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The Lovgren Award & Atlantic Yards

Last night, at the Park Slope Civic Council (PSCC) annual meeting, I was honored with the Lovgren Volunteer Award, named for George Lovgren, a Park Sloper who helped save a firehouse from closing in the early 1960s. Lumi Rolley, a PSCC trustee and the main force behind NoLandGrab, introduced the award, along with outgoing PSCC President Lydia Denworth.

(There are two Lovgren awards given annually. Kim Maier of Old Stone House won the Lovgren Professional Award.)

George Lovgren, 2007?

I had wondered whether there was any connection between the Lovgren's activities and my efforts to examine Atlantic Yards. At first, I didn't think so, but I found a thread.

As I said:
I didn't know much about George Lovgren until I learned about this award and went to a panel at Borough Hall--about Brooklyn in the 1970s and 80s--and heard [activist and former Assemblyman] Joe Ferris talk about how he and Lovgren and some others challenged the conventional wisdom and helped save Park Slope.

My work may not be in the direct tradition of George Lovgren. I'm not trying to save a firehouse. And I'm not trying to 'save' a neighborhood.

But I am challenging some complacency and conventional wisdom. My service is in-depth watchdog journalism that the market is not providing.


(More, including a photo, from the Gowanus Lounge.)

Conflict note

I've been a member of the PSCC for several years, which means I get the newsletter and volunteer on the annual Park Slope House Tour, but haven't participated in any of their policymaking regarding Atlantic Yards, one-way streets, or other issues. I think I've reported on PSCC deliberations fairly. But I'll add a note about this award to my "About me" page.

Comments

  1. But does it go with your Cape of Invulnerability you received at the Blogfest!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Park Slope Civic Council is apparently a cape-free environment.

    ReplyDelete

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