John Street park features new waterfront parkland, including pedestrian bridges over a tidal salt marsh, tree-lined pathways, and a 13,000-square-foot gathering lawn. Additionally, visitors can enjoy new pedestrian entrances at John Street, Pearl Street, and via a bridge over the East River at the foot of Jay Street.
The renovated Main Street park boasts a lush, expanded lawn, elevated granite plaza, an upgraded dog run, new entrance at Washington Street and a bouldering wall for climbers of all skill levels.
It also features an education center with12-ft ceilings and a glass wall overlooking the East River. The Center will contain two signature exhibits: a marine aquarium and a Discovery Station. The 500-gallon display aquarium designed will showcase fish collected from the East River during the Conservancy’s popular seining programs. The aquarium will also contain a child-friendly touch tank where visitors can gently interact with marine animals from the Hudson River Estuary. Featuring a 9’ scale model of Brooklyn Bridge Park, an interactive discovery station will provide an in-depth look at the park’s ecology, history and sustainable design. Child-friendly modules will showcase the birds, fish, insects, plant life and geology of Brooklyn Bridge Park. While the public hours have not been set yet, the education classes will be geared to kids grades K-12. With the opening of the Center and public hours, they will be able to serve a greater range or students and community members.
