HELP ENSURE REAL GOWANUS WATER ACCESS

Take 2 minutes, take these steps. Comments due end of MON., JUNE 22, 2026:

1. Open a new email. Enter this email address: bkspecialevents@parks.nyc.gov

2. Put this in the subject line: COMMENTS ON GOWANUS ESPLANADE - SMITH/9th to BOND STREET-END

3. Enter these comments in the body of the email:

   Dear NYC Parks Department,

   Ensuring real waterfront access along the Gowanus Canal is of great importance to me and to the longterm future of our unique neighborhood. I am concerned that these two esplanade segments are being segregated in their consideration from the rest of the Public Place waterfront park site and the waterfront esplanade of the private site immediately north of Huntington.

   I request that NYC Parks:

   1) design and install means of safe Gowanus Canal ingress/egress along the waterfront at both the foot of Bond Street and near Smith/9th for anyone who might fall into the water from a bridge, the shoreline, or a vessel,

   2) install public docks for small vessel use along the waterfront (see 2nd Street dock further up the Canal as an example) at both the foot of Bond and at the Smith/9th esplanade site,

   3) require that any pedestrian bridge built across the main channel of the Gowanus Canal be moveable and not fixed (ie, all bridges over the main channel must be able to move to permit full navigation of the Canal by large vessels to maintain the federal superfund remedy all the way to the head of the Canal), and

   4) make some portion of the Smith/9th or foot of Bond Street sites maritime capable aka suitable bulkhead, bollards, cleats, no/removeable fencing for gangways (visiting historic, educational, or scientific vessels should be able use our waterfronts occasionally alongside parks uses onshore).

   Thank you for your consideration.

   Respectfully,

4. Add your name and address at the end. Push send!