The mission of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund is to provide facts to the public about the park being planned on the east river; to advocate for recreation and cultural experiences within this park that all Brooklynites can participate in; and to defend the idea and practice of a public park against the interests of commercial developers and others who wish to use this public land for anything beyond park-like uses including private housing.

The funds we raise will support the 100% volunteer efforts of our board, and committee members, and to pay outside legal counsel in the quest to maximize recreation and green, open spaces in the Brooklyn Bridge Park, and thus, to fulfill our goal of a real park that is accessible to all Brooklynites.

We believe:
-Parks should be open and accessible.
-Parks should have open vistas and welcoming green entrances.
-Parks should not have people living inside their boundaries.
-Parks can help sustain their own park care ­ tree-trimming, grass filling and mowing, trash pick up and passive security ­ but must not be asked to fund any expenses for which the NYPD, the DOS or DOP should reasonably be responsible for, or for the costs for which our taxes should be applied, like for the park's long-term capital maintenance costs.
-The original 13 Guiding Principles developed by the community should be used to plan the park.
-Parks should have the amenities that make it an attractive and compelling destination including recreation and cultural activities.

What the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund Platform

We're fighting to achieve the public vision of a park that attracts the world with spectacular views, honors the world's favorite bridge and serves our park-deprived borough. We will not allow community plans ­ initiated to preempt housing on the piers and refined over 20 years -- to be perverted by State political cronies to allow 1,250 housing units in the park, forever privatizing precious public space, all to enable a favored developer fast-track conversion of a waterfront industrial building into residences.

1) We need to legislatively designate all land within the BBP site as parkland under the ownership and management of the City or State parks agencies. We will not settle for the frills of a landscaped setting for multi-million dollar condo towers with their roads, private facilities, and yachting marina, which is demarked by costly floating walkways all paid for by taxes that could otherwise be used for real public recreation.

2) We need to put park management in the hands of park professionals, who work with the community to create and maintain attractive and lively public spaces with active sports and cultural events, eateries and attractions that are easy to reach by walking, bike, transit as well as by car. We cannot capitulate to the autocratic, business-first Empire State Development Corporation to take over all waterfront properties, including even existing City and State parks, and use its formidable powers of condemnation and contracting to hand out 99-year leases for non-park uses wherever it pleases. We cannot count on after-the-fact approvals by a Public Authority Control Board to protect community interests.

3) We need an independent fiscal analysis of the alleged costs and revenues of the State plan that are used to justify the need for revenue from housing in the park. We must not allow the original concept of a "self-sustaining" park, one generating enough funds from park-like activities to keep the park "clean and green," to be distorted with the cooked up obligation of bearing the burden of pier replacement and the annualized cost of rebuilding the entire park. Such long term costs are not part of annual budgets of other public works or other new City parks.
4) We need to take action against the shoddy environmental review and back-room deals that are steamrolling environmental and building permits and requests for bids to allow a growing number of in-park residential buildings. We cannot allow creating an enclave of wealthy residents who will wield inordinate political power to restrict park activities they view as intrusive. And whose cars will take over scarce parking needed for other park activities and generate 60% of the auto trips that will back up traffic across the Brooklyn Bridge. We need to return to the 2001 General Concept Plan agreed upon by all elected officials and civic leaders in accord with the community's 13 Guiding Principles, which promoted a broadly accessible recreational facility without housing, and with long sought recreational facilities for all New Yorkers-like a soccer field and swimming pool-and lively restaurants and outdoor performances that can generate park upkeep revenues.