BBeautiful, architectural and relaxing are the three words people use most frequently to describe Brooklyn Bridge Park. However, both visitors and the park management are seeking improvements.
Brooklyn Bridge Park has summer park survey volunteers collecting information from visitors and tourists. The park also has the volunteers count the number of people entering and exiting. The survey takers have responded positively and given suggestions.
After the shipping business declined, the warehouses and piers mn the waterfront were abandoned. They were demolished in 2008 when the city began the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The park provides various programs for children and adults. For adults, the park offers events in arts, culture, recreation, education and environment. For children, the park presents program,such as family volunteer day, wildlife theater and seining. Children play in the sprinklers, and women sunbathe in swimsuits on the lawn. (For more information, go to brooklynbridgepark.org.)
Every surveyor gets a training session from volunteer coordinator Sarah Ward before asking visitors to fill out the surveys. The surveyor receives a folder that includes survey script, survey, map, park rules and information. The script offers a guide on how to ask people to fill out surveys in a friendly way. Sometimes surveyor and survey taker make a deal. The volunteers helps take a picture of the survey taker and his/her friend, and the survey taker completes the survey.
Most people are willing to fill out the surveys because they like the park. But some people don’t fill them out because they are in a hurry or don’t know much about the park.
Anita Aboulafia said that she appreciated that the park valued her opinion. She suggested that the park put in bike paths and more bike racks.
Corinne Grays was sitting alone on a bench in a shaded area. She needed to take two buses to get to the park. She loved to stay for seven hours to relax and enjoy the park. She recommended the park add more more amenities, such as restaurants and food carts.
Most people are comfortable with the questions in the surveys. However Ronnie B. was outraged by two questions. He felt the questions about household income and level of education were too personal.
“[The park] is not for the middle class, it’s only [for] the rich,” Ronnie B. said. He indicated he liked the neighborhood, but did not have enough money to afford a house there. “[There is a] need for redevelopment [and] rezoning,” said Ronnie.
The reputation of the Brooklyn Bridge Park attracts people from different parts of the world. Meret Siegenthaler, who was visiting from France, said the surveys would help the managers to get an idea of what kind of people are coming to the park so they can develop programs for all park users. She enjoyed sitting on a bench and watching the panorama of the Manhattan skyline.
Hank Forrest and his wife were sitting on a lawn enjoying the landscape. He said that surveys are important for visitors because they allow people to express their opinions. Hank and his wife wishes the park had more trees along the walkway. Hank knew that the park was still developing and wanted to know what plans were for improving the park.
Dan Sharp was sitting on a lawn with his wife and daughter. He said he gets annoyed by the tourists.
Ozlem Bozaci said she did not think the surveys would help the park because she doubted the park administration would take them very seriousl. She suggested dividing paths into three different paths: one for dogs, the second one for cyclists and the third one for people. She said her dissatisfaction about park was the noise came from the Manhattan Bridge’s trains.
Sarah Ward, the volunteer coordinator of Brooklyn Bridge Park said that she s not sure who came up with idea for surveying users. The purpose of the surveys is for the administration of the park to find out how people enjoy the park and which sections of the park users go to the most frequently.