Thursday, December 16, 2021

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES HISTORIC $40 MILLION TO RESTORE THE VALE IN PROSPECT PARK

 

$40 Million in capital funding will enable NYC Parks and Prospect Park Alliance transform Park's northeast corner

 

Restoration plans shaped through intensive community outreach process led by Prospect Park Alliance and Hester Street/Grain Collective


 Today, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a historic $40 million allocation to restore the Vale in Prospect Park. This funding is the largest single allocation in the history of Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit that sustains the park in partnership with the city, and will restore important landscapes within the 26 acres in the northeast corner of the park called the Vale. The Mayor was joined by NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff and Iris Weinshall, Chair, and Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance, and community leaders. 

“Prospect Park is Brooklyn’s backyard,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “It’s where I got married and raised my family, and where New Yorkers of all backgrounds come to spend time in nature. This historic $40 million in funding will ensure the Vale is restored to its full glory.”

“Our vision of equity for New York City has always been to make all neighborhoods across the five boroughs safer, more welcoming, and, thus, more livable than we found them,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. “As we march on in our fight against COVID, we must prioritize our green spaces—where loved ones gather to celebrate life and where we often venture alone to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. This investment drives home not only the importance of our parks, but the City’s passion for creating and maintaining holistic communities where New Yorkers are proud to live, work, and play.”

 

"Thanks to Mayor Bill de Blasio's $40 million investment, the gateway to Prospect Park's treasured Vale, the borough’s last remaining forest, will soon be renewed, restored and revitalized," said NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff. "We are excited to work with our partners at the Prospect Park Alliance who provided the vision and advocated for this multifaceted project. Upon its completion, the Vale will be home to an amphitheater, a pollinator meadow and so much more. This amazing new space will serve Brooklyn for generations to come."

 

"On behalf of Prospect Park Alliance, we would like to thank Mayor de Blasio for his leadership and vision in advancing Prospect Park, Brooklyn's Backyard, for the millions of New Yorkers the park serves every year. His support of this important restoration, in addition to the Grand Army Plaza arch and berms, and other projects, will be a lasting legacy in Prospect Park, and one that all New Yorkers can celebrate," said Iris Weinshall, Board Chair, Prospect Park Alliance.

 

"Prospect Park Alliance was founded over 30 years ago to sustain, restore and advance the park for the entire Brooklyn community. Today, through this historic funding allocation from the Mayor, we will be able to realize the community's vision for the 26 acres in the northeast corner of the park. Since its founding, the Alliance has restored significant landscapes and buildings in the park, from the 150-acre woodland Ravine to the 26 acres in the southeast corner of the park, Lakeside and the LeFrak Center. It is critical to advance this work to make the park fully accessible and welcoming for our community," said Sue Donoghue, President, Prospect Park Alliance.

 

No comments:

Post a Comment