One Busy Week on the Columbia Waterfront!
In this issue:
- Earth Day is Saturday! Join CSWA for a Community Clean-up Day and Scavenger Hunt!
- EDC (Economic Development Corporation) schedules in-person BMT (Brooklyn Marine Terminal) Port RFEI (Request for Expressions of Interest) Info Sessions Monday and Wednesday!
- Columbia Street Safety Zoom Meeting with Commissioner Bray - Wednesday!
- CSWA Family Committee holding listening session about pre-K availability Monday, May 4.
- Neighborhood volunteer opportunities.
🌍Earth🌎Day🌏is Almost Here and so is CSWA's Community Clean-up Day and Scavenger Hunt!!!🌱
We've been waiting for weeks, and now Earth Day is upon us. Join CSWA's Community Clean-up Day and Scavenger Hunt this Saturday, April 18!
📍Meet at the Human Compass Garden for clean-up assignments. Prizes and refreshments to follow!
🧤 Teams will be provided gloves and trash bags then sent to neighboring streets to pick up trash on the sidewalks. Each team will also receive a scavenger hunt list which can be submitted once complete to judges for a prize.
🍪 After cleaning up, we will gather at the garden for scavenger hunt prizes, snacks and chatting.
And speaking of snacks, we want to thank the local bakeries which will be donating delicious sweets for everyone to enjoy:
And a special thanks to the legendary Margaret Palca, who graced our neighborhood with her bakery for many years! Margaret has graciously volunteered to bring a tray of her marvelous brownies to our event!
We hope to see you all there, so please register here or scan the QR code below! And feel free to send this to your friends and neighbors!
BMT
As we wrote last week, EDC has scheduled two in-person info sessions on the Port RFEI, as CSWA and our electeds requested. See below for details. Register for the session tonight, Monday, April 13 here. Or register for the Wednesday, April 15 session here. If you are like us, you have lots of questions about this entire process. And it's more fun to ask them in person.
EDC has stated that their presentation "will be the same as the virtual sessions held on March 24 and March 25." This presentation included a critique of City Club's plan Creating a Blue Highway Hub at Brooklyn Marine Terminal, comparing it to EDC's Brooklyn Marine Terminal Vision Plan. City Club had not submitted the plan in response to the Maritime RFEI. Tom Fox responded to EDC's critique in his comments at the March 25 virtual meeting. You can read an expanded version of Fox's comments here.
Traffic Safety on Columbia Street
Follow-up Meeting with DOT Commissioner Bray - Wednesday, April 15, 6:00 PM - Join the Zoom meeting and hear DOT's update!
As those of you who attended the March 10 meeting at Jalopy Theatre remember, DOT Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Keith Bray confirmed that he would meet with us in April, with a proposal to address street safety for Columbia Street's intersections with President and Summit streets. The date is set - this Wednesday, April 15, at 6 PM. The meeting will be held via Zoom, and all are welcome to attend. Robbie Block with lead the discussion with the Commissioner. We will again keep the meeting tightly focused on the DOT's response about these two intersections.
Here's the Zoom info.
Save Monday, May 4 for a Listening Session on Neighborhood Childcare needs
On Monday, May 4, 6-7 PM, our new CSWA Family Committee is holding a listening session to discuss neighborhood childcare needs. Specifically, we’ll share more about the unopened but fully furnished Pre-K at President and Van Brunt, and how to open it. Once again, Jalopy Theatre and School of Music has graciously agreed to host this community meeting. Stay tuned for more details!
Here's Zach Hetrick's Instagram post about his visit on April 3 to the unopened Pre-K at President and Van Brunt. Zach has set up a micro site with the data case. The site includes a link to the petition to open the school. Please sign if you haven't already. And contact Council Member Hanif's office to express your support.
If you are interested in joining the CSWA Family Committee, email us at admin@columbiastreetwaterfront.org.
Volunteer Opportunities
- Human Compass Garden is looking for a gate keeper who lives close by and can open and close the garden during regular hours. The garden is open 9:30-5:30 Friday through Sunday during the garden season April 1st to October 31st. Email Launa Beuhler (launabeuhler@aol.com) if interested.
- On I Love My Park Day 2026, Saturday, May 2nd, volunteers are needed to clean invasive plants from Harold Ickes Playground Skate Park, Van Brunt St between Hamilton Ave & Summit St. Email Dave Lutz (1davelutz@gmail.com) if interested.
Upcoming dates!
- Monday, April 13, 6:30-8:00 PM: BMT Port RFEI Info Session - In Person. At Sacred Hearts & St. Stephens Church, 125 Summit St.
- Wednesday, April 15, 6:00 PM: Zoom Follow-up meeting with DOT Commissioner Bray on traffic safety measures for Columbia Street/President Street and Columbia Street/Summit Street intersections. Zoom info below.
- Wednesday, April 15, 6:30-8:00 PM: BMT Port RFEI Info Session - In Person. Miccio Community Center, 110 West 9th St.
- Saturday, April 18, 10 AM to 12 PM: CSWA Clean-up Day with Scavenger Hunt! (rain date Sunday, April 19) - starting at Human Compass Garden, corner of Sackett St and Columbia St.
- Monday, May 4, 6-7 PM: CSWA Family Committee Listening Meeting, Jalopy Theatre and School of Music
- Friday, May 8: Deadline for BMT CEQR Scoping written commentary.
Questions? Email us at admin@columbiastreetwaterfront.org. Also, please share our mailing list sign-up page with your friends and neighbors: Columbia Street Waterfront Association Email List.
Media Contact:
Randy Gordon, President
Columbia Street Waterfront Association, Inc.
Phone: 917-593-2674
Email: admin@columbiastreetwaterfront.org
