"Stop Choking Brooklyn" Rally

As soon as the new year starts, so do the efforts to get our waterfront ports leans and green. Read below for details about a rally for "Shore Power" led by our local Councilman Brad Lander and State Senator Daniel Squadron. In spite of a gimmicky 'surgical mask' idea to highlight the current pollution, the matter is serious and could go a long way to making Cobble Hill and it's neighboring communities much cleaner.

Photo by Joshua Kristal, http://bit.ly/g9E3Or

Switching to shore power — so that ships can hook up to the electric grid instead of idling their engines in port — would stop tons of unnecessary and life-threatening pollution, which is equal to thousands of cars idling.
The Port Authority and the Environmental Protection Agency have obtained $15 million in funding to build the necessary infrastructure. However, for shore power to become a reality, the Economic Development Corporation, which operates the cruise terminal, Carnival Cruise Lines which uses the terminal, and New York Power Authority, which delivers electricity to the terminal, need to come to a final agreement about the price of electricity.
Join us on Monday to rally for an agreement now, so the work needed to bring shore power to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal can begin and idling cruise ships stop choking Brooklyn!

• What: Tour of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal
• When: Monday, January 3rd, noon
• Where: corner of Van Brunt Street and Pioneer Street

Councilmember Lander and Senator Squadron
For more info, check out a comprehensive post on the topic at A View From the Hook as well as this article from the South Brooklyn Post.

Cobble Hill Congresswoman shines

Amidst the rush of the holidays, we never got to post this little gem....
I caught a tweet from @SailorX, a Capitol Hill producer for NBC News, who said Fox News was reporting Cobble Hill's own congressional rep Nydia Velaquez was the very last member to come in and vote on the 9-11 first responders' health care bill. Why wasn't our rep one of the very first to come and vote for such a critical NYC issue? Was she simply taking her time for no reason? Absolutely not...

"Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) was the last member to come in and vote....just before they closed it around 5:38 pm. She was wearing sweat pants and New Balance track shoes, no coat and crying. I asked her why it was so important for her to come back.

"I was torn between two important things that I care about," Velazquez said fighting back tears. "My mother and the 9-11 responders."

Velazquez says her 90-year-old mother is in San Juan and suffering from bleeding ulcers. Velazquez said her plane landed at 5:20 pm and she came directly to the Capitol to vote. She will return to Puerto Rico tomorrow morning." (Read more: http://gretawire.blogs.foxnews.com/i-want-you-to-see-this-rep-nydia-velazquez/#ixzz19evE3XJn)

If you'd like to reach out and thank the Congresswoman directly, visit her website for contact info.
http://www.house.gov/velazquez/contact/index.html

Mulchfest 2011 at Cobble Hill Park

Christmas is over but you can still put your tree to good use. Recycle it!
The citywide Mulchfest is just around the corner...

HOLIDAY TREE RECYCLING
@ Cobble Hill Park (Clinton Street at Verandah Place)
Saturday, January 8
Sunday, January 9

9:30  am – 1:30 pm

Wreaths and garlands cannot be accepted. Please remove lights and decorations. No artificial trees!
 

Mulch bags will be available for those wishing to take mulch for their gardens or tree pits.

Sponsored by: Cobble Hill Tree Fund, Cobble Hill Association, Friends of Cobble Hill Park, and Boy Scout Troops 213 & 815

Three Quick Links

Reminder... tomorrow is Cobble Hill Caroling at Christ Church.

Monday... is a public meeting on housing at BK Bridge Park. The public is invited, though no testimony will be taken.

And unfortunately, from here on out it seems one of Cobble Hill's most unique treasures will be closed off - the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. The Cobble Hill Association enjoys the Tunnel's history and looks forward to a day when it is re-opened.

Cobble Hill Caroling

It's holiday time again... and no matter what you're celebrating this year, our local church welcomes you to join in spreading some cheer for the

ANNUAL COBBLE HILL COMMUNITY CAROL SING!

Sunday - December 19th @ 4:00 p.m.
Meet at Christ Church, corner of Kane and Clinton.

PS 29 Holiday Toy Drive

PS 29 is hosting a community-wide toy drive to make sure all children receive an age-appropriate gift during this holiday season. The Cobble Hill community can make a tax deductible donation by dropping a new, unwrapped gift for a school-aged child (grades K through 12th) in the PS 29 lobby.

This toy drive will be benefit two local community centers; the Warren Street Center for Children and Families (a community center in the Cobble Hill/Gowanus neighborhood serving 150 low-income and immigrant children and their families) as well as The Red Hook Community Service Center (providing an array of services to children and adults living in the Red Hook neighborhood, including training, counseling and job placement).

Donations can be left in the main office of PS29, 425 Henry Street, by December 20.

Posted by Dave 'Paco' Abraham at 12/13/2010 10:01:00 AM

Atlantic Ave Tunnel's Screening Derailed

Yesterday's planned film event in the Cobble Hill treasure known as the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel was unexpectedly shut down. Brooklyn Historic Railway Association head Bob Diamond was working with Rooftop Films, who recently announced this statement (via Gothamist) 

"We received a phone call from Battalion Chief Martorana of the New York Fire Department telling us that they were insisting that we cancel this weekend's events in the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. The Brooklyn Historic Railway Association has been running tours in the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel for years....Unfortunately, the FDNY has informed us that at this time they do not feel that it is not safe for any number of people to have access to the tunnel."

