Carroll Gardens Block Co-Named "Citizens Of Pozzallo Way"

Councilman Bill De Blasio

City Council candidate John Heyer

Community Board 6 member Joseph Igneri

credit: Katia Kelly on Vimeo.

After days of rain, the sun broke out just long enough for a wonderful ceremony to honor the citizens and immigrants of Pozzallo in Carroll Gardens.

As of Friday afternoon, there is a new street sign on a stretch of Henry Street, between Union and Sackett Streets. The block has officially been co-named "Citizens Of Pozzallo Way" in honor of the Society Of The Citizens of Pozzallo. The Society was started in 1919 by immigrants from the Sicilian town of Pozzallo, Italy who formed an organization, to "promote fellowship and friendship amongst its members and to educate them to the American ideals in order to transition them to the American way of life and American citizenship."
Ninety years later, "La Societa Di Pozzallo" is still going strong and its members were visibly moved by the ceremony and by the speeches of local dignitaries.

Councilman Bill de Blasio, who had endorsed the street renaming, was on hand, as was Borough President Marty Markowitz Chief-of-Staff, Carlo Scissura, who gave his speech in fluent Italian. City Council Candidate John Heyer acted as master-of-ceremony.

The society had proposed the street co-naming as a collective tribute to the many immigrants who had come from the little Italian town by the sea and had contributed greatly to their adoptive country.
One of these immigrants was my friend and one-time neighbor Santo Matarazzo. He was a sculptor and one of the most interesting people I ever had the pleasure to meet.

When the big moment had finally arrived for the unveiling, there was just the slightest little snag. The rain-soaked paper sleeve which had covered the new street sign refused to be pulled away by tugging on a connected string, so John Heyer limberly climbed up the streetlight to help it along.

The ceremony was a wonderful reminder that citizens like those from Pozzallo made this neighborhood and this city great. Co-naming this stretch of Henry Street is a great homage and reminder for future generations of Carroll Gardens' Italian history.



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Picture Of The day: Foggy Smith Street

Between a downpour
and
another downpour,
it was drizzling
or
depressingly foggy
on Smith Street.

Enough wetness, already!

Magic In Carroll Park

Photo by Carroll Gardens father M.

All Carroll Gardeners know that Carroll Park is a magical place. But did you also know, dear reader, that real magic can happen there also? Don't believe me? Well read on.

I very much enjoy your photography and was in Carroll Park on Sunday
morning early with my son and daughter. It was "dad" hour -
all of us giving the mom's some peace and quiet.

The sprinklers were on and I snapped a shot of my son running through them on my phone - as is oft the case when one's not trying, something magical happens.
Thought you might appreciate the picture of our little Brooklynite walking on a rainbow.

What an amazing shot. Thanks for sharing, M.
I love the idea of a "dad" hour in the park. I bet the mothers love it even more! I remember my own husband taking the kids to play for an hour or two, just so that I could get some things done at home. It was pure bliss!
So to all those Carroll Park dads: Thank you!


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On Saturday, Fundraiser for PortSide New York At Lyceum

I just received an email from fellow blogger Brooks over at Lost City. He made me aware of a great fundraiser for PortSide New York. He writes:
"They own the old tanker Mary Whalen and sponsor various waterfront events over the year (including delivering cookies to New York Harbor sailors on Christmas Day). It's a good group."

Below is the info on the event.

PortSide NewYork is thrilled to announce that they can soon
deliver more programs in a new home!

Make it happen!

PortSide is soon to get our first publicly accessible home, your new home on the waterfront. The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is negotiating directly with PortSide NewYork to create a home for us in Atlantic Basin, next to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. This will include a berth for the Mary Whalen, a pier where we will host visiting vessels of every description, and an interior space that will house programs and interpretive spaces. Visible from PortSide will be huge cruise and container ships, gantry cranes at work, tugboats, charter, excursion and historic vessels.

Get on Board with PortSide!
Sat 6/13/09, 6-9pm

At Brooklyn Lyceum

227 Fourth Avenue at President Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Tickets http://portsidefundraiser.eventbrite.com

Tickets $50 include 2 raffle tickets, wine+beer, abundant spread of Latin, Middle East and artisanal Brooklyn foods.

Buy a ticket now!

Bid on some very cool auction items on eBay.

Proceeds from PortSide’s first fundraiser will support planning of, and interim programming in, Atlantic Basin, and shipping of the last two engine cylinders for the Whalen from Seattle.

