold Brooklyn Best 2006 at this venue, signifying the Park’s prominence in the community."

Von King is also the site of a wide range of recreational and educational activities. It was the starting point of the 2^nd Annual Tour de Brooklyn, hosts an Old Fashioned Egg Hunt, and holds weekly classes in skills ranging from Tae Kwon Do to African and Caribbean dance.

Acquired in 1857, this park was one of the first established by the City of Brooklyn. It was originally named for Daniel D. Tompkins, an abolitionist who served four terms as Governor of New York and two terms as Vice President of the United States under James Monroe. It was not until 1871, however, that the plan for the park was submitted by Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted, the designers of Prospect and Central Parks.

The Park was renamed for Herbert Von King in 1985 via a local law. Von King was called the "Mayor of Bedford Stuyvesant," and was an active community leader for over 50 years.

Abigail Lootens, a.k.a. Abby, is the newest Press Officer to join the Office of Public Information and is the liaison to Queens. After almost three years in the fashion world, she has returned to her country girl roots by joining Parks. Born and mostly raised in Michigan, and then Chicago, she’s a laid back Midwesterner who has always enjoyed the outdoors. She transported herself to the East Coast about eight years ago to attend Boston College, majoring in Communications. After graduation, she headed straight for New York, first working for a landscape designer to write a coffee table book and to help manage her business. Next it was onto shoes, doing P.R. and marketing for Stuart Weitzman. She is excited to being doing press for Parks, something a little closer to her heart than shoes.

Jesslyn Tiao joined the Office of Public Information at the beginning of May, 2006. She currently serves as Press Officer and is the liaison to the Bronx. Prior to joining Parks, Jesslyn was associated with Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and Hallmark Entertainment Inc. Jesslyn received a B.A. in Political Science from Middlebury College. She was born in New York City and raised in Scarsdale, New York.