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Greene Acres: Doing the Fort Greene shuffle

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New Fort Greene Association Chairwoman Ursula Hegewisch ran through a laundry list of priorities as she made her debut at the group’s first meeting of the fall on Monday night — and then she promptly got an earful from residents eager to discuss their own projects and concerns.

“Fort Greene is one community,” Hegewisch said. “We are not a neighborhood divided by a park. We are a neighborhood united by a park.”

Hegewisch said youth outreach, stronger support for public schools and teachers, the “greening” of Fort Greene and a volunteer home assistance program for the elderly were some of her goals for the year.

She also acknowledged the key supporters in the rezoning of 99 blocks of Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and the part of the neighborhood starting to be known as Wallabout.

After that, the deluge:

• Councilwoman Letitia James (D–Fort Greene) spoke about her strong opposition to the construction of a luxury high-rise on 163 Washington Ave. She also called Hegewisch her “soul sister.”

• New Association member Jed Marcus updated the audience on the “Green Fort Greene” project, which he said attracted more than 200 volunteers this summer to encourage residents to make more environmentally friendly choices.

“It’s something that each of us can do differently,” Marcus said, suggesting residents switch to long-lasting fluorescent bulbs.

“We’re asking people to make very small changes,” he said.

• Ruth Goldstein asked for volunteers to plan the centennial celebration of the imprisoned martyr’s monument in Fort Greene Park.

• And two residents took to the podium with complaints about parking difficulties on Adelphi Street and traffic congestion on Carlton Avenue.

©2007 Community Newspaper Group