I got this email from Dan regarding the trash scene at McCarren Park. Does anyone know of an in progress clean-up program or are interested in creating one? Feel free to leave your info in the comments or email me directly at greenpointers@gmail.com and I’ll put you in touch with Dan.
I am a relatively new Greenpoint resident and wanted to see if you had any idea how I could get a clean up going in McCarren Park and down Driggs Avenue in Greenpoint/Williamsburg? I actually proposed a lecture on the Monday Night Lecture Series at Pete’s Candy Store but they turned me down.
I would like to weigh in on Williamsburg/Greenpoint Trash – why McCarren Park and Driggs and Bedford Avenues are so full of trash and why the municipalities are essentially ignoring the trash buildup that occurs, despite the growing population and influx of both homes and people into these areas. I am a Greenpoint resident and live not far from Pete’s. I walk Driggs at least twice daily and see the trash buildup and lack of receptacles. I walk my dog in McCarren Park and fight with her as she eats chicken bones, random paper, broken umbrella’s, lost shoes, etc. It would just seem to me that this would be a fairly easy problem to fix – more garbage cans, maybe more frequent pick-ups, etc. but I have heard no complaints or mention of this and have seen no improvement in the time I have lived there.
Any thoughts/assistance you might have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Dan
Update 7/2/10: Hi this is Emily Mijatovic from Assemblyman Lentol’s office. Just to update you all, the Assemblyman has contacted the Parks Department and has been told that they have hired 3 workers to McCarren Park, and two extra for the summer to work weekend/late nights. In addition, a Parks Enforcement Patrol Officer will be hired for the district.
Call 311 with your complaint and write down the complaint number so you can follow up on its Web site. Call Assemblyman Lentol's office (718-383-7474) with your complaint too — he's a few blocks down from Pete's.
Good ideas, Rutilla, I'll be doing both of those things. I don't know whether the park needs more trash receptacles or just someone to empty them more often. It could definitely benefit from one of these solar-powered trash compactors, as most of the trash seems to be styrofoam cups that could easily be crushed down.
Or we could petition the Turkey's Nest to start offering their drinks in reusable containers.
Until this is figured out, I'll be hanging at McGolrick. It's much easier to find a spot there to spread out without sitting on butts and bottles.
I live on Manhattan Avenue and have noticed that the trash collection on my street has been totally erratic lately. It's supposed to be picked up 3 times a week and it seems like over the past few months they just randomly skip days and so the sidewalks are covered with household trash. It's really gross and I'm wondering if they are connected somehow? Budget problems or something?
Seems like you should talk to Neighbors Against Garbage (NAG)–which changed their name to something else, but were against this problem years ago. They might have more info.
Prospect Park has seen the same problem in recent years, and there the problem is due to higher attendance and cuts to staff. I would venture to say the same variables are present in the case of McCarren Park.
There is going to be a community meeting hosted by OSA – Open Space Alliance – on April 20th, 6:30 pm at Warsaw. Everyone that is concerned about our parks in North Brooklyn should attend and express improvements that they would like to see. There should be flyers up around the neighborhood in the next week or so about the event.
http://www.openspacealliancenb.org/news_and_events/calendar_of_events/OSA_Invites_You_to_the_Community_Committee:_Bring_Your_Park_Ideas!/04/20/2010
Hi this is Emily Mijatovic from Assemblyman Lentol's office. Just to update you all, the Assemblyman has contacted the Parks Department and has been told that they have hired 3 workers to McCarren Park, and two extra for the summer to work weekend/late nights. In addition, a Parks Enforcement Patrol Officer will be hired for the district.
Thank you for the update Emily. I've included your comment in the original post as well.