Greenpoint Star Newspaper

The Kingsland Wildflower team is kicking off their fall artist lecture series this Saturday, October 7th at 3 p.m.

Martynka Wawrzyniak’s latest public art project, “Ziemia: Our Stories Are Written in Soil,” will take the form of a ceramic orb created out of Greenpoint clay and soil, contributed by residents from locations representative of their identities.

The project commemorates the neighborhood’s multicultural identity and will become a center for community programming.

The sculpture will sit atop the meadow garden in McGolrick Park.

Beforehand, Greenpoint historian Geoff Cobb will lead a walking tour from the Kingsland Wildflower green roof to McGolrick Park.

RSVP for this event here.

The 5th annual BK Story Voyager Touch-A-Truck is happening this Saturday, September 30th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event will raise funds to purchase children’s books for the BK Story Voyager, a mobile book distribution system that supports parents and students.

The Touch-A-Truck will have fun trucks, food, face painting, a bouncy house, art making and other activities.

Learn more about the BK Story Voyager here.

Three north Brooklyn playgrounds have been added to the mayor’s Community Parks Initiative, which will invest city funding into the public spaces.

Barlett Playground and Lewis Playground in Bushwick and Penn Triangle in South Williamsburg are all now due for upgrades.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver announced this week that 11 new sites will be added to the portfolio. The city has chosen parks that have received less than $250,000 over the past 20 years.

The playground renovations will now enter the design process this fall.

“When we talk about improving parks in New York City, we’re really talking about improving the lives of New Yorkers,” de Blasio said. “The Community Parks Initiative focuses on parks and neighborhoods that have faced the most historic disinvestment and serve dense, growing populations.”

“Open space equity is an important mission for us to pursue as we week to create safer and more sustainable communities to raise healthy children and families,” added Borough President Eric Adams.

The renovation of McGolrick Park Playground is officially underway.

Our sources say construction started on Monday. The project will reconstruct the playground and add new play equipment, spray showers, pavement, fencing, benches and plantings.

It’s expected to be completed by next September, according to the NYC Parks website’s timeline of the project.

In the meantime, local parents are figuring out a temporary playground space for their children. The space would be fenced off and available for use in a week or two.

Parents have a storage box and can hold some play equipment, including balls, toys and other fun items.

Stay tuned!

The participatory budgeting process has begun again!

Residents of District 33 can help decide how to spend $1 million on public projects on local parks, schools or libraries.

Last year, schools were the big winner, making up four of the six projects that received funding. In last year’s cycle, 3,769 residents voted.

The winning prizes included $218,000 for a STEAM lab at PS 31, new electrical for air conditioning at PS 110, and other upgrades at MS 8, PS 231 and PS 369.

The process begins anew with local neighborhood assemblies, where residents brainstorm and share ideas for projects. Volunteers then break into groups and transform ideas into fully-formed project proposals with details and costs.

Voting will be this spring, both online and at sites across the district. The top projects are funded up to $1 million.

Here’s the remaining schedule for this cycle’s neighborhood assemblies:

• Wednesday, September 20, 6:30 p.m. – Bushwick Inlet Park Headquarters, 86 Kent Avenue
• Tuesday, September 26, 7 p.m. – St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street
• Wednesday, September 27, 6:30 p.m. – Polish/Slavic Center, 176 Java Street.

Join us to celebrate the second season of our green roof and community engagement space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Visitors will explore three flourishing green roofs that have been planted with a mix of indigenous grasses and wildflowers native to the New York landscape, and community organizations will be tabling and running activities to engage families and children. The festival offers access for Brooklyn residents to learn about environmental initiatives while exploring green infrastructure dedicated to native plants and birds.

Activities include:

❁ Tours of green roofs with wildlife and plant experts

❁ Interactive activities for kids and families

❁ Music, food, and beer from local breweries

❁ Partner community organizations discussing local conservation projects

❁ Panoramic views of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens

When? Saturday, September 23rd from 12-4pm

Where?  520 Kingsland Avenue, Greenpoint

Questions?  Email info@kingslandwildflowers.com

You can catch a free screening of Spike Lee’s film “Crooklyn” tonight at several movie theaters or parks in Brooklyn.

“Crooklyn” was chosen by thousands of New Yorkers as the one film they want to watch tonight as part of the One Film, One New York program. It will be shown at parks and theaters across the city.

In North Brooklyn, you can see the movie at the following sites:

• Nitehawk Cinema, 136 Metropolitan Ave. – Screening begins at 9:30 p.m. Line starts at 8:30 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. RSVP is required.
• Williamsburg Cinemas, 217 Grand St. – Screening begins at 1 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. Tickets are available for pick up now at the box office.

In other parts of Brooklyn, watch the film in the following places:

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 445 Albee Square West – Screening begins at 5 p.m. Tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis at the check-in desk.
• BAM Rose Cinemas, 30 Lafayette Ave. – Screening begins at 9;:30 p.m. Seating is limited. Tickets will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Cobble Hill Cinemas, 265 Court St. – Screening begins at 1 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. Tickets are available for pick up at the box office.

Councilman Antonio Reynoso coasted to victory last night in the Democratic primary for City Council.

Seeking a second term, Reynoso, who represents Williamsburg, East Williamsburg, Bushwick and parts of Ridgewood, Queens, collected 6,452 votes, or 64 percent of the total vote, according to the Board of Elections.

His Democratic challenger, district leader and educator Tommy Torres, got 3,527 votes, or 35 percent.

In a district dominated by Democrats, Reynoso will likely retain his seat after November’s general election.

Looking to clean out your closet?

Town Square is hosting a Greencycle Back-to-School Swap next Saturday, September 9, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Leonard Library.

You can drop off or pick up men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, shoes, books, toys, bikes, phones, household items and electronics.

Town Square will take electronics until 2 p.m.

Only cleaned, gently-used and working items will be accepted.

All remaining items are donated to local homeless shelters.

Suggested donation is $10 per family.

Later this afternoon, Assemblywoman Maritza Davila is partnering with the 83rd Community Council to issue free IDs and other school giveaway items to kids in the community.

Local elementary school students can get book bags and school supplies to prepare for the new year.

The event will be held in the yard of the 83rd Precinct at 480 Knickerbocker Avenue from 1 to 3 p.m.

Co-sponsors include McDonald’s, Petro Home Services, Mini Max and Sam the Glazier.