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McCarren Park Pool Controversy
By
Jen Carlson
Published May 25, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Carlson
Published May 25, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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This summer there's a series of (expensive) concerts going on at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn. The site has been closed since 1984, and last year started undergoing renovations. Recently we received the following email from an unhappy local:
This pisses me off. Clear Channel paid off the parks department to take over the McCarren Park pool site for a series of 6-10 $30 concerts (+ $14 service fee) this summer. They "improve the infrastructure", i.e. whitewash all the fierce, precious 1980's graffiti (much already gone thanks to those dance performances, sorry dance people but that wasn't cool). Sure, better electric and other improvements would be great, but why is a private corporation doing that when last year's rezoning mandated McCarren Park and pool renovations?
No community input into the program, or community involvement in the use of the venue. So it brings 6000+ folks, mostly NOT local, to see Tom Petty and "alternative rocks acts". They pillage our hood, our culture, make bank, we see none of it, there goes the neighborhood (again).
Call the the parks department and Councilman Yaasky to complain. He's running for congress, so now's a good time to pipe up.
Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, (212) 360-1311
Councilman David Yaasky, 718-875-5200
The email continues, dropping names like Todd P as being an alternate to organize the shows, bringing in a more community feel to the events, as well as a way to support the many local acts. We're actually kind of psyched to see Iron & Wine and The Secret Machines play the new venue...but we think Todd P totally could have booked them as well, mixed them with some local bands and charged way less.
Related: - McCarren Park Pool is haunted!
- FreeWilliamsburg has a political timeline of the pool, up to 2003.
- Warsaw, another Brooklyn venue, is also a Clear Channel venue
[Photo by Tien]
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adrian benepe
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McCarren Park Pool
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parks commissioner
Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe
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Secret Machines
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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