Safety Improvements?

For weeks the Cobble Hill Association has been vocal about the need for dramatic safety improvements to the Columbia/Furman/Atlantic intersection that provides access to the the newly opened Pier 6 waterfront park.  The Dept of Transportation heard our concerns shared amongst many civic groups and electeds officials in the area and agreed to make short term changes and plan long term improvements.

Our friends at the Brooklyn Heights Blog caught a sight of this sign, one of the short term changes that should tame traffic and remind drivers they need to yield to pedestrians and cyclists.  But they also noticed driving behavior has remained the same. And realistically, does the 'NEW' text go far enough at all? The driving laws of NYC already require

• When making a turn, yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk;
• At a red light or STOP sign, come to complete stop before you get to the crosswalk;
• Violation of these laws could cost you a $100 fine and 3 points on your license.

New York City already leads the nation in the number of pedestrians killed in motor vehicle crashes and sadly over one-half of pedestrian fatalities occur at intersections with traffic signals. Perhaps this  cautionary message simply gets lost amongst the half dozen other signs posted. Bigger, bolder changes like visually bold textures or raised crosswalks are needed in the street, coupled with neckdowns on the sidewalks to shorten crossing distances.

The Cobble Hill Association remains committed to having a safe approach to our neighborhood's waterfront. We encourage all residents to contact Community Board 6 and area councilman Brad Lander about this problematic intersection. And if you have ideas or specific concerns you'd like to share with us, drop us a line at cha@cobblehillassociation.org.

Fix the Ditch - Workshop #2

The kick off workshop for the BQE 'Fix-the-Ditch' was a tremendous success. Now it's time to bring that energy back for Round 2 when the project team will present initial conceptual plans and ask for feedback.

When: Tuesday, July 20th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Long Island College Hospital (LICH), Avram Conference Center, Rooms A & B, 339 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201

Please see two presentations that have been posted on EDC’s website for background on the project, including:
1)    The presentation from the 5.4.10 meeting on EDC’s website.
2)    A draft summary of the 5.4.10 workshop--we will refine and present it on 7.20.10

Cobble Hill Concert Series

Thanks to the work of organizer Rudy Kamuf, the CHA's annual series of summer concerts in Cobble Hill Park is about to begin again in August. The concerts are always free to the public and a great way to enjoy the park and meet your neighbors.

This summer's series will feature FOUR FREE CLASSICAL CONCERTS, all scheduled for Thursday evenings in August beginning at 7p.m (rain date for each is following night, Friday)

August 5 The Claremont Strings (Viola-Violin-Cello)
August 12 The Wadsworth Strings (Guitar-Violin-Cello)
August 19 The Gene Drop Ensemble (2 Violins- Cello)
August 26 The Cady Finlayson Ensemble (Guitar-Violin-Cello)

The "Music in the Park" concert Series is sponsored by the Cobble Hill Association & The Cobble Hill Community Fund with the generous support of Long Island College Hospital,  Ridgewood Savings Bank and Ted & Honey Café and Market.

LICH gets a little Greener

While our local institution, Long Island College Hospital, has been in the news recently for its likely merger with SUNY-Downstate, we didn't want to let this little green nugget go silent. After enrolling in the Energy Curtailment Specialists' (ECS) PowerPay! New York Program in 2008, the hospital has gotten a bit more eco-conscious and implemented a hopsital wide notification system that, among many benefits, helps reduce energy use during critical periods when grid supply is low.  When asked to shed 1200 kilowatss during a 'test period' LICH...

went above and beyond by curtailing 2120 kilowatts; 920 kilowatts more than expected.... When the doctors, nurses, and other staff are notified of the event, they may shut off lights when a room is not in use as part of their own commitment to reducing electricity.
"Long Island College Hospital is an ideal customer for our program because they are so motivated to help within the community all while taking the necessary precautions to assure patient safety," said Glen Smith, president, chief executive officer and co-founder of ECS.

The Cobble Hill Association is very glad to have LICH taking care of both the patients inside the building and the community's energy needs around it.
image courtesy of Ruby Washington/The New York Times