Brooklyn Heights

New parkland opens at Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park

October 26, 2015 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
On Saturday, Brooklyn Bridge Park opened the 3.5-acre meadows and lawns at Pier 6 during the Park Conservancy's sixth annual Harvest Festival. The new section is planted with an array of native plants and trees and provides spectacular views of the New York Harbor. Shown: A young girl dressed as a character from "Frozen" studies the newly opened Pier 6 meadow. Eagle photo by Mary Frost
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Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) opened 3.5 acres of parkland on Saturday to complete the landscape of Pier 6. Planted with a diverse array of native plants and trees, the meadows and lawns create a green oasis at the southernmost point of the park and offer spectacular new views of the New York Harbor.

Designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc., the large lawns and planted areas of Pier 6 provide a relaxing retreat from the more active offerings at Piers 2 and 5, as well as the signature playgrounds of Pier 6 that opened in 2010. The sweeping flower meadow and surrounding plantings transport visitors to a beautiful, natural environment and the large lawn areas will host public programs such as the Conservancy’s Harvest Festival  — a fall tradition that has attracted thousands of New York City families since its launch six years ago.

“The new Pier 6 parkland is a shining example of how we’ve incorporated nature into this former industrial site,” said BBP President Regina Myer. “Looking out at these magnificent flower fields and tree-lined pathways, it’s hard to imagine this space as an abandoned, concrete deck.”

”Brooklyn Bridge Park is a crown jewel of our borough, and the opening of new parkland at Pier 6 adds even more luster and shine to this gem of open space,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

Also on hand for the ribbon cutting were NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez, state Sen. Daniel Squadron, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon and Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy Executive Director Nancy Webster.

Michael Van Valkenburgh, president and CEO of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc., pointed out that “Pier 6 stands out as a particularly exciting moment in the park because it combines the experience of being out in the harbor with the pleasures of a beautifully textured coastal plant palette that you don’t typically see in the city.”

“One thing we can all agree on is that Brooklyn Bridge Park is one of the city’s great parks — and it’s getting even better with today’s opening,” added Squadron.  

Adding more than 3.5 acres of open space, Pier 6 brings the park to 75 percent completion. With its winding paths, lush plantings and undulating lawns, Pier 6 provides a pastoral contrast to the park’s active recreation areas. Lawns in the new section will not only offer the opportunity for relaxation, but also provide areas perfect for programming that is easily accessible for communities to the south. The views of the harbor and Buttermilk Channel are unparalleled from its promenades, and the Pier 6 ferry landing that will soon provide citywide service makes this an even more vital junction for Brooklyn. The newly planted lawns will remain closed to establish root growth.

“Community members will enjoy more opportunities to gather in Brooklyn Bridge Park with family, friends and neighbors…I look forward to seeing Brooklyn residents enjoy this wonderful new space,” said Simon.  

“The plants, trees and lawn on the new parkland at Pier 6 will be a welcome addition to the community and the expansion will connect the park to more Brooklyn neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Stephen Levin.

“The thousands of families and visitors joining us today for our annual harvest festivities will also be among the first visitors to experience this beautiful new section of parkland,” said Webster.

Capital funding for the new parkland was secured through allocations from the City of New York. 

 

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