On the True Saviors of Von King Park — the Largest Greenspace in North Brooklyn

Rumor — steeped more in truth than fantasy — abounds around the formation of a Herbert Von King Park Conservancy, modeled after the New York Central Park Conservancy. Some would think: “Oh, the park has come of age.”  Our Time Press feels conservancy promoters need to do some homework, and we’re here to help. So …

Our Time Press asks: If a conservancy is an organization that works to develop strategies to conserve natural spaces in an area, will this rumored Von King Park organization be comprised of people who have had a vested interest in the park’s life most of their working lives? People like Lemuel Mial, Sidney Moshette, Yonette Fleming and the social heirs to Almira Coursey, Elsie Richardson, Shirley Chisholm, Hattie Carthan.  Or will it bring in outsiders who have no knowledge of its investor history or even care about it?

This paper has covered the park for nearly a decade in images and text, so in presenting photos of some of its community investors over the years in these upcoming images, we also are suggesting that the community itself, and workers from the past, people who live around the park, are a great wellspring for conservancy membership.  That’s, if it is true!  Meanwhile, we applaud those workers and individuals who have grown the Herbert Von King Park into the attractive botanical that is attracting a new gentry, and so in future issues we will highlight the work of past Tompkins/Von King Park Conservancies, starting with the Almira Coursey years of the 1960s to the present.

In other news, the FDNY, in the midst of celebrations of its 150th year, has responded to our request for answers to questions concerning the closure of the Cultural Arts Center.  They respectfully apologized for the late delivery of answers, with the understandable explanation that they are doing the research necessary to properly respond to our questions.  We will keep you posted.   (Bernice Elizabeth Green)

For more images, visit: www.ourtimeathome.com.