Dear Mayor Bloomberg & Council Member ___________
Restore Library Funding
I am writing to express my strong support for Brooklyn Public Library and to urge you to restore funding to Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) in the Fiscal Year 2013 budget. As you know, BPL faces a 32% reduction in city funding that may result in the closure of libraries and a drastic reduction in hours of service across the borough.
BPL is a vital community resource that is needed now more than ever for after-school activities, job search assistance and so much more. It provides free access to books, computers and thousands of programs for people of all ages.
I understand the severity of the City's fiscal crisis and the tough decisions you have to make to balance the budget and main core services, but I ask you to please consider the importance of Brooklyn Public Library during this time and how it helps us immensely during the recession. Please help restore funding to keep Brooklyn's libraries open.
We wanted to bring everyone up to speed on the Key Food situation (and thanks to Barbara McCarthy and others for spreading the word).
Since word of the June 30th store closing became public, our representatives have been aggressively trying to make sure that the situation is one that is most beneficial for our community. Jeremy Laufer of Community Board 7, Assemblymember Jim Brennan, Borough President Marty Markowitz, and Councilmember Brad Lander have been making efforts, including reaching out to Walgreens' corporate offices and Key Food's owner.
Please note that some Walgreens do sell produce (which was determined by a WT resident) and PS 154 right down the street will soon be opening a Sunday green market.
Assemblymember Brennan is taking steps now to schedule a meeting about the several issues this closing presents to the community and we will pass on the details as soon as the meeting date and time are confirmed.
Best,
Lauren Elvers Collins
Chair, Windsor Terrace Alliance
“This is a sad day for Windsor Terrace. With the sale of Key Food, much of the neighborhood will now be more than a mile away from the nearest grocery store. This will have an especially devastating impact on seniors, but the whole Windsor Terrace neighborhood will be harmed by this sale.Brad Lander serves District 39 on the New York City Council.
“While they are not a replacement for a full service grocery store, I am glad that Windsor Terrace is getting its third farmers market this year, in the PS 154 yard on Sundays. This market will be operating in addition to the new youth-run farmers market I brought to the Windsor Terrace Library last summer that operates on Saturdays, and the long-time market that takes place in Bartel Pritchard Square.
“Walgreens has recently expressed interest in expanding grocery options in its stores. I will be communicating with the company to press for this grocery store option for Windsor Terrace.”
Please join me for a ribbon-cutting for the new “Kensington Plaza” – this Sunday, June 3rd, at 12:30 pm at the intersection of Church Avenue and Beverley Road (in front of Walgreens). This new (albeit small!) public space will add to civic life in Kensington and I am excited to celebrate it with you and your neighbors on Sunday.
The idea for creating a small plaza on the recently-extended sidewalk came from Kensington residents who wanted to address the neighborhood’s lack of open space. In response, my office worked with community members and a number of City agencies on a plan to add a few trees, benches, and granite blocks – to turn this into a small space where people can sit for a few minutes, to enjoy an ice cream, coffee, or conversation.
In February, Kensington residents, local civic groups, and representatives from City agencies came together at PS 230 to talk about what the plaza would look like, and also to address concerns. I have continued to have conversations with community residents after the meeting and have worked hard with the appropriate City agencies to make Kensington Plaza the community space you want. I am happy to report that:
Working together, I am hopeful that Kensington Plaza will be a space that community members take pride in, a place where we can meet each other and socialize, and a unique feature that supports what makes Kensington – and New York City – a great place to live.
- The NYC Parks Department has planted three additional trees at the plaza.
- NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) will install four new benches and two new granite blocks by the end of this week.
- In response to concerns about the intersection, DOT painted a high visibility crosswalk over Beverley Road.
- A new volunteer “stewardship group” has formed to help keep the plaza clean. In addition to regularly picking up garbage, sweeping the space, and helping care for the trees, the group is interested in promoting small community activities at the plaza to encourage community use of the space.
- The NYPD 66th Precinct has committed to focus on the plaza with attention from the neighborhood beat cop and other officers.
- The Department of Sanitation has committed to work with nearby property owners so that they do not get unfairly fined.
- The NYPD 66th Precinct has also begun removing graffiti in the area, starting with locations identified by neighbors near Beverley Road.
I would like to thank the West Kensington Action Group and the Albemarle Neighborhood Association for their support, and the NYC Department of Transportation, NYC Department of Sanitation, and NYPD 66th Precinct for helping to make Kensington Plaza a reality.
And, most importantly, I would like to give special thanks to the Kensington Plaza Stewardship Group for contributing their time, energy, and enthusiasm. If you have questions or concerns, or you would like to become involved with the Stewardship Group, please contact my District Director, Catherine Zinnel, at 718-499-1090 or czinnel@council.nyc.gov.
I look forward to seeing you at Kensington Plaza on Sunday, and in the future.
Brad
Serving the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope,
Windsor Terrace, Borough Park, and Kensington456 5th Avenue, 3rd Floor * Brooklyn, NY 11215 * 718-499-1090