In addition to this special Rooftop films event, the tunnel offered monthly tours and was soon to be filmed in depth for national TV when its founder, Bob Diamond, said just last week "National Geographic TV is going to start shooting the one hour Atlantic Avenue Tunnel documentary this weekend! It's expected to air in November, 2011." Not sure how FDNY's new opinions affect all of those decisions but the CHA will offer any updates it can. 

UPDATE!!! Just got word from Bob Diamond that there may not actually a Fire Chief Martorana at FDNY.  Did someone impersonate a city official? Gothamist explores the question a bit here... http://gothamist.com/2010/12/11/diamond_speaks_out_about_tunnel_clo.php
Image via http://www.undercity.org/photos/AtlanticAve/index.htm

Support your school = EAT SOME PIE!!

Eat Pie and Shop at PS29’s Annual Holiday Fair/Pie Social

****Pie! Shopping! Movies! Crafts!****

Brooklyn, NY – On December 5 from 11am to 5pm, PS 29 in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, will host the second annual “Eat Pie and Shop” Holiday Gift Fair and Pie Social, to benefit the school. Proceeds from this family-friendly Holiday event will support the school’s PTA.

The Pie Social is sure to be a delicious and entertaining afternoon event with local bakers – both amateurs and professionals – supplying a wide array of pies. For a $5 tasting ticket the public can sample a piece of pie of their choosing. Be assured this event is not only for those with a sweet tooth, the pies will cover all categories including fruit, creamy, savory and nut, so shoppers can come to shop, eat lunch and get dessert!

The pie competition will be an afternoon highlight. Bakers are invited to bring pies to be judged by parents and a panel of celebrity judges. The panel will include Gail Simmons, Food & Wine and “Top Chef,” Dannielle Kyrillos, “Top Chef: Just Desserts,” François Payard, co-owner of François Payard Bakery, François Chocolate Bar and Payard, Jeff Lederman, owner of Bocca Lupo, Strong Place and Nectar, and Brooklyn’s own Borough President, Marty Markowitz. The winner will receive a gift package from Food & Wine, a Payard Gift Box and Silver Pie Server donated by Fork & Pencil and bragging rights for the year! Judging will take place at 1pm.

The Gift Fair will highlight local artisans, craftspeople and merchants, and promises to provide a huge variety of handmade, local and sustainable gift-giving choices, from jewelry, to clothing from Half Pint Citizens to hand made and classic toys from Fork & Pencil. More than twenty different vendors will be displaying and selling their wares.

And while you shop, Rooftop Films will show a selection of independent short films for kids continually throughout the day. Tickets to the movies are $2. In addition, children can make free holiday crafts – perhaps an ornament, sachet or a frame as a present for Mom and Dad. To quench their thirst, kids and adults can both enjoy delicious and refreshing egg creams from Brooklyn Farmacy. There will also be plenty of Stumptown coffee on hand!

Eat Pie and Shop will have a donation bin for Toys for Tots hand collected by our US Marines! Consider purchasing toys for donation from Fork & Pencil (net proceeds go to PS29). Donation guidelines: Unwrapped, new and no stuffed animals or military toys. Visit toysfortotsnyc.org. Big Apple Circus will also be on hand with giveaways and a FREE raffle of a family four-pack of tickets to this season's all-new show, Dance On!

Melanie Raneri Woods, Principal of PS 29, said, “We are thrilled to host the second annual Eat Pie and Shop event. The event was such an amazing success last year and I am positive this year’s will be even bigger. It’s refreshing in the midst of all the holiday craze to have an event where children and adults can spend some time together and at the same time support the fabulous efforts of our school community.”

Eat Pie and Shop will be held on Sunday, December 5, from 11am to 5pm, at PS 29, 425 Henry Street, between Baltic and Kane Street. For more information on the event, including a list of all vendors and information on how to enter a pie, please visit www.eatpieandshop.org.

Cobble Hill Speaks out AGAINST Housing

This NY1 news report gave less than a minute to a project the neighborhood's been working on for over 20 years. Despite the brevity, they've got the point. Cobble Hill Association is firmly AGAINST plans to include housing in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
http://brooklyn.ny1.com/content/top_stories/129844/brooklyn-bridge-park-condo-plan-draws-fire

For more background see the CHA blog's previous post here, or check out coverage from our A Walk in the Park, or our friends at Pardon me for Asking in their post with video of several speeches "Public Park Or Private Enclave? Last Night's Public Hearing On Alternatives To Housing In Brooklyn Bridge Park"

Gowanus Toy Drive

Word just came in that our neighbors at the Gowanus Neighborhood Association, in partnership with Councilmember Stephen Levin, are launching their 1ST ANNUAL TOY DRIVE.

Gowanus is an economically strained community and most of the children in the development are from low income/ at-risk households and unfortunately may not get any presents this year. In today's economy everyone's finances are limited, but we're asking all who can, donate or contribute at least one gift to an underprivileged child, boys & girls aged 1-12 years old. All gifts should be safe, unopened, & dropped at the councilman's district office at 410 Atlantic Ave at Bond St, M-F, 10a-5p. For more info contact Betty Lester at bejay919@yahoo.com or 718-243-1252.

- - - And while we're sharing news from Cobble Hill's neighboring communities, check out the Brooklyn Eagle's update on our friends in Boerum Hill in their pursuit for landmark status to their district. The CHA fully supports their efforts to preserve a historic feel and keep development limited to the appropriate pedestrian scaled 50 foot limit we all enjoy.
http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=31&id=39767