The Brooklyn Paper reports that on Tuesday night the Parks and Recreation
Department, local parents and sports organizers reached a tentative compromise that will
allow more free play on the new turf field behind the Old Stone House in Washington Park (formerly known as JJ Byrne Park).
Wow. That was a quick resolution of what could have been a prickly problem.
Here's the deal that's in the making: the artificial grass sports field will be open
to anyone on Friday evenings and for periods of time on Saturday and
Sunday afternoons.
Previously the only non-permitted time was a paltry four hours a weekend for the public. The rest of the time was going to be reserved for permitted sports activities.
Community members were not happy. Local parents wanted to have access to the park, too. And they were not happy with the four hours they were given each weekend so they got organized. Luckily, the matter was resolved rather quickly.
Sure, a little more time, especially after school, might have been a bigger win for the community but Judy Schneier, the parent/citizen who decided to fight City Hall (or in this case the Park Department) was happy with the results of her efforts on behalf of the community.
“The Parks
Department gave something, but we would have liked a little more after
school time," Schier told the Brooklyn Paper.