The end of the old Kosciuszko Bridge. Via Brooklyn Paper
So far this summer, New Yorkers have reacted to the demolition of the Old Kosciuszko Bridge in a variety of expressive ways. There were the illicit parties held on the Bridge ahead of the scheduled July demolition, and the group of urban vigilantes ready to defend the bridge from demise with wolves and swords.
The city itself decided on a more muted end to the 1939 span that crosses Newtown Creek, connecting Greenpoint to Maspeth, Queens, than these events, or even the Bridge’s namesake, Tadeusz Kościuszko, a Revolutionary hero in both Poland and the United States, might warrant. Instead of the scheduled July explosion, the main span of the bridge was lowered onto a barge in Newtown Creek.
But, anyone who was hoping the bridge would go out with a bang can get psyched. According to Brooklyn Paper and DNAinfo, head of the 94th Precinct, Captain Peter Rose, has announced that the Brooklyn and Queens approaches of the old bridge will be detonated in a controlled explosion around 5am on Sunday, September 24.
That date is tentatively scheduled, and may be subject to change depending on a variety of factors including weather, but that hasn’t stopped the Newtown Creek Alliance from creating a map of the best places to watch the demolition. Check it out here to stake out your spot for the Big Bang!
Newtown Creek Alliance Going for the Knockout. Via Newtown Creek Alliance’s facebook page.
Didn’t Catch the match between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor? No worries, you can have a knockout of your own this weekend! Newtown Creek Allianceis looking for volunteers to help with itsKnotweed Knockout at Penny Bridge.
A continuation of our cleanup work at the Penny Bridge site, we are looking for volunteers to help us with weeding and path-making. The vicious Japanese Knotweed, along with other weeds are overtaking portions of the site and we will focus heavily on removing the plant from certain areas for path-making and planting of native pollinator species. Gloves, shovels, trash bags and all other needed materials will be provided.
Saturday, September 9th Sunday, September 10th 11am to 3pm Location: Where Meeker Avenue dead ends at Newtown Creek (Greenpoint)
This Saturday (June 3rd), you can tour the beautiful rooftop at Kingsland Wildflowers (520 Kingsland Ave), learn about the future of Newtown Creek at a community visioning workshop, and take a look back to its industrial roots with local historian Mitch Waxman. These events are all free and open to the public.
Schedule of Events:
1-4pm Community Visioning with Riverkeeper and NCA, RSVP
5-7pm Lecture and Kingsland Wildflowers Green Roof Tour with Mitch Waxman, NCA Historian, RSVP
More Deets:
Join Riverkeeper and the Newtown Creek Alliance in creating a cohesive community vision for Newtown Creek. With a Superfund cleanup and long-term plan to control sewage overflows on the horizon, now is an opportune time to engage stakeholders in imagining and designing a future Newtown Creek that provides greater opportunities for restoration, remediation, recreation, and resilience. RSVP
On May 21st, Newtown Creek Alliance sets sail on Newtown Creek in a NY Waterway ferry boat. Historian Mitch Waxman and NCA Program Manager Willis Elkins are hosting the boat ride, and participants are invited to learn about the Creek’s rich industrial history, lasting legacy of contamination and environmental damage and on-going efforts to revitalize and restore this unique waterway in the heart of New York City.
This is a unique and rare way to be able to tour Newtown Creek and learn about our neighborhood’s (tragic) environmental history.
Newtown Creek Boat Tour | India Street Ferry Dock, 10 India Street
Sunday, May 21 | 2pm-4pm
Saturday, May 6th is the sixth annual Riverkeeper Sweep, which is Riverkeeper’s annual day of service for the Hudson River, with more than 90 cleanup events across NYC and the Hudson. At last year’s sweep, more than two thousand volunteers worked along hundreds of miles of shoreline to remove over 48 tons of debris, and plant or maintain 836 trees and native grasses. This year, North Brooklyn plays host to five of the sweeps. If you participate, you’re entitled to a free beer at Greenpoint Beer and Ale (7 N. 15th St) from 12pm till 2am. And also this weekend we have a few different environmental guided tours in the neighborhood, so there are lots of ways you can get your green on!
RIVERKEEPER EVENTS:
Transmitter Park Cleanup | Meet @ Transmitter Park radio building
Saturday, May 6 | 10am-1pm | free, or $8.50 with t-shirt
What: Help clean up Transmitter Park! More info
Newtown Creek Vista Point Cleanup | @ 1000 Meeker Ave.
