Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 5 Opens To The Public

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — A new swathe of Brooklyn Bridge Park, replete with lawns, winding paths and a picnic area, opened to the public on Thursday.

The opening of the Pier 5 uplands — located at the western end of Joralemon Street — added 3.4 acres of land to the waterside park, officials announced Thursday.

The new parklands are surrounded by a “sound attenuating berm” to maintain a sense of tranquility despite the area’s rowdy neighbors — the Pier 5 sports fields are to the west and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is to the east.

The Pier 5 uplands are now open! Photo by @camilleschaer #brooklynbridgepark #80percentcomplete
A post shared by Brooklyn Bridge Park (@brooklynbridgepark) on Jul 6, 2017 at 1:51pm PDT

The opening, which was attended by local representatives including Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Council Member Stephen Levin, and State Senator Daniel Squadron, means that Brooklyn Bridge Park construction is now 80 percent complete.

“Parks and recreational spaces are places for serenity and healing, and we should expand access to them for all Brooklynites,” said Adams. “I hope all Brooklynites take advantage of this beautiful space and its wonderful views of the Brooklyn Bridge.”

“The Pier 5 uplands are bringing even more parkland to one of New York’s world-class waterfront parks,” said Squadron. “Brooklyn Bridge Park continues to be a wonderful part of New York’s Harbor Park — a Central Park for the center of our city.”

“Creating more green space for the community to enjoy is no small feat,” said Council Member Stephen Levin. “Acre by acre, an accessible oasis from the hustle and bustle of city living is taking shape.”

Header photo courtesy of Ingfbruno/Wikimedia Commons