Monday, April 21, 2008

Meanwhile back on the Sponge Park

At tonight's Gowanus Canal Conservancy meeting, plans for a "sponge" park were unveiled. The preliminary design, open to feedback from the community, is an eco-conscious public park space along the Canal designed by Brooklyn-based landscape architectural firm dlandstudio. The purpose is to provide access, but more importantly, reduce watershed's CSO problem. The park should do the following:

actively collect rainwater
planting that is selected to help remediate storm water (everything from sunflowers which process metals to grasses that create a wetland effect)
provide open space and sites for community programs
maximize public access
create links between disconnected parts of the esplanade
provide new habitats for birds and wildlife
help to preserve Brooklyn's industrial history (for instance, a cafe might be a converted shipping container)
create a platform for enironmental and historic education
expand recreational opportunities
improve quality of life for the hood

There will be more meetings and discussion to follow, and then time to convince the politicians, etc. Learn More

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