Author: GreenpointBlog

Summer is here, and that means the North Brooklyn Boat Club is taking participants on their free public paddles!

These informal trips will take you on a tour of Newtown Creek toward the East River. Trained guides from NBBC will instruct groups to work together on a paddle, which are free and open to everyone.

Taking these trips is a great way to learn about the neighborhood and the history of the bodies of water that surround Greenpoint.

Here’s the rest of the public paddle schedule for this summer:

• Saturday, July 30 from 12 to 4 p.m.

• Saturday, August 26 from 12 to 4 p.m.

• Saturday, September 24 from 12 to 4 p.m.

The mass shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida, killed 49 people and injured more than 50 others. Many are calling it the worst shooting in U.S. history.

The tragedy took a personal turn when authorities discovered one of the 49 victims was Enrique Rios, a Williamsburg native who went to Orlando to celebrate a friend’s birthday.

Rios was a social worker who took personal care of elderly people. His mother, Gertrude Merced, described him as a loving person.

“His motto was that no matter how old they get, they should never be forgotten,” Merced said. “They have their experiences in life and they should be taken care of, always.”

Residents of Williamsburg and northern Brooklyn celebrated and honored his life at a recent vigil at Borinquen Plaza, where he was born. Read more about Rios, his life and the vigil here.

Who let the dogs out?

All of Greenpoint and Williamsburg’s dog owners can now finally rejoice after park officials opened up a dog run at East River State Park.

The dog run will be an enclosed space where your dog can run, play, exercise and mingle with other dogs. Councilman Stephen Levin allocated money to this facility as part of his participatory budgeting process a few years ago, and the state Parks and Recreation department followed through.

Now you can take your dog for a morning run, enjoy the beautiful views of the waterfront and have a great time!

It’s hard to believe that 110 years ago, the Greenpoint YMCA was born.

In 1887, the Y opened a storefront location on Greenpoint Avenue. In 1903, the Greenpoint Y joined up with the Brooklyn YMCA Association because they needed a larger facility to serve the Greenpoint community.

In 1906, the Y broke ground on a 10,000-square-foot lot on Meserole Avenue and Larimer Street. You may recognize the building today because it’s the same facility.

At the time, the building contained a restaurant, four bowling lanes, a swimming pool, a gym and locker room and showers for boys and men.

Fast forward 110 years, and the Greenpoint YMCA is still serving the families of northern Brooklyn, more than 10,000 people each year to be exact.

Please join us in wishing the Greenpoint YMCA a happy 110th birthday!

The North Brooklyn Boat Club is having a fundraiser later tonight. Here’s a chance for you to celebrate the summer with your neighbors, eat good food, jam out to some music and have a great time, all while enjoying a beautiful view.

Tomorrow, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will be conducting its usual maintenance, including cleaning and lubricating expansion joints and trusses on the Williamsburg Bridge. One lane on the outer roadway will be closed a a time.

See below.

Tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Hope Gardens Community Center gym, the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and local elected officials are hosting a tenant resource fair.

It’s a chance for residents to get information on their rights and responsibilities, housing code violations, housing court, protections under the New York State rent stabilization laws, harassment protection, discrimination and more.

Early this morning, the Chase at 794 Manhattan Avenue caught on fire, according to the FDNY.

On the FDNYalerts Twitter page, followers were alerted to a commercial fire on the 1st floor. An hour later, the Twitter account posted that it was under control.

It appears the building wasn’t damaged, just the sign, which has to be removed, according to media reports. No injuries have been reported by authorities.

Celebrate the start of summer by grabbing a drink with the Greenpoint Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, June 21 at 6 p.m.

Bring a non-Chamber friend, meet new people and help spread the word about the benefits of joining your local chamber. Brooklyn Bowl will provide drinks, food and a wonderful view!

The event will be at The Trailer, located at 29 N 10th Street at Kent Avenue.

RSVP is required here.

Enjoy “The Adventures of Priscilla Queens of the Desert,” free tonight at the McCarren Park Pool Deck, courtesy of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.