Transmitter Park has a trash problem neighbors say. (Image courtesy of Christina Emilie)
Trash spilling out of Transmitter Park garbage cans and piling up on Greenpoint streets is not only bad for the environment it’s an eyesore that degrades the quality of life, according to Greenpoint-based fashion photographer Christina Emilie, who is organizing a volunteer cleanup in the neighborhood this weekend.
“Litter is something I’ve always acknowledged and felt strongly about. I’ve always been passionate about the environment,” she said.
After noticing an increase in the amount of litter during spring as more people emerged from coronavirus quarantine, Emilie says that she turned her frustrations into action.
(Image via Christina Emilie)
“Just the last few months, with everything escalating, I finally hit a breaking point where I knew I needed to step outside of my walls and start making changes in my neighborhood,” Emilie said.
Near the end of May, she incorporated solo trash cleanups into her daily routine while sharing her Transmitter Park cleanup progress through Instagram photos, gaining the attention of like-minded neighbors who asked if they could join.
“Right away I knew I needed to to see how I could organize something and to continue to relay this message of why I initiated picking up trash in the first place,” Emilie says.
Viewing the world through a camera lens in her professional life, Emilie says that there’s a simple beauty to cherish in everyday surroundings, and that the volunteer cleanup initiative helps to bring out the best in people during an otherwise stressful and isolated time for humanity.
Transmitter Park will introduce a new live jazz series for the month of June starting this week.
In a collaboration with the Jazz Foundation and the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance, live music will be performed every Thursday in June. The first performance will come from the Rafik Williamson Quartet on Thursday, June 6th, at 7 p.m; all concerts are free.
Gabe, the hero is recovering from Saturday’s East River rescue
The hero and dog from Saturday’s epic rescue off of the shore at Transmitter Park have been identified.
Gabe, a SUNY Maritime College college graduate was celebrating his birthday at the Brooklyn Barge bar across from the park when he spotted the dog, Harper, in the water.
Harper received minor injuries to her paws and is recovering
Harper’s owner was at work during the incident that began when Harper’s walker was hit by a taxi that allegedly ran a stop sign. “I had a walker come to walk Harper and according to the walker and the company, they got hit by a taxi that blew through a stop sign” Harper’s owner said.
The two-year-old dog and her owner now live near McGolrick Park but used to live near and frequent Transmitter Park. Harper’s owner suspects that the startled dog was looking for familiar territory as it ran over a mile to Transmitter Park following the accident. Continue reading →
An unidentified hero warmed hearts in Transmitter Park on Saturday afternoon by jumping off the pier to rescue a dog that was rapidly swimming away in the East River.
The hero eventually captured the dog and appeared to have been bitten in the face and hand during the rescue.
Credit to Gothamist for unearthing the footage from Brooklyn-based filmmaker Lorenzo Fonda, who was taking in the day at the Brooklyn Barge, and offers some great commentary:
yesterday i was at the Brooklyn Barge and a dog ended up in the river, here’s my account: pic.twitter.com/ym9Tn57uyE
When Transmitter Park finally opened in 2012, many longtime Greenpoint residents were shocked to realize that for decades they had been denied amazing views of the East River. They wondered how they could have lived so close to the East River, yet missed its stunning vistas. They also wondered why the community had been shut off from their waterfront for generations. The 1.61-acre park on the East River offers spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline and is a much needed urban oasis, but to understand why it took North Brooklyn decades to develop a park at the site lets take a look at the history.
WNYC’s Greenpoint Transmitter site in 1937; by Allan Gordon Lorimer (WNYC Archive Collections)
The park is a natural estuary with wetlands that were once the hunting ground of the Keskachaugue Native Americans. The land is also susceptible to floods and when the park was planned, the designers incorporated a bridge into the park design that allows for the periodic high waters of the East River to enter the park. Sometime in the 1840s, the area was chosen as the site for a primitive ferry that was nothing more than a small rowboat with a sail that carried a few passengers over to the sparsely settled Brooklyn shore. Remnants of that first ferry are still visible from the park’s bridge, but the undeveloped shoreline of the park would soon change with the advent of our area’s first industry: shipbuilding.
The rapid development of shipbuilding in Greenpoint coincided with a huge demand for sailing ships. Trade with China and the gold rush in California created a massive need for ships and the East River shoreline became the nation’s largest center of shipbuilding. The first wooden ship was built locally in 1850 and within five years a dozen shipyards producing wooden ships lined the East River shoreline.
