The Bed-Stuy Fish Pond Has Been Filled In With Cement

BROOKLYN, NY — The Bed-Stuy fire hydrant goldfish pond that delighted the internet this summer has been filled in with cement.

Mike Morra, a Bed-Stuy local and fan of the pond, found the cement still wet at 8 a.m. on Friday, with all of the figurines from the water lined up on the sidewalk.

"This morning, I was taking the dog for a walk again and noticed NYPD and caution tape, so we went and checked [it] out, and it was freshly filled with cement," Morra, who posted a video of the filled-in pond on Instagram, said. "I think it was a fun thing that brought joy to the neighborhood [and] city over the summer, but I think it makes sense that it was filled as we near frost season — there was no way to protect the fish, to my knowledge at least."

It's been a chaotic week at the fish pond. On Tuesday, the fire hydrant providing a steady dribble of water to the pond was shut off by Fire Department officials during a routine inspection, killing dozens of little orange fish, organizers said on social media.

After that, organizers galvanized and dug the pond nearly a foot deeper into the ground, winterizing it with a professional-grade pond liner, bricks and caulking. Vance Brooks, a Bed-Stuy resident, told Patch on Thursday the organizers also had plans to add a heater and shelter to winterize the pond.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for paving the pond over.

"A lock has been installed to prevent the hydrant from leaking further, and new concrete has been poured to ensure pedestrian safety," a spokesperson for the department said. "We’re looking forward to working with community members to find an appropriate alternative location for this impromptu gem, including in a community garden half a block away."

The article has been updated to include a statement from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.