Prospect Park

The Daily Plant : Thursday, September 6, 2001

LLAMAS AND TURTLES AND SHEEP – OH MY!

Children from Brooklyn's three day camps - St. John's, Brownsville and Von King along with members of Red Hook's Summer Play program got the chance to play Dr. Doolittle and "talk to the animals" at the 2001 Camp Jamboree held at Von King Cultural Arts Center on August 21. Campers romped not only through the petting zoo, but through two huge play tunnels. They enjoyed field games, rollerblading and table games courtesy of the Recreation Mobile Units and chowed down on hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecued chicken, corn-on-the- cob, Italian ices, and popcorn.

A high point of the day was the Warner Performance Project's presentation of three expressionistic percussion pieces. The participants-all Von King afterschool program members-ranged in age from 6 to 16. Before six weeks ago when the project began, they had never played together. They blended a variety of instruments including bells, electric xylophones, and cymbals to produce a sound as complex and arresting as an avant-garde jazz orchestra.

The day's activities culminated in an all-camp talent show. The camps from each center competed within their age divisions-6 to 7, 8 to 10 and 11 to 13-for center trophies. Cheered on by their fellow campers, each group presented an original dance composition accompanied by the latest music hit. Coincidentally, one age group from each center won an award, so everyone went home proud and happy. It was an exhilarating finale to a fun-filled summer.

By DH (Rogue) Zingale

A GOOD BREAK FOR PEOPLES PARK

The ground breaking ceremony on Friday, August 23 at People's Park, East 141st Street Between Brook and St. Ann's Avenues in the Bronx, marked the beginning of a $950,000 reconstruction project, funded by Council Member Philip Reed. In their remarks, Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern and Bronx Borough Commissioner William (Zorro) Castro explained that for many decades People's Park has been an important part of the lives of the surrounding community. In 1927 the property was condemned by the Board of Education. Three years later it was assigned to the Parks Department. Particularly during the 1970s, the park was well used for local athletic events and open-air concerts featuring world-famous musicians like Tito Puente, La-Lupe, Willy Colon, Celia Cruz and El Grand Combo de Puerto Rico. In recent years, the Bronx-based community organization, REACT, has worked with the community to overcome a dark period that befell the park. By taking a position that is at once polite, compassionate and firm, they have been able to discourage inappropriate behavior in the park, and broadcast a clear message: this park belongs to the people.

By the time the project is completed, People's Park will be hardly recognizable. The reconstruction will include new play equipment and safety surfacing for children of all ages. The existing handball court will be repainted and resurfaced. Wood and concrete benches will be replaced with new world's fair benches. Landscape work will include 23 new trees and a garden area with perennials and shrubs. The contract also includes a new water system and a drinking fountain that will be located near the recreational building. Marking the center of the playground will be a decorative concrete compass rosette, and a standing spraying flower.

By Andrew (Chevre) Gray

BLOOD DONATIONS ARE NEEDED AS NEVER BEFORE

Please participate in Parks' next blood drives on Wednesday, September 12 and Thursday, September 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Volunteers are also needed to help with sign-in, food service, and record-keeping. For giving blood or volunteering, you will receive three hours of comp time. For more information, please contact your blood drive coordinator: Tarice (Mystique) Harris 830:7814 (Arsenal West), Sydney Goldstein 360-2778 (Arsenal North), Hedi (Headlight) Piel 360-3442 (The Arsenal), Veronica (Faerydust) Llanos 408-0221 (Manhattan Borough), or Jennifer Milone 310-6626 (Central Park Conservancy).

PARKIES MOURN THE DEATH OF A-TRAIN'S MOTHER

The Daily Plant extends its condolences to Manhattan Borough Commissioner Adrian (A-Train) Benepe whose mother, Jagna Wojcicka Sharff, died on Sunday, September 2. A memorial service will be held this Sunday, September 9 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Paul's Chapel on the Columbia University Campus, north of 116th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues. For more information, please contact Laura (Lollipop) Gaul at (212) 408-0110.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PARK
(Thursday, September 8, 1988)

BROOKLYN ARCH TO REOPEN
WITH SCULPTURE EXHIBITION

The historic Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn will reopen for the fall season on Saturday, September 17 with a new sculpture exhibition, "Pillar To Post: The Sculptural Column." The interior of the monument and its observation deck will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends through Sunday, November 5. Admission is free.

The show, organized by Prospect Park Director of Exhibitions Mariella Bisson features works inspired by the architecture of the Arch and the 50-foot pillars topped by eagles that adorn Grand Army Plaza. Five sculptors are showing works made specifically for the Arch's challenging and dramatic interior space.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"Summer afternoon-summer afternoon;
to me those have always been the two most beautiful words
in the English language."

Henry James (1843-1916)