From a press release received via email.

June 20, 2007 – The board of directors of the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation (Gowanus Canal CDC) and the newly formed Gowanus Canal Conservancy (the Conservancy) is pleased to announce the hiring of Bob Zuckerman as the new executive director of both organizations, effective immediately. 

“The Gowanus Canal CDC is very excited to have Bob Zuckerman as our new executive director,” said Michael Ingui, Chairman of the CDC.  “His experience running nonprofit organizations along with his community activism in Brooklyn made him the ideal choice to lead the Gowanus Canal CDC at this critical juncture.”

Zuckerman will also head the Conservancy, which was recently spun off as a separate nonprofit organization from the CDC.  “Bob will lead the Conservancy’s efforts to steward preservation, restoration and green development of the canal, and everyone on the Conservancy board is delighted to have him as our new executive director,” said Andrew Simons, chair of the Conservancy and a board member of the CDC. “His out-of-the-box strategies and excitement for real progress is exactly what our area needs.”

While many Brooklyn neighborhoods have been revitalized, the Gowanus Canal corridor and surrounding neighborhood is beginning its own renaissance, with a primary goal of incorporating environmentally friendly and “green” initiatives.

Under Zuckerman, the Gowanus Canal Conservancy will continue its mission to promote public access to the canal and promote efforts to clean it up. The conservancy is modeled on those that exist for Central Park, Prospect Park and other NYC parks. "Our aim is to create a clean canal," Ingui said.