The Grand Republic (via the Bowery Boys)
John Englis joined his father’s business in 1850 at his yard at the foot of East 10th Street in Manhattan and created the famous shipbuilding firm John Englis and Sons. Manhattan was booming, forcing shipbuilding across the river and John Englis and Sons moved to Greenpoint in 1872. The Englis family yard, located where the park is today, built several famous ships there. The family constructed one of the largest wooden ships ever built, The Grand Republic, which was more than a football field in length. Today, the bar ‘Grand Republic’ is just up the street from the park and recalls the huge wooden ship.
Shipbuilding was proving unprofitable in the early 1900s, and slowly the Greenpoint yards closed, but John Englis and Sons alone held out. Finally, Englis and Sons too could not find orders and in 1911 the last surviving shipyard in Greenpoint closed, ending a colorful era.
“Wielka Polska” tagged at the end of Kent St. near the North entrance of Transmitter Park.
Graffiti with the words “Wielka Polska” (Great Poland in English) and the Celtic cross, which according to the Anti-Defamation League is one of the most common white supremacist symbols, appeared at the Kent St. entrance to Transmitter Park next to East River Studios, where the Showtime production “Billions” is currently filming.
The hate symbol appeared on Monday morning following the Nov. 11, Polish Independence centennial celebration of “Sto Lat,” which also marks the end of World War I in 1918.
The graffiti features the Celtic cross, a common white supremacist symbol.
♫ Busty and the Bass @ Rough Trade (64 N 9th St.), 7pm, $20, Buy Tix
♫ The Midnight @ Brooklyn Steel (319 Frost St.), 8pm, $26, Buy tix ♫ Lost Girls (Jenny Hval & Håvard Volden – North American Debut) @ Brooklyn Bazaar (150 Greenpoint Ave.), 8pm, $20, Buy Tix ♫ Exek / Richard Papiercuts / Orion / DJ Zack Lipez @ St. Vitus (1120 Manhattan Ave.), 11pm, $12, Buy Tix
THURSDAY 10/11
* 2018 NAG Gala @ BIBA Brooklyn (110 Kent Ave.) 7pm, $125+, the evening will recognize NAG’s history, activism and advocacy, and share the future of their work in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, Buy Tix ♫ Material Support & Namatay Sa Ingay record release/benefit show @ Brooklyn Bazaar (150 Greenpoint Ave.), 7pm, $10, more info ♫ AcousticaElectronica with ToUch Performance Art @ House of Yes (2 Wyckoff Ave.), 7pm, $29-49, Buy Tix ♫ Quantic with Underground System (live) plus The Funky Seshwa @ Good Room (98 Meserole Ave.), 10pm, $15-20, Buy Tix
FRIDAY 10/12
♦ Williamsburg Special Gallery Evening @ Williamsburg, 6pm, FREE, Williamsburg second Fridays are back. Six galleries will stay open late, expect art, music abd events, More Info ♫ The Roller Wave: Roller Disco @ House of Yes (2 Wyckoff Ave.), 6pm, $10 Buy Tix ♫ Luna Fox: Phases 4@ The Park Church Co-op (129 Russell St.), 8pm, $6-8, Buy Tix ♫ Dance With The Dead, Daniel Deluxe, Valentine @ The Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Ave.), 9pm, $20, Buy Tix
SATURDAY 10/13
# CLASS: No Doubt Sauerkraut for Oktoberfest @ Archestratus (160 Huron St.), 10am, $50, Each student will learn three different ways to make kraut and create their own jar to take home to enjoy later. Plus, in the spirit of Oktoberfest, share a meal of local polish kielbasa smothered in ferments, mustard, and drink seasonal beer (yes, for breakfast-ish.) Buy Tix * Plant Daffodils in Transmitter Park Fall 2018 @ Transmitter Park (Greenpoint Ave.), 10am, FREE, Tools & refreshments will be provided, More Info ♦ Shorts Block: FEMALE CINEMATOGRAPHER | #Bushwick2018 @ LightSpace Studios (130 Thames St.), 2:35pm, $13, Buy Tix ♫ Synthesis by Undermind @ Bogart House (230 Bogart St.), 10pm, FREE, Join Undermind for its launch party: Synthesis by Undermind. The night will be divided into three chapters, each with custom vibes and visuals, More Info
SUNDAY 10/14
