On a warm Sunday in December, we had our last leaf raking clean up in Cadman Plaza Park. Special thanks to the volunteers and board members who participated!
Veterans Day
In honor of the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII, the Cadman Park Conservancy hosted a Covid-safe Veteran’s Day ceremony at the Brooklyn War Memorial in Cadman Park, celebrating the over 300,000 heroic men and women in the borough of Brooklyn who served in World War II. Our special guest speaker Kristen Rouse, NYS Veterans Services Deputy Director for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and the President & Founder of the NYC Veterans Alliance, presented our honoree, Brooklyn WWII Veteran US Navy WAVE Katherine Horton, with an award from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Office of Veteran’s Affairs. Katherine was accompanied by her daughter Sandra Emanuel.
We honored US Navy veteran Katherine Horton, who was the first of three African American women to study at the US Naval Medical Center in Bethesda during the war and who turned 100 this past October. Katherine continued to serve at the Navy Yard after the war, eventually becoming a rehabilitation therapist helping veterans through her work at the VA hospital in Brooklyn. Last year, with the support of NY State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, Katherine was inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame.
The Conservancy was grateful that World War II veterans Jack Vanasco and Norman Wasserman were also in attendance. Special thanks to our elected officials Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, Borough President Eric Adams, and Councilmember Stephen Levin for their heartfelt speeches. And a very special thank you to our former Conservancy President, Toba Potosky for his tremendous help with organizing this meaningful event.
The Cadman Park Conservancy is committed to the long-awaited reopening of our Brooklyn War Memorial.
Girl Scouts
Towards the end of October, the Cadman Park Conservancy hosted our local Packer Girl Scout Troop #2838. The Girl Scouts planted 300 crocus bulbs donated to the Conservancy by Partnership For Parks. The following week they came back and installed a sign they made: Spread LOVE the Brooklyn Way. Thank you to the Girl Scouts for helping to care for and beautify our park!
Dogs on Astroturf is Prohibited
The Conservancy has received many complaints about dogs running off their leashes on the astroturf. This ongoing problem has prohibited the use of the field for its intended use. As signage in the park states, dogs are prohibited from being on the astroturf at all times. The Parks Department will be monitoring and giving fines to people in noncompliance.