Brooklyn Bridge Park celebrates nearly 5 million visitors in 2023
The “Movies with a View” film series always draws a crowd to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Here, moviegoers watch “Top Gun.” Photo: John Eng/Brooklyn Bridge Park
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS/DUMBO — Brooklyn Bridge Park, an 85-acre oasis running along the Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO waterfront, welcomed nearly 5 million visitors in 2023, according to the year-end wrap up issued by the park and its Conservancy on Wednesday.
The many visitors, which included both locals and tourists, were attracted to the park for a variety of reasons. Some came just to relax on the lawns, shaded groves and pebbly beach with spectacular views of the waterfront. Others headed to the park to enjoy outdoor recreation (think soccer, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, fishing, kayaking). Many took in the dining at one of the park’s food concessions, or fired up the BBQ at Pier 5’s Picnic Peninsula, with a view of the boats at ONE°15 Brooklyn Marina.
The pickleball courts on Pier 2 are wildly popular. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn Eagle
Families with kids headed for the park’s several playgrounds (including a very popular Water Lab), rode on the restored dancing horses of Jane’s Carousel, or enjoyed attractions like roller skating and ice skating.
And thousands more rolled in for the multitude of Conservancy-led recreational, cultural, volunteer and environmental education programs — including outdoor Movies with a View, waterfront Zumba classes, birdwatching, a fall Harvest Festival, a Wimbledon Watch Party and environmental lab.
A giant on stilts sits atop bales of hay stacked high, part of the 2023 Harvest Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn Eagle
“We’re grateful for the support of our sponsors and partners and our colleagues at Brooklyn Bridge Park for helping us to present a dynamic and diverse season of arts and culture, recreation, and environmental education programming in the Park,” Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy Executive Director Nancy Webster told the Brooklyn Eagle.
“We are busy planning for an even more exciting 2024 season as well as welcoming school groups and families to our education classes and open hours at our Environmental Education Center, which we offer all year long,” she added.
This artwork, “In every language there is Land / / En cada lengua hay una Tierra,” by artist Nicholas Galanin, can be found in the Empire Fulton Ferry section of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn Eagle
New developments in the park
Brooklyn Bridge Park continues to add facilities and attractions. The park recently began building a new green Pier 1 entrance. The structure will include a visitors center and restrooms (there can never be too many).
The new 8,600-square-foot skating rink is tucked under the Brooklyn Bridge in Emily Warren Roebling Plaza. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn Eagle
The park also celebrated the recent opening of Glide Brooklyn Bridge Park ice skating rink and snack bar. The new, 8,600-square-foot skating rink opened in Emily Warren Roebling Plaza on Nov. 15. (The views from the rink, with the iconic Brooklyn Bridge towering overhead and the East River and Manhattan beyond, are awesome.) Brooklyn Public Library opened a new Teen Tech Center at 1 John Street within the park this year. Two new food concessions opened in the park as well.
Next spring, the Museum of Food and Drink will bring exhibits that can be tasted, touched and smelled to Empire Stores, the park said.
The Kite Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park is one of the first activities of the spring season. Photo: John Eng, Brooklyn Bridge Park
‘Constructed ecosystems’ attracts wildlife, too
The number of visitors to Brooklyn Bridge Park is especially impressive considering the relatively small size of the park — 85 acres, vs. the 526-acre Prospect Park, which logged 10 million visits this past year, according to the Prospect Park Alliance.
The site’s seemingly infinite view of river, sky and metropolis, along with its thoughtful use of space and native plantings, however, add an expanse of mental acreage to the physical space.
Quiet nooks and pathways like this one can be found scattered throughout Brooklyn Bridge Park. To the left is a wooden bridge that zigzags to the park from Brooklyn Heights. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn Eagle
The park’s organically-managed “constructed ecosystems” attract a multitude of birds and other wildlife including migrating monarch butterflies and rare bumblebees. A salt marsh with Cordgrass provides a habitat for ducks and other waterfowl, along with crustaceans and bivalves. The vegetation and park edges were specifically designed to survive the occasional flooding the world’s warming temperatures bring.
Kids participated in seining in the waters off Brooklyn Bridge Park. Here they examine what life forms they pulled up. Photo: Alexa Hoyer, Brooklyn Bridge ParkVolunteers participate in a coastal cleanup at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Photo: Wendy Katzman, Brooklyn Bridge ParkThe Water Lab playground in Brooklyn Bridge Park is very popular on warm days. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn EagleBrooklyn Bridge Park hosts the annual Photoville exhibition. Seen here: Part of a “Photo Village” under the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn EagleCatching a quiet moment away from the hustle and bustle, in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn EagleBrooklyn Bridge Park is the setting for numerous community activities, like the annual Night Out Against Crime, seen here. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn EagleBrooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 2 hosts a lively basketball scene. Photo: Mary Frost, Brooklyn Eagle
SUNSET PARK — “As a resident of Marine Park, one of the great surprises I found biking around Industry City and visiting Japan Village was to discover Bush Terminal Park. I continue to be amazed at the serene hideaways that the city offers in some of the busiest places — and, still, with an iconic view.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — ‘A miracle that no one was killed …’ That’s what neighbors are saying about the collapse of the Hotel St. George marquee. Shown in this photograph are workmen beginning the removal and repair of the historic, old neon sign at the corner, referencing a relic of Brooklyn Heights’ past: the St. George Hotel.
ATLANTIC AVENUE — Exhausted shopper with cluster of bags and goods from mall at Boerum Place stops to look at huge construction site across the street. “Is that REALLY going to be a jail??” Her male companion is reassuring, “Nothing like Rikers … this is 21st Century.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — Overheard in line at one of most popular pastry outlets on Montague Street: “Hope I can get them into a camp …” A mother with two pre-schoolers in tow was showing a friend the Dodge Y flyer for Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 18.