Saturday, May 6 | 11am-3pm | free, or $8.50 with t-shirt
What: Debris removal, planting native flora and path making. More info | Facebook event
Newtown Creek Shoreline Cleanup By Canoe | @ HarborLAB at 53-21 Vernon Blvd
Saturday, May 6 | 11am-6pm | free, or $8.50 with t-shirt
What: Clean up Newtown Creek by boat! And help with a seed ball and planting project. The boat cleanup will stretch from the meeting point through 58th Road in Maspeth. More inf0
Bushwick Inlet Park Cleanup + Planting | @ Bushwick Inlet Park Dept of Parks building, 86 Kent Ave. @ N 9th St.
Saturday, May 6 | 10am-1pm | free, or $8.50 with t-shirt
What: Cleanup, gardening, and planting. More info
East River State Park Cleanup | Meet in front of the park @ 90 Kent Ave.
Saturday, May 6 | 12pm-4pm | free, or $8.50 with t-shirt
What: Cleanup and park maintenance More Info
ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDED WALKS: McGolrick Park: A Guided Tree Walk | Meet under the monument in McGolrick/Winthrop Park
Saturday, May 6 | 1pm-2:30pm
What: This walk will be led by a certified arborist. “McGolrick park is known for its dense canopy of mature, shady trees. Together we’ll look at these trees, learn the various species growing in the park, and share some tips for identifying trees in NYC. From towering London Plane trees to small, flowering Eastern Red Buds, we’ll take time to look at each leaf, flower, fruit and bud.” Dogs welcome! More infoContinue reading →
From 4 to 9pm this Thursday (March 9th) at LaGuardia Community College’s Little Theater (31-10 Thomson Ave., Queens), there’ll be an immersive set of talks about Newtown Creek, and a dialogue with Riverkeeper.
# ItaliaNites: Malèna @ Archestratus (160 Huron St) 7:30pm, FREE, Viewing of Giuseppe Tornatore’s Malèna in celebration of la Festa delle Donne (International Women’s Day). A coming of age film, it follows one teenage boy’s infatuation with a village siren during World War II Sicily, RSVP ♫ NVRSleep: Across The Pond Edition @ Kinfolk 90 (90 Wythe Ave) 9pm, FREE, An Experimental Music Platform for Today’s Creative Class. Audio trip Across the Pond via Jamaal Fisher, Nasty Nigel, Rodney Hazard, and Special Guests, RSVP =) Popcorn Hour @ Annoyance Theatre (367 Bedford Ave) 9:30pm, $5, See New York’s finest comedians put on a show for you that’ll leave you much more satisfied than a damn $15 movie and $20 soda. Free popcorn, Buy tix
THURSDAY 3/9 * Reclaiming Our Estuary: The Newtown Creek Experience @ LaGuardia Community College (31-10 Thomson Ave), 4pm, FREE, Learn about rediscovering the commons, our waterway and its life, case studies, and the future of Newtown Creek, RSVP # Global Flavors: How Curry, Soy Sauce, and Sriracha Became American @ MOFAD (62 Bayard St), 6:30pm, $10, Learn how soy sauce, curry, and Sriracha became part of everyday dining. How have these three distinct flavors come to represent Asian food in the US, Buy tix ♦ FREE LIKE OSCAR: Resistance Through Afro-Latino Culture @ City Reliquary (370 Metropolitan Ave), 7pm, $8-10, A discussion with Melinda González, co founder of BombaYo, on Latino cultural traditions rooted in the African diaspora that are particularly effective at teaching us resistance and resilience, More info
Next week, Tuesday March 7th from 7-10pm local watering hole The Diamond (43 Franklin St.) is hosting a Waterfront Defenders Party to benefit this trifecta of fantastic local organizations— The Billion Oyster Project, Newtown Creek Alliance and Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park. Proceeds from beverage sales will be donated and split evenly between them. Meet guest bartenders from these great organizations while learning more about what they do and how you can get your hands dirty!
The bat that has taken up residence outside Silk Road Cycles.
A bat has been posted up outside Silk Road Cycles (76 Franklin St.) all week. Someone at the shop reportedly contacted Animal Control 4 days ago and as of yesterday, the poor, apparently sick bat was still there.
Riverkeeper will be hosting a Newtown Creek Community Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, Oct. 20. The EPA will be presenting an update.
A pro-Donald Trump art show was cancelled this week at a Williamsburg gallery.
No, Bill Murray has not announced any further bartending engagements, but his son’s restaurant, 21 Greenpoint got some good press this week! Continue reading →
