On Saturday, May 9, New Yorkers for Parks led a walking tour between Fort Greene Park and the Brooklyn Navy Yard, showcasing both the highlights and challenges facing Brooklyn’s green spaces.
More than 75 participants gathered on a dewy morning to stroll through the rapidly growing neighborhood. NY4P and advocacy groups including the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative highlighted the borough’s increasing density and the need for more green space to match. Among the participants were elected officials including Jabari Brisport and Brit Bird, a representative from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso’s office.
“You can talk a big game on Zoom. It’s really important for elected leaders and policymakers to have their feet on the ground and see the issues people are talking about,” said NY4P Executive Director Adam Ganser.
The three-hour tour through parks and public spaces sparked conversations about access, equity and opportunity across the borough.
According to 2020 Census data, Fort Greene serves both a largely affluent community and roughly 12,000 public housing residents. About 12% of the neighborhood’s population identifies as disabled. As demand for open space grows, advocates say they are being forced to think creatively to meet the needs of an evolving and diverse population.
One of the day’s success stories was Commodore Barry Park.
“It’s a living archive,” said Rene Scotland of the Friends of Commodore Barry Park. “The park carries memories of childhood.”
Scotland highlighted a public performance space, a fence painted by community members, and plans for a dog run and full track. Posters honoring local heroes lined the fencing, reflecting community-driven efforts to create spaces for rest and recreation.
Still, the park faces challenges. Some residents must walk beneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to access the space, and the underpass often requires constant cleanup and maintenance. Ganser said expanding and connecting parks is key to addressing inequities.
“When you look at a lot of parks in New York City, particularly Black and Brown communities and lower socio-economic communities, a lot of the parks and open spaces are around freeways,” Ganser told BK Reader. “We're looking at all different ways to provide recreation, relaxation, exercise spaces for New Yorkers.”
The Willoughby Open Street showcased another creative approach. The car-free stretch gives residents space to browse vendors, bike safely and gather without heavy traffic.
“Not everyone lives near a park, but everyone lives near a street,” said Emily Weidenhof, assistant commissioner for the Office of Livable Streets.
In Fort Greene Park, the Parks Department is planning accessibility upgrades, including three ramps at the lower plaza, improved benches and updated irrigation systems to reduce flooding, according to a proposal first introduced in 2021.
Not everyone agrees on the approach. Valerie Francis, representing the Friends of Fort Greene Park, voiced concerns about plans that could remove 72 trees to make way for ADA-compliant ramps. The group has proposed an alternative plan with two ramps instead.
“I’m a tree hugger,” Francis said.
Other residents raised concerns about the Open Streets program potentially limiting emergency vehicle access. Maria Ferrari told BK Reader she worried Access-A-Ride vehicles might struggle to pick up residents.
Still, participants largely agreed that as Brooklyn’s population grows, so does the need for accessible green space. NY4P used the event to advocate for its “1% for Parks” campaign, which would dedicate 1% of the city budget to the Parks Department. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has previously expressed support for the proposal, which would nearly double the department’s current 0.6% share of the city budget.
“Your ZIP code should not define your access to green spaces,” Brisport said.
