The Fix is In

When the parks department announced that they were going to spend millions of taxpayer's dollars to unnecessarily breach the basin walls and build a road within, the public was, predictably, outraged. Eventually, the outcry from the community, opposition from politicians and thousands of signatures on a petition motivated the NYCDEC to commit to lowering the dam classification of the Ridgewood Reservoir, making the destruction of the berms and interior ecosystems unwarranted. The voice of reason seemed to have won out...until I stumbled on the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation "Highland Park Ridgewood Reservoir Dam Decommissioning" webpage. The page, which was updated as recently as 8/31/16, includes the following "revised" decommissioning plan:

If, in fact, the breaching, tree removal and road building will no longer be necessary, why is the page still active? Why is the parks department updating it without removing that plan? In case they delete it, here is a screengrab of that webpage:

Here's a link to all the postings on this blog about the proposed breaching plan. Why, after nearly two years since the parks department announced that they are abandoning their plans to breach the reservoir basins, does this still exists on their official website with updates to the project timeline and the webpage?

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Another Free Reservoir Tour

NYC H2O
Sunday, August 7, 2016 at 10am
Ridgewood Reservoir Tour with Matt Malina
NYC H2O is offering free tours of the Ridgewood Reservoir to community members and the public.

The Ridgewood Reservoir in Highland Park is a 50+ acre natural oasis that straddles the border of Brooklyn and Queens. Built in 1859 to supply the once independent City of Brooklyn with high quality water, it became obsolete with the addition of new reservoirs in the Catskills in the 1950’s and was decommissioned in the 1980’s. Since then, nature took its course in a perfect case study of ecological succession. A lush and dense forest has grown in its two outside basins while a freshwater pond with waterfowl sits in the middle basin.

Join us to explore this incredible natural resource in the heart of NYC. Please make a reservation. Cost is free.

We will meet in the parking lot at 1 Vermont Place.

Where
Ridgewood Reservoir - 1 Vermont Place, Brooklyn, NY 11207 - View Map

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Free Reservoir Tour

NYC H2O
Sunday, July 31, 2016 at 10:00am
Ridgewood Reservoir Community Tour
NYC H2O is offering free tours of the Ridgewood Reservoir to community members and the public.

The Ridgewood Reservoir in Highland Park is a 50+ acre natural oasis that straddles the border of Brooklyn and Queens. Built in 1859 to supply the once independent City of Brooklyn with high quality water, it became obsolete with the addition of new reservoirs in the Catskills in the 1950’s and was decommissioned in the 1980’s. Since then, nature took its course in a perfect case study of ecological succession. A lush and dense forest has grown in its two outside basins while a freshwater pond with waterfowl sits in the middle basin.

Join us to explore this incredible natural resource in the heart of NYC. Please make a reservation.

We will meet in the parking lot at 1 Vermont Place. Click here to register

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Reservoir Tours by NYC H2O

Ridgewood Reservoir Community Tour
Wednesday July 20 at 6:30pm
Sunday July 24 at 10am

Due to high demand, NYC H2O will be offering two additional free tours of the Ridgewood Reservoir to community members and the public on Wednesday July 20 at 6:30pm and Sunday July 24 at 10am.

The Ridgewood Reservoir in Highland Park is a 50+ acre natural oasis that straddles the border of Brooklyn and Queens. Built in 1859 to supply the once independent City of Brooklyn with high quality water, it became obsolete with the addition of new reservoirs in the Catskills in the 1950's and was decommissioned in the 1980's. Since then, nature took its course in a perfect case study of ecological succession. A lush and dense forest has grown in its two outside basins while a freshwater pond with waterfowl sits in the middle basin.

Join us to explore this incredible natural resource in the heart of NYC.

We will meet in the parking lot at 1 Vermont Place, Brooklyn NY 11207 across the street from the reservoir.

The tour is free but please RSVP here.


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Community Input Meeting

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Highland Park - Ridgewood Reservoir Community Meeting

The following event is organized and sponsored by NYC H2O.

Highland Park - Ridgewood Reservoir Community Meeting

Tuesday April 19 at 7pm

PS 89, 265 Warwick Street, Brooklyn

Child care will be provided (sign up here)

Please join us on Tuesday April 19th. We look forward to your participation in the envisioning of an exciting new future for Highland Park's historic Ridgewood Reservoir. NYC H2O and its collaborating organizations are actively seeking input from community members to discuss future possibilities as well as present challenges around the Reservoir. The currently underutilized Reservoir has the potential to become a center for nature that will contribute to community involvement for years to come.

NYC H2O is a water ecology organization that provides school groups with free field trips to parks and reservoirs. Over the last two years it has taken over 800 students to the Ridgewood Reservoir. This second listening meeting is being organized with the following community organizations: Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, Arts East NY, East NY Farms, North Brooklyn YMCA, Highland Park Ridgewood Reservoir Association, Community Board 5 Brooklyn, Community Board 4 Brooklyn, Community Board 5 Queens, the Brooklyn Borough President's Office, and the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Let's come together to discuss a unique ecological resource for Brooklyn and Queens local residents. Let's create better and safer access to the Reservoir to help realize its full potential as a natural asset to the many communities that use Highland Park.

If you haven't already participated in our Highland Park - Ridgewood Reservoir survey please click here to do so.

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