If you are following the Residential Parking Permit debate, here's some must-read blog discussions and a very interesting report:

http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/2151#comments

http://download.brooklynchamber.com/DBC/Brooklyn_Residential_Permit_Parking.pdf

It looks as though the New York City DOT is taking some very sensible new directions with regard to bicycle and pedestrian safety in Manhattan. The good news for us is that the exact same things they are trying on Ninth Avenue in Chelsea we have also recommended in our Community Plan--buffered bike lanes and bulb-out crossings (pedestrian refuges). See the NY Times article from Sunday's 9/23/07 paper:  

A Busy City Street Makes Room for Bikes

Our group's plan (presented by Mandy Harris, Tom Angotti, and a few other active group members) will finally get a hearing with DOT and City Planning this fall. Bill de Blasio has recently promised to set up those meetings and attend them with us. Keep posted on these events by joining the email discussion group (link on home page). 

If you haven't seen the plan, a new summary of the salient details is available here.

Here is a slideshow and two short movie clips from the party so you can either re-live the moment or see what you missed (rather large downloads, but worth it):

Slideshow -2 sizes: smaller- (21.6MB) Quicktime or  larger - (36.55MB) Quicktime  

Movie Clip 1 (26.81MB) AVI
Movie Clip 2 (29.39MB) AVI
 

The first ever Neighborhood Block Party on Kermit Place was hugely successful. Neighbors and their kids came out to enjoy the day, eat some food, win some prizes, and play and dance in the street. Thanks to everyone who helped to make the block party so much fun. There's already talk of next year.

Special thanks to Alla Umanskaya, head librarian at the Windsor Terrace Branch library and her fantastic staff for the great kids activities and to local DJ Chicken for the music. All the other individuals who put in full days of work have already been acknowledged via the email list (great job, everyone!), but I want to publically thank the following businesses for their support in donating raffle prizes and other goods:

• Caton Avenue One Stop Market (Caton Ave at E. 7th Street) (juice, syrup, water and cups for breakfast)
• Shenanigan's Bar (Caton Ave at E. 7th Street) (wine and liquor raffle items)
• Slope Cellars (7th Ave at 14th Street) (wine raffles)
  
• Natural Frontier Market (Cortelyou Road near Stratford) ($50 Gift Certificate)
• Kensington Stables (Carriage Ride)
• Wiley Publishing (via Julie Kerr) (Cookbooks)
• The Sesame Workshop (via June Reich) (Sesame Street toys and books)
• J & L Landscaping (Caton Ave at E. 7th Street) (Hanging Plant)
• Louie Fleck (CDs of alieNation by NYC Reggae Collective)
• Suzanne Werner (math tutoring)
  
• Erin O'Leary (gourmet gift basket)

Thanks to Councilmember Bill de Blasio and State Senator Eric Adams for stopping by to say hi. 

Limited sizes still available--just ask!

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