* Get to the Point 5K Run @ St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy (12 Newel St.), 10:30am, $20-45, children’s races at 10:30, 5k at 1, pre and post-race party! Buy Tix ♦ The Addams Family with Wednesday’s Lemonade @ Videology (308 Bedford Ave.), 5pm, $22,Buy Tix ♫ CALLS, Coastlands, Akari, Corpse Meditation @ Gold Sounds (44 Wilson Ave.), 6:30pm, $8, Buy Tix ♫ Love & Respect V: A Funky Soul Rebellion @ The Good Room (98 Meserole Ave.), 7pm, $5 before 8pm, $10 after, More Info
MONDAY 10/15
♫ Terror Harms Way Backtrack Year Of The Knife Candy and Ekulu @ Brooklyn Bazaar (150 Greenpoint Ave.), 6pm, $14-16, Buy Tix # Case Vecchie Riunione with Fabrizia Lanza, David Tanis and Maira Kalman @ Archestratus (160 Huron St.), 7pm, $25, join the empress of Sicily’s most famous cooking school, Fabrizia Lanza of Case Vecchie di Regaleali, for a rare “Riunione” with her former students and brilliant friends David Tanis and Maira Kalman, Buy Tix ♫ Speakeasy Streets + The Nevermind Orchestra @ Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave.), 7pm, $8, Buy tix ♫ Told Slant + Lily Konigsberg + Felicia Douglass + Franz Charcoal @ The Park Church Co-op (129 Russell St.), 7pm, $12-15, Buy Tix
TUESDAY 10/16
♫ The Milk Carton Kids @ Brooklyn Steel (319 Frost St.), 7pm, $30-125, Buy Tix ♦ Reconstructing the 1938 International Amateur Movie Show @ Light Industry (155 Freeman St.), 7pm, $8, presenting 6 films originally shown in 1938, More Info ♫ ASTOR (UK/Aus), Lary 7, Spencer Herbst, Skydiver @ Union Pool (484 Union Ave.), 8pm, $10, Buy Tix
* Greenpointers Pick
♫ Music
^ Literary Event
♦ Art & Film
☺ Comedy Event
# Foodie Event
♥ Pheremones Likely
♫ Miracle Horse Miracle Hour: Miley Cyrus’ The Climb @ Muchmore’s (2 Havemeyer St.), 7pm, FREE, a variety show where you explore your own struggles and learn to love THE CLIMB, More Info
♫ Sense, sensory & sensation BK Wildlife Summer Fest Showcase @ Bushwick Community Darkroom (110 Troutman St.), 7pm, FREE, music, visual art, storytelling, film, RSVP ♫ Inspired Word NYC featured artist: Zoe Voisin @ Hell Phone (247 Varet Street) 7pm, $10, Buy Tix
THURSDAY 9/6
^ Rally Reading Series: Oria, Osmundson, Lucia Wu @Pete’s Candy Store (709 Lorimer St.) 7pm, FREE, a whole new helping of overtly political discourse. More Info ^ Exile On Second Avenue Launch Party @ The West BK (379 Union Avenue) 7pm, FREE, reading, raffle, tequila and food, More Info ♫ Vitalic, Luka Tacon @ Elsewhere (599 Johnson Avenue), 8pm, $20-25, Buy Tix ♦ UATU: U Are The Universe Premiere @
Triskelion Arts (106 Calyer St.), 8pm, $18-22, a journey through the awakening of the human consciousness, Buy Tix
♫ Dissociate 007 feat. QRTR + more @ The Tilt BK (248 McKibbin Street), 10pm, FREE, more infoContinue reading →
Wildflowers in Transmitter Park. Photo: Megan Penmann
Unfortuantely for some, “Weed-o-rama” doesn’t refer to 420—Transmitter Park is holding the event this Saturday (8/18) for volunteers to help weed the gardens after recent rains have produced an excessive amount of pesky greens.
♫ Busty and the Bass @ Rough Trade (64 N 9th St.), 7pm, $20, 
THURSDAY 10/11
SATURDAY 10/13
SUNDAY 10/14
TUESDAY 10/16
♫ Miracle Horse Miracle Hour: Miley Cyrus’ The Climb @ Muchmore’s (2 Havemeyer St.), 7pm, FREE, a variety show where you explore your own struggles and learn to love THE CLIMB, 
