You know I’ve kept quite silent on this whole Atlantic Yards project, because I know my wife and sister in law are “morally” against the whole idea. So at Sunday dinners in Fort Greene, or the dinner table right here in Kensington, I have basically kept my big Brooklyn mouth shut and just listened. And the reason is I actually want to see a professional arena built in Brooklyn. I mean Keyspan Park is great, and so is that Aviator complex down on Flatbush Avenue. But compare to anything else around those places are basically “little toys” in the real world of pro sports.
Now, don’t get me wrong folks, if someone told me that my house was going to be squashed to build something I don’t think I’d be that happy about it. And maybe I’d even walk around with a Bruce Ratner mask with little devil horns.
But the truth is that whole area down by Pacific Street is a big old rat hole. An ugly scab of a place where “hookers” made their living in the 70’s. So don’t try to sell me any bullshit about how beautiful that area is and how it’s going to be “destroyed” by a sports complex and housing. That area by the train yards is just a place to smash bottles and chase rats around. Because I still ride my bike right through it every day, so yes I see first hand how “wonderful” it is.
I mean one time these protesters were singing "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot". Didn't they know that they were stepping on used condoms and broken glass while they were singing? Boy, the silver tops of those LIRR cars below are sure pretty aren't they? And those steel tracks? Maybe there's something they see in those motorman signals that I don't? Oh no, it's the gravel between the rails that must be paradise. Oh stupid me, that's what it is, the gravel that smells like rat urine.
And guess what, I guarantee you that many of the little kids who live in Park Slope are going to want to go there and see a basketball game someday. And their protesting parents are just going to have to take them. Yeah, that’s the truth and you better get used to it.
Oh, and buy the way my brother in law works for Barclays,
so maybe I'll get some free tickets someday.
And to the No Land Grab people,
see you at the first game!
Ron Lopez
Mopar195@yahoo.com
2 comments:
I agree!
We lived close to where they are planning for for the arena, and I never really understood all of the backlash that this project got. If you asked the people who lived in Fort Greene before the yuppie parade, they would say that they want the development.
Just because someone from Colorado moved to Prospect Heights 8 years ago and claims that they are destroying the neighborhood, doesn't mean that it is really a bad idea.
Is this the Nets arena that billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov is building? I saw the 60 Minutes story about him. I don't live there anymore but I believe it's great news for the area.
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