Apologies to the late Borough President JJ Byrne. But JJ Byrne Park is Washington Park now. Got it? Located
on Fifth Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets, the park has been officially renamed, restoring it to its true place in American history as the site of the first battle of the
Revolutionary War.

The playground, however, will now be called JJ Byrne Playground.

In the shadow of the Novo, the new Fourth Avenue high-rise condo,
Brooklyn politicians, officials and locals gathered to commemorate the
renaming of the park and to cut the ribbon on the completion of the
first phase of work, which includes a new skate park, two new
basketball courts, six handball
courts, a new dog run, new fencing, gates, pavement and landscaping.

I arrived just as Borough President Marty Markowitz was about to
speak. That means I missed the welcome from Parks Commissioner Adrian
Benepe and the Pledge of Allegiance led by second graders from PS 321

"Borough presidents don’t get no respect. Borough President JJ Byrne
had the whole place to himself. But I think he would understand our
naming it for the father of our country. If he had to yield, he would
yield to that," Markowitz told the crowd.

"About Kim Maier [the executive director of the Old Stone House] you
can’t say no to her when she flashes that smile. There’s not a public
official who can say no."

City Councilmember Bill De Blasio, who was up next, spoke to the historical significance of the day.

"The renaming of this park helps us to think about the history of
this place and what it means. What happened on this historic site is
important for the whole world to understand. To the children of PS 321
I ask: if the the Maryland 400 had not held off the British here we’d
all be talking with a British accent. What a sacrifice people who
fought made. It was a make or break moment in American history. An
inspiration…"

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, a lively master of ceremonies,
then introduced Kim Maier, who was beaming. Today was truly a dream
come true for the executive director of the Old Stone House, who has, with her board of directors, reinvigorated the Old Stone House and the Park.

"It such a special day for us and such a beautiful park," she said.

Borough Commissioner Julius Spiegel, dressed as George Washington, had this to say:

"I have a newfound respect for our forefathers. It’s painful to wear
these boots. And how do you keep the hair out of your mouth?"

After the speeches there was a countdown, led by Commissioner
Spiegel in a hearty Brooklyn accent, and a ribbon cutting ceremony. And
then a skateboarder, dressed in Revolutionary War gear, came roaring
down the new skateboarding ramp and broke through a banner that said, Washington Park.

Now that was cool.

Later there was groundbreaking for the next phase of the
project, which includes a synthetic turf green, new fencing,
landscaping and the plaza area opening the view of the Old Stone House
to Fourth Avenue.