Update #1 — Why We’re Coming Together at Green Central Knoll
We’re just neighbors who care about this park and want it to feel good again. Our first big goal is pushing for a designated dog-run area — something structured, safe, and supported by both the community and NYC Parks. We believe bringing consistent, positive activity back to that corner will make a huge difference for everyone who uses the park, not just dog owners.
If you’ve spent any time in Green Central Knoll lately, you’ve probably noticed the same thing a lot of us have: that quiet, empty corner of the park just doesn’t feel right anymore.
For years, neighbors and their dogs used that space daily. It brought a steady flow of people, laughter, movement — the kind of energy that makes a park feel alive. Once that area closed, the change was immediate. Fewer families passed through. Fewer dogs. Fewer people in general. And with that came more of the stuff no one wants in their neighborhood park: loitering, safety concerns, and an overall sense that the space is being used less and less by the community it was meant for.
So a bunch of us started talking and before long, Friends of Green Central Knoll was born.
We’re just neighbors who care about this park and want it to feel good again. Our first big goal is pushing for a designated dog-run area — something structured, safe, and supported by both the community and NYC Parks. We believe bringing consistent, positive activity back to that corner will make a huge difference for everyone who uses the park, not just dog owners.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been:
Reaching out to the Council Member’s office and NYC Parks
Talking with groups who’ve already done this in Brooklyn
Gathering signatures and stories from neighbors
Collecting data and documenting what’s been happening in the park
Organizing the beginnings of cleanups and stewardship teams
It already feels like momentum.
And honestly? It’s been really nice meeting people who love this park as much as we do.
This blog is where we’ll share what’s happening — the progress, the meetings, the small wins, the things we learn, and the ways you can get involved if you want to. Some posts might be polished; some might be quick updates typed on a phone after a long day. That’s the vibe. We’re figuring this out together.
If you’re here reading this, thank you. Truly.
This only works because neighbors are showing up, speaking up, and pushing for something better.
More soon — and we hope to see you in the park.
— Friends of Green Central Knoll