Environmental Education Center opens at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Park extends northward
William Sparky, age 3, held a shell to his ear and heard the sea. Other children explored a touch tank filled with fish from the Hudson and pulled out drawers to touch the exhibits in the Discovery Station. Still others snuggled with their parents and caregivers for a good read about nature.
Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s new glass-walled Environmental Education Center overlooking the East River officially opened on Thursday, and even the adults had trouble keeping their hands off the interactive exhibits.
Nancy Webster, president of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, said the opening of the center “is an exciting new chapter of environmental education in the park.” Educational programs started in 2008 with a grant from Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, and served 1,500 students that first year. The numbers have grown exponentially since then, Webster said.
“More than 10,000 kids participated last year from 135 schools and day camps, in 272 organized classes,” she said. Kids come to the park from every zip code and all five boroughs; one third attend Title I schools and half are English-language learners or disabled.