Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB) will hold its Fourth Annual “Walk Don’t Destroy” walkathon, October 18 from 6-11 p.m. (rain or shine) to raise funds for and awareness of the continuing legal struggle against Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project in Prospect Heights.
Sign in is at Bob Law’s Seafood Cafe, 637 Vanderbilt Avenue between St. Marks Avenue & Prospect Place from 5:15-6 p.m., the walk is from 6-7:30 p.m. and a Post-Walkathon Dance Party will be held at the Brooklyn Lyceum, 227 Fourth Avenue at President Street, from 8-11 p.m.
The 1.3-mile walk will start on Vanderbilt Avenue, go down Flatbush Avenue to Fifth Avenue and continue to the Brooklyn Lyceum.
DDDB relies on the broad community for its support; its legal efforts are funded entirely by the community with more than 4,000 individual donors, as well as various fundraisers throughout the year. The walkathon is DDDB’s biggest fundraising event of the year.
Leading the five year old opposition to the “Atlantic Yards” project, DDDB has organized and continues to fund two major, pending lawsuits in state court-one with 11 property owners and tenants alleging that the use of eminent domain for the project violates the NY State Constitution, and the other under appeal, with 25 community group co-plaintiffs, seeking to overturn New York state’s environmental review and approval of the project, as well as the state’s finding that the project site is “blighted.”
While opposing developer Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards, DDDB seeks to bring, sensible, sustainable, financially prudent and democratic development to the Vanderbilt Rail Yard and advocates for the community plan.
Councilwoman Letitia James, will kick off the walkathon. Then, individuals, teams and families, will walk the 1.2-mile route starting at Bob Law’s Seafood Cafe, just on the edge of the Atlantic Yards project site.
The dance party will feature global sounds of legendary New York City club and radio DJ Delphine Blue and live music from Brooklyn’s own Atomic Grind Show.
Individuals can register to participate and raise money from sponsors at www.dddb.net/walkathon.
Donations take place online through a secure and fully automated system, or can be made in person on the day of the event. All donations are fully tax-deductible.
