Brooklyn group asks comptroller to investigate agreement with foundation to bring skate facility to Mount Prospect Park
The $24.8 million Brooklyn Skate Garden project in Mount Prospect Park was founded in joint effort by former Mayor Eric Adams, NYC Parks and the Skate Park Project.
More Stories
The group, Friends of Mount Prospect Park, is asking the comptroller to probe its agreement with the Skate Park Project to bring a 40,000-square-foot skating facility to Mount Prospect Park.
The $24.8 million Brooklyn Skate Garden project in Mount Prospect Park was founded in joint effort by former Mayor Eric Adams, NYC Parks and the Skate Park Project.
Announced in January 2024, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Operations told News 12 that the project will "create more outdoor recreation space and help turn New York City into the skate capital of the East Coast."
News 12 has previously reported people pushing back against the park.
Friends of Mount Prospect Park calls for the investigation after they claim it contradicts the city's Adopt-A-Park law which President of the group Hayley Gorenberg says protects the integrity of the park. Gorenberg says one thing people are concerned about is safety, like sharing walkways with skateboarders.
“Skateboarders will come out of here and they'll do what's called hill bombing because that's a thing you do on slopes. And that ramp is used all day long by people coming in. They're taking little kids to the playground. They're pushing strollers. There are people using mobility aids. There are people walking dogs. So, this is a very well used ramp," said Gorenberg.
She says she's also concerned about the environmental impacts.
“Rolling in construction equipment over root systems of decades old trees, and not only the construction, but what you're left with pouring the concrete will damage potentially kill stunt these trees that took decades to grow here," said Gorenberg.
Organizers say the goal is to expand skating in the city. Parkgoers, like Kingsley Goldr, say she sees both sides.
"Teens really need a place to hang out too. So it's kind of a balance of both worlds kind of coexisting," said Goldr.
Gorenberg says she thinks the project should upgrade a space that is already paved.
“Competent urban planning would preserve our green spaces, keep this beautiful park, enhance the park, protect the park and the trees for everybody to enjoy and build out already paved spaces," said Gorenberg.
News 12 reached out to the New York City Comptroller, Parks Department and the Skate Park Organization but has not yet heard back.