PortSide goes ashore and sticks to a water theme! Join us in a repurposed public pool house, now the Brooklyn Lyceum, one of the cool venues in the new Brooklyn. Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, a major supporter of all things waterfront, will speak at the event. Robust amounts of cheese + nibbles, beer and wine will be served. Raffle of items that are not available in the on-line auction.

For further info, go to Lost City

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This Sunday: Carroll Park Kids' Concerts Series Kicks Off

To All Little Carroll Gardeners:
Remind Your Parents To Take You To Carroll Park This Sunday

The super-cool Carroll Park Kids' Concert Series kicks off its 2009 summer season this Sunday, June 14 with the Bluegrass band Astrograss. The concert starts at 4 PM, but cool children's activities are scheduled from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM

The events will take place around the park's monument. Shine Only

Additional concerts are scheduled for July 15, July 29, and Aug 8.

Check out the Committee To Improve Carroll Park's new and improved website for details on lineup, schedule, band information and sponsors:

www.carrollparkbrooklyn.org

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Best Comment Of The Day

Anonymous left this comment on the post: Councilman Bill De Blasio Still Pushing City's Alternative To Gowanus Superfund Listing

This is outrageous. Only a small section of the canal is within Bill's district, the majority of the canal is in Sarah Gonzalez's district with the remainder in Yassky's. Does Bill speak for Sarah Gonzales' constituents? I bet many of them are not even aware what is going on. If this is how Bill feels about the superfund and if he truly believes, despite the FACTS, that living along the canal is safe, he is unfit to be public advocate. It may be that de Blasio is doing the bidding of the Brooklyn political machine which is pathetic and also doesn't bode well should he be elected. Bill, stay out of the way - we want the EPA!

Go Norm!
(For Public Advocate)

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"Gowanus: Brooklyn In Transition" Show At Brooklyn Public Library

Photo By Jose Gaytan

Photographer Jose Gaytan contacted me a while back and sent me a few of his amazing photos of the Gowanus Canal. He was working on a show of his work and spent a lot of time in the Gowanus area taking more photos. The opening is next week. Below is the info. Hope you can go see it.

The Gowanus: Brooklyn in Transition
by Jose Gaytan

"A Photographic Essay of the Gowanus"

www.josegaytan.com

Brooklyn Public Library
1 Grand Army Plaza
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Grand Lobby

June 16 - August 29

Opening Reception
Wednesday, June 17, 6 - 8 PM
Dweck Center Lobby

The library is located across the street from Grand Army Plaza. Take the 2 or 3 train to the Grand Army Plaza station.


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Picture Of The Day: Flowering Stoop

After many, many days of rain
here in Carroll Gardens,
the flowers on this stoop
looked lush and lovely,
their color a beautiful contrast
to the otherwise gray afternoon.

Councilman Bill De Blasio Still Pushing City's Alternative To Gowanus Superfund Listing

Well, you have to hand it to our Councilman Bill de Blasio. He is hanging in there with his position that the city can do a better, faster job cleaning the Gowanus Canal than the Environmental Protection Agency.

Since he came out against the Superfund designation, he has not deviated from that position,though it seems rather clear that a large number of his constituents in Gowanus/Carroll Gardens are for the designation.

The letter above is his second one to the EPA regarding the listing of the Gowanus Canal as a Superfund Site. In his first letter in April, he asked the agency to answer a number of his concerns about the Superfund, such as timing, funding and litigation.
He also wanted to know exactly how polluted and dangerous the canal really was, a concern that he did nor seem to have when he supported the spot-rezoning of the Toll Brothers' Gowanus site from manufacturing to residential.

George Pavlou, EPA Acting Regional Administrator, send the Councilmember a long, detailed letter back at the end of May. Mr. Pavlou writes:

Please be assured that we share your desire to clean up the Gowanus Canal as expeditiously as possible. We believe that because of EPA's singularly powerful enforcement authority and almost three decades of experience addressing hazardous waste sites, including a number of sites with sediment contamination in EPA Region 2 alone, placing the Gowanus Canal on the NPL will greatly facilitate, not encumber, that goal. Superfund investigatory and cleanup actions need not slow or impede any of the ongoing efforts to restore and redevelop the area around the canal, since all of the necessary work can take place in tandem.

