Barbecues in Prospect Park?

ste3021878

We always thought that barbecues were legal only
in certain designated areas. Yet, this summer we've
noticed them all over Prospect Park. Last night we counted
at least twelve barbecues near the GAR end of the
lawn, steps away from an NYPD parked patrol car. There's
also a lot more trash and litter.
Have the regulations changed?

homeowner

No, the regs have not changed.
Yes, more people are barbecuing all over the park.
No, more resources have not been allocated for clean-ups.
Yes, the city appears to be turning a blind eye to this.

Perhaps a side-effect of the size of the park?

arches

BBQ's are allowed on the northern end of the lawn, near GAP entrance.

See map (click on bbq areas box):
http://www.prospectpark.org/visit/interactive_map

meredithb

homeowner wrote: Perhaps a side-effect of the size of the park?

Nothing to do with the size of the park.

If anything, blame the recession.

But most likely it's just the general sense of apathy which is instilled in most NYPD and Parks Department employees.

chekhovian

i've always blamed excessive barbequing on recessions.

bezierboy

In general, I've noticed after six years of living in Brooklyn and going to Prospect Park frequently that the cops and parks dept. folks there are indeed pretty darn apathetic about anything other than the most blatantly annoying park rule violations. If people seem to be having a good time and not bothering each other they let folks alone to do their thing. It is a park where people go to recreate and not be stressed by the typical city crap like being ordered around.

I can't really say more so or less so this year based on my own observations, but I've been hearing a lot of complaints about the park being messier. There do seem to be periodic "enforcement campaigns" where the cops sweep through and bust a zillion people for minor crap, but that tends to be "community response" policing, i.e. people do things that piss others off to the point where they complain to the cops. Off-leash dogs seem to be a hot button issue, even during their designated hours (7-9 am I believe.) BBQ-ing falls into the live and let live category, at least until people leave piles of trash behind that don't get picked up.

Do not get me (or the other regulars here) started again about the bikers vs. joggers vs. rambling clueless packs on the track loop. As a bicyclist I can see things one way (too many pedestrians not paying any attention to staying out of the bike lanes) but the Tour de France packs of speed maniacs can put even me off with their testosterone-addled right-of-way-ism.

ste3021878

Thanks for the interactive map link - as noted, the
area close to GAP is a barbecue-designated zone.

brooklyn59

The Park is a mess and very frustrating. I can't imagine making a BBQ is cheaper than cooking on a gas stove. Please enlighten me.

meredithb

I meant, blam the recesion for the lack of enforcement.

I believe that BBQing live and let live, however there are rules, and these rules can be enforced at any given time (most likely the one day I am to have a BBQ).

Look, we here were going to have a BBQ in the park, but people raised the issue that BBQing was not allowed in the Nethermead. So we didn't have a BBQ but instead had a picnic. Meanwhile people were BBQing all around us. Cops even drove by one man BBQing directly under a small tree and didn't say a word.

So if there are rules then enforce them all the time not just periodically.

That's the problem with cops, they pick and chose what they want to enforce and when.

Which can lead one to believe that they are being picked on because of some bias/discrimination.

IMO

brooklyn59

Nothing wrong with a BBQ I just wish people would clean up...as far as I can see these people are pigs who expect someone else to clean up after them.

brooklyn59

Nothing wrong with a BBQ I just wish people would clean up...as far as I can see these people are pigs who expect someone else to clean up after them.

hexatron

MeredithB wrote:
So if there are rules then enforce them all the time not just periodically.

That's the problem with cops, they pick and chose what they want to enforce and when.

Which can lead one to believe that they are being picked on because of some bias/discrimination.

IMO

off-topic, but this is my problem with riding a bike... the laws say one thing, yet everyone does (and is expected to do) something different. people routinely break traffic laws on their bikes in front of police, but you never know when one will feel like issuing a ticket.

santa

let people cook food where they want to cook food

what is this Nazi Germany?

lo kee

Santa wrote: let people cook food where they want to cook food

what is this Nazi Germany?

As long as it is food that I like.

dw438

And now there's word that the Spike Lee-sponsored Michael Jackson birthday tribute may be moved to Prospect Park.
You think the earlier debacle this year was bad - non-permitted promoter trashes park - wait for this one!
http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/32/34/32_34_jf_wacko_jacko.html

ste3021878

Subject: The other event

Someone mentioned that a group had taken over the Park earlier this summer. We were away on vacation that weekend but one of my neighbors does volunteer work in the Park and she says it happened on a Sunday. The group didn't have permits but they had multiple bbqs, booze and a sound system. The Park staff and the police did not stop the party which attracted hundreds of people.

According to my neighbor, the group didn't clean up afterwards and it took days to pick up the trash and the garbage. She heard that the Park leaders were suing the group to reclaim the cost of the clean up.

Can anyone confirm these details?

xlizellx

http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=52042