Obviously, that was not enough assurance for de Blasio. He sent a second letter on June 9th, expressing further questions about funding for the clean-up. He writes

My greatest concern is whether there are available resources to fully fund a timely clean up of the canal. At the recent EPA presentation given to the Community Board 6, Walter Mugdan, Director of Emergency & Remedial Response Division of the EPA, noted that the Superfund program is provided a total of approximately $300 million annually to help fund clean(ing) for
over 1,200 sites. Almost all of the funds are already devoted to sites that do not have any Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP's) and the EPA has yet to clarify how much, if any, of these funds will be provided to the Gowanus Canal clean-up. I am additionally concerned given the fact a clean-up of the Gowanus Canal will cost appropriately $400 million to complete, which is $100 million more than all the available funding for the nation's Superfund program per year.

The EPA is an enforcement-first agency and must, therefore, investigate to find every PRP before requiring them to comply with the clean-up. While it is possible that the PRP's will voluntarily agree to the clean-up, I am concerned that the litigious nature of similar clean-ups at the Hudson and Passaic Rivers point to delays for this project as well. These delays can be potentially avoided by using the city's plan.

We are both striving to reach the same goal to clean the Gowanus Canal up to EPA standards as soon as possible. Since I do not anticipate that exploring the City's proposal would delay the Superfund time line, I hope that the EPA will consider the City's plan and any other method for securing the necessary funding to address the clean up. My office will be reaching out to members of Congress to lobby for additional funding to support this critical clean up in a way that keeps our community whole and safe.

De Blasio's suggestion that EPA should continue to consider the city's plan is peculiar, considering that the city has yet to come up with a clear plan.
So far, the two presentations given by the city have been mediocre at best and leave more questions than they answer.

If de Blasio is so concerned about delaying the clean-up, may I suggest he move out of the way and let the EPA do its job?
The federal agency has already told him politely in their letter, that they have the experience, the science, the tools and the enforcement power to do the job.
The city does not.





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"Jazz In June" At The Urban Meadow On The Waterfront

photos courtesy of Jazz In June

Reader Tamar send me an email with information about "a great local event from the other side of the BQE - music in the Urban Meadow just off Columbia Street, one of the newest community gardens in the area." The first concert was just this last week-end, but more great music is scheduled.

Sounds like a great event to me. I hope everyone can check it out.

JAZZ IN JUNE ON THE WATERFRONT
Music and Fun in the Sun!
BROOKLYN, NY —

Music lovers turned out in droves on June 7 for the premiere of the first-ever “Jazz in June” free concert series, held at the Cabrini Green Urban Meadow, a new community garden located on President Street in the Columbia Waterfront District.

Organized by Brooklyn-based volunteers, and sponsored by the Famous House of Pizza and Calzone on Union Street, the month-long Sunday series kicked off with three groups featuring top local talent: People's Revolutionary Party, the Anne Mette Iversen Quartet and SPOKE. “

It was a great day that brought the community together to hear innovative jazz in a unique setting,” said Michael Golub, who organized the series with Paul DeLucia, “Everyone had a great time. As the music played, families picnicked and enjoyed the Meadow’s wildflower garden and kids ran through the sprinkler —all right near the Brooklyn docks.” Malissa Smith, who attended the event with her 9 year-old said, “This was such a fun day – my daughter and I loved the music and we’re looking forward to the rest of the shows.”

The series continues on the next three Sundays:

• June 14 features George Gilmore and Daniel Wayne, the Tanya Kalmanovitch Quartet and the SAT Quartet;

• June 21 spotlights traditional music with the Red Hook Ramblers, the Dust Busters and the Saul Bellows (sponsored by the Jalopy Theater on Columbia Street); and

• June 28 closes the series with a bang with Willie Martinez’s La Familia Sextet, Dave Sewelson’s The Daves, and Nick Gianni’s Lotus 9. Located along the Brooklyn Greenway on the corner of President and Van Brunt Streets, the Cabrini Green Urban Meadow was created in 2008 and is under the auspices of the Green Thumb Community Gardens Division of the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and is run by neighborhood volunteers.

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Best Comment Of The Day

BestViewInBrooklyn left the following comment on: Heavy Rains= ( More ) Grossness In The Gowanus Canal

Ewwww. At least someone is practicing safer sex (unless it was too close to the canal).

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Brooklyn Youth..circa 1890's

I came across this marvelous old photo of Brooklyn's youth standing on a stoop, circa 1890's.
Love the attitude and the poses of these fine young lads!
I don't know anything about the photo. Too bad. I bet there is a great story behind it.

Heavy Rains = ( More) Grossness In the Gowanus Canal

Oh, the things that float on the Gowanus Canal after a few heavy days of rain. Some of them may make you blush, dear Reader.
Pretty disgusting, no?
Right here in our neighborhood, too.
These photos were taken yesterday afternoon from the Carroll Street Bridge.
Hard to imagine that this is happening in 2009, New York City, don't you think?

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Take Me To Prospect Park... To See David Byrne

David Byrne in Prospect Park

What a fantastic night!
Every minute of the concert given by David Byrne last night was a pure pleasure.
Entertaining a huge crowd on a Monday evening, the ever-stylish Byrne was as amazing as ever.
For one and a half hours, he captivated the audience, brought them to their feet and then asked him to come back for two encores.
What a showman. He still got the moves and his music is as edgy as ever.
The concert was part of the Celebrate Brooklyn! festival in the park. In a statement, Byrne said:

" We all know that Brooklyn has been the explosively creative borough in the tri-state area for quite some time, so it only made sense to acknowledge that by doing a show at the celebrate Brooklyn! festival. Given the cost of concert tickets these days, the poor hedge fund guys and investment bankers can no longer afford them. So made sense to do a free show, as the tour has been going incredibly well and we can afford it."

Well, I am neither a hedge fund guy, nor an investment banker. Just a blogger. So I appreciated this concert even more.

I hope everybody had a chance to attend last night, because frankly, opportunities like these should not be missed.
Glad I didn't.



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Blue Barn Pictures Captures The Creation Of Water Street Mural In Dumbo

Photo by Max Kelly

You have to take a moment to watch this video. My friends at Blue Barn Pictures filmed artists Craig Anthony Miller,Cam, Demon 202, Tron, John Breiner and One 9 of the 303 Collective during four days, as they were painting an incredible mural on Water Street down in Dumbo. Then, they compressed the footage into a one minute video. The effect is amazing.

Mural on Water Street from Blue Barn Pictures, Inc. on Vimeo.

If you feel inspired by the video, you may want to take part in Blue Barn's

HD Documentary Field Production A 3-Day Hands-On Intensive Course

While most courses are limited to teaching basic fundamentals, this course equips you with the knowledge and hands-on skills to go out with confidence and create your own documentary pieces.

The course begins with classroom work that prepares you to handle a variety of situations in the field, focusing on HD workflow, Lighting Techniques, Audio, Basic Editing in Final Cut Pro, Interview Techniques, Creative Style, and Professional Etiquette.

Students go out and direct, shoot, and edit their own 60-second documentaries in a real-life setting using the latest Canon HD cameras and Final Cut Pro for a public showing on the final day of the course.

This Canon sponsored course is taught by production company professionals in a small class size, and normally costs $1000, but special discounts are offered to IFP members at $650 per student.


Course Dates: Friday, June 19th - Sunday, June 21st

For more information or to sign up for the course please contact:

Blue Barn Pictures, Inc. phone 718.852.1403 email training@bluebarnpictures.com

Or visit our website at: www.bluebarnpictures.com/home/training



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Carroll Gardens Marathoner Raising Funds For Meals-On-Wheels

photo credit: beigeinside on Flickr

Carroll Gardener Larry is part of a team of 40 runners who will be participating in this fall's New York City Marathon as part of Team Meals-On-Wheels. He has asked me to spread the word about his fund-raising effort for this worthwhile charity. He writes:

I have been a New Yorker for the last 10 years and a Carroll Gardener for the last 6 years. I am looking for your support for this great charity named "Citymeals-on-Wheels." As you may know it is 28 years old local charity that provides meal to the homebound elderly. 100% of your gift to Citymeals-on-Wheels will be used for the preparation and delivery of meals. I am running the NYC Marathon next November raising funds for them, supporting a very active New York City charity. Please support the initiative by donating online at the following site:

www.citymeals.org/supportlarry

100% of the donations goes directly the meals provided.
Donations are fully tax deductible.

Do not hesitate to spread the word :)

Larry

So, dear Reader, lets all help a fellow neighbor reach his fundraising goal!

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A Moment In Time: Musical Man

Guitar in hand,
he walked down Smith Street
towards Atlantic,
softly humming to himself.
He gave me a cheerful smile as he passed me,
and looked
as though he had no care
in the world
on that Saturday morning.

Comment Of The Day: On Dennet Place

On Dennet Place

Friend and reader Castillo left the following comment on Hey, Neighbor! Pardon Me For Asking, But...

My favorite block has been and always will be in my mind and heart, Dennet Place. The little block between Smith & Court, Nelson & Luquer st has an the air of a European village.

I moved onto Dennet Pl in 2000 and I was instantly welcomed not only into the neighborhood, but into families. I spent many nights with my neighbors eating dinner & playing with their children. So when I was going to get married the only place that it could be held was on Dennet Pl. The neighbors closed down the street where my wife & I were married on our stoop with 250 of our closes friends & family.

My wife and I bought an apt on Clinton st only a block away and many of the long time residents of Dennet moved away. I am still in touched with many of them who have become life long friends. We still have block party reunions now and then, but I will always cherish that little block called Dennet Place.

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A Perfect Ceremony To Remember A True Carroll Gardener, Frank Verderame

A photo of Frank in the Transit Garden

The Verderame Family

John Verderame talking about his brother Frank

Mr. and Mrs. Verderame with friends Tony and Dolores DeBella

Many Carroll Gardens residents came to the Transit Garden at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place on Saturday morning to honor friend and co-founder Frank Verderame, who passed away unexpectedly last December.
Frank meant so much to so many people in the neighborhood and it was wonderful to be able to spend some time together in this little garden oasis to remember him.
Frank's family joined friends and neighbors to celebrate his life and his sons helped plant a tree in their father's memory.
It could not have been a more perfect day nor a more perfect ceremony.
I think Frank would have approved.

Below is the wonderful speech given by Jim Devor:

I've been asked to say a few words on this occasion, in my capacity as the semi-official Transit Garden eulogist. I first knew Frank as the man who sold me my house. Thus, in a very real sense, were it not for him, I and my family would not be here today.

That, of course, should hardly define the man. Accordingly, like we all do on occasions like this, I dwelled on the question, “What quality of Frank's most stuck out about him”? Initially, the word “irascible” came to mind. For Frank was not a man who suffered fools gladly. But on further reflection, a more generous and accurate term dawned on me, “service”

Frank spent most of his professional life in the service of his community. For example, as an Assemblyman in the early 1970's and then as a City Hall official, Frank labored hard to insure that government would be responsive to the needs of the people.

Later, during the time that I knew him, I saw him diligently focus on the problems of our immediate neighborhood. Hence, he was a constant presence at our local neighborhood association meetings frequently acting as a liaison between municipal agencies and the community.

From the perspective of this gathering, though, Frank's greatest contribution was the creation of this garden. From the outset and over a period of years, he was instrumental in bringing the Transit Authority to the table and hammering out the details necessary for the Garden to happen at all. He was the one who, without charge nor any grandstanding, went over the picayune issues which resulted in our master lease that begot this oasis.

Likewise, mostly behind the scenes, Frank dealt with the landscape architect and contractors in the implementation of the community's vision in the Garden's actual physical creation.

One of this community's great virtues is that tradition of service. The idea that what happens to this neighborhood matters on a scale divorced from any calculus of personal profit and loss. It is a tradition that long predated the arrival of the “newcomers” in attendance today and one that Frank Verderame personified.

Frank Verderame was as “old school” as you can get. But in an important sense it was because of that quality, rather than in spite of it, that we are gathered here today to celebrate his life. One hopes that his example of service will still inspire all of us in our proud and ongoing commitment to this site as well as in our work to insure that the entire Carroll Gardens community will continue to flourish. Thank you.

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A Taste Of BoCoCa: Great Food, Great Wine, Great Fun

Rita Miller and helpers in the Transit Garden

Bette Stoltz and Michael Templeton

Choose a perfectly sunny day, feature a sampling of food from the best Court and Smith Street restaurants, offer great wines and add some cool music and you have a wonderful event.
That's exactly what the Transit Garden group did last Saturday afternoon.
And it was a great success.
I had a delightful time hanging out with some of my favorite people in the neighborhood.
I was joined by out-of-town guests who were charmed by the neighborhood and by the sense of community which was so evident.
And yes, as I looked around me, I thought, how lucky I was and that there is no place better than Carroll Gardens